Baking a chicken: how long?

Question

I am cooking a whole chicken in a roast pot. It is 3-4 ilbs. I defrosted it entirely, washed it, removed the tidbits from inside, rubbed it down with shortening, and put it in a roast pot and put 4 cubed up gold potatoes around the edge. Been cooking on 350F now for just over an hour. So, the liquid is boiling on its own(the juices I didn't add water) the liquid comes out very yellowish, thick in color, but clear. It is clear running out. But the skin is still wet and very light colored, not browned and crisp like I expected. How much longer does it need to cook? Stainless roast pot with lid. I am at 5,000 ft elevation BTW. This needs to work out as it is all the food I have right now. Will it brown? Does it need to? Please help

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

The other poster is right, chicken won't brown if its covered. But you can still brown the skin. Just remove it from the pan its in and put it on a baking sheet, or if you don't have one, just drain most of the juice from the pan its in and keep the cover off. Crank up the temperature to 375 to 400 rub the skin with some butter or oil and put it back in the oven. Should brown in about ten to fifteen minutes.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

This answer and the first one both identified the correct problem, but the other declared it couldn't be fixed and this one gave the perfect solution- and it worked. Awesome.

Answer 2

If the liquid is running clear than it is done cooking. If you used the lid on the pot than the skin will not brown, it sort of steams when you put a cover on. If you want the chicken to get brown and crispy I would rub it with butter instead of shortening and leave off the lid. It won't brown now, because it is already cooked. The meat will be fine, I just wouldn't eat the skin.

Answer 3

Please look at sites below.
Hope this helps.

Source(s):

http://homecooking.about.com/od/altitude…
http://www.knoxspice.com/Barbecue_rub_re…

Answer 4

cook until the chicken falls off the bone for soup or not for soup temp of 165-170

Source(s):

i am a cook with 5years under my belt