Nosh # 1

Nosh No 1

I wanted my first Nosh recipe to be one that is as close to my heart as a good deli pickle was to my mom’s. It was a hard choice; food is core to who I am. Before writing this I polled my friends to see which food they most associated me with. Their answers read like a timeline of my life: My childhood friends said the french toast I used to make during school breaks, Co-Op conspirators think of beans that I made during a more extreme granola phase, college friends suggested the latkes I made as a reminder of when my mom would send my entire suite presents for all 8 days of Hanukkah, and so on. However, when I think of a dish that has stood the test of time in my own kitchen, a simple, adaptable roast chicken recipe (like the one below) is unparalleled.  In the same way that Jewish delis provided a feeling of family nostalgia for my mom, this mayo roasted chicken provides that for me.

This succulent chicken  was a once-a-week staple for my mom and me. It is a juicy, tasty and tactile experience. The dry brine brings flavor to the chicken, while the mayo locks in the seasonings and the juice. But the best part of roasting this whole chicken is undoubtedly the savage experience that happens after dinner. Once our people were fed and we’d had our way with the bulk of the meat, my mom and I would retreat to the kitchen and pick apart the carcass, gossiping as we plucked the most tender bits from the chicken, dipping them in the roasting juices and popping them into our mouths.  

This sacred practice is Noshing at its core: a conversation that lingers beyond the meal and over a chicken carcass. We devoured carcasses like this for years, snacking until we found the wishbone. When we located it, we would pause and take a moment to wish for good health, a house to live in, or to win the lotto.  To this day, I love to gossip over a carcass with my closest friends. I hope you make this recipe and do the same

Momma Becker’s Mayo Roasted Chicken

Dry Brine Ingredients:

  • 1 Whole Chicken–(you can also use this method for pieces of bone-in chicken or for the juiciest boneless, skinless chicken breast you have ever tried)

  • A generous amount of salt (2-3 teaspoons for a whole chicken)

  • Garlic Powder to coat

  • Onion powder to coat

  • (Optional) Other dry spices of your choosing

    For Roasting:

  • 2 tbs of your favorite Mayonnaise

  • (Optional) Lemon Juice, Hot Sauce or some Fresh Herbs of your choosing for some extra zing

Instructions:

Day 1

  • Pat dry and generously salt your bird all over. Don’t forget to get up in there and season the inside of the chicken cavity. This will help to make your chicken breasts tender and juicy. Gently rub salt into the skin.

  • Generously sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder and any other dry spices you like over your chicken. No need to rub in further.

  • Pop your seasoned chicken into a ziploc (or another container) and into the fridge. Leave it in there for 24 hours to let the dry brine do its magic tenderizing the meat and adding flavor.

Day 2: : 

  • I like to take my chicken out of the fridge at least a good 20 min or so before cooking to help the bird cook more evenly. Be sure to take out any extra pots and pans that may be living in your oven before preheating to 450 degrees.

  • For a more even cook, you can spatchcock your bird or tie your bird's legs together before putting it in the oven.  The NYT has a great guide on how to prep a chicken for roasting.  

  • Use your hands to spread 2 tbs mayo thinly and evenly over all sides of the chicken. My mother kept mayo in the fridge for the sole purpose of roasting chickens. I promise if you are a Mayo hater like she was, you won’t taste it at all. 

  • Roast chicken until a thermometer reads 165 degrees (about 11-12 minutes per pound). I like to roast chicken in a cast iron skillet or a rimmed sheet pan.

  • Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

  • Serve!

  • After serving, remove any remaining meat from the carcass with your most trusted friends and family. Save the bones for stock.