Capon, anyone?

[klwilliams]

I decided I wanted to roast a chicken, but my local Safeway didn't have any. They had whole turkeys, Cornish game hens, and capons, so I bought a capon. I think it's a chicken. Or like a chicken. What would I need to do to roast a capon that's different from roasting a chicken? Anyone? madbaker?

Comments

hmmm...it's even a period quote :)

[maestrateresa.livejournal.com]

"The capon is a cockerel made as it were female by carving away of his gendering stones."

Bartholomeus (1398) John de Trevisa's translation of De Proprietatibus Rerum

Re: hmmm...it's even a period quote :)

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I like that phrase, "gendering stones".

[fionnbharro.livejournal.com]

It's a cock that's been castrated to improve the flavor. But I suspect that you're looking for a more practical suggestion

It's a bit more tender (and tastier) than 'regular' chicken, so you might want to cook until just barely done, and let residual heat carry it over into the safe/salmonella-free temperature zone. This is to take advantage of the fact that it's a capon.

Some aromatics like rosemary could be put in the body cavity for a gentle flavor.... I wouldn't do much more than that when roasting it.

The upshot... It's a fancy chicken. Treat it as such.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I will treat it thusly.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I was off at a work conference and I don't own a laptop... how did you thusly treat it? Enquiring minds want to know.
Or maybe we're just nosy.