Crispy skins in roaster ovens

[jpcher]

Every year my SIL roasts her turkey in a roaster oven. While the meat is oh so tender and moist there is never a nice golden brown crispy skin on it. Which is no big deal because there isn't an "Oooooo, Wowwww" presentation. The turkey gets carved before it's brought to the table.

I'm making stuffed cornish hens and am thinking about using my roaster oven because, well, I've had the darned thing for 6 months and have only used it once! (I know it's silly )

Is there a trick to getting a nice crispy golden brown skin on birds done in a roaster oven?

Does it matter if the bird is glazed or not? SIL doesn't glaze her turkey.

[Rohanna]

I'm afraid my idea involves a blow torch... so that probably isn't helpful 

[sparksals]

Transfer to the oven for the last few minutes.  That is the drawback of the roaster oven, I'm afraid.

[Dazi]

I would try transferring it to the oven for 15-20 minutes at maybe 400 or so or the broiler for a couple of minutes (keeping a very, very close eye on it so not to burn it).  Run a stick of butter over it to maximize crispy factor prior to placing in oven.

[jpcher]

I'm afraid my idea involves a blow torch... so that probably isn't helpful 

LOL! Love this answer!


Along with sparksals and Dazi . . . So obtaining a crispy skin in a roaster oven isn't possible?

Then why do they show pictures like this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11161855&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_term=9453710&utm_content=Exact&utm_campaign=PLA&cagpspn=pla

That looks like a nice golden crispy skin to me. False advertising?




I'll do the cornish hens in the oven . . . tried and true method.

Thanks!

[Dazi]

Nope, you are never going to get crispy skin in that roaster.  The meat is amazingly tender and juicy though.  The problem is the moisture staying trapped that makes it so juicy, keeps it from getting crispy.

In an oven you get more dry heat and space for the moisture to get away from the meat.  Even so, you still have to remove the lid or foil the last 15-20 minutes in the oven to get truly brown crispy skin.

As to the bird shown in the picture, there is an art to making food look appetizing to consumers.  It involves camera angles, food dyes/paint and blow torches.  Most of the food isn't cooked or not completely so, then tinkered with to make it beautiful. I remember watching some show on how they make commercials for fast food places...none of the food that was used was actually safe to eat.

[Amara]

Hahahahahaha. Food photography, yes. It's a stinker. Check out these sites for some hilarious (or horrifying) "underground" stories.

http://www.pixiq.com/article/food-photo-tricks

http://www.divinecaroline.com/38/81312-motor-oil-cotton-balls-food

[Dazi]

Hahahahahaha. Food photography, yes. It's a stinker. Check out these sites for some hilarious (or horrifying) "underground" stories.

http://www.pixiq.com/article/food-photo-tricks

http://www.divinecaroline.com/38/81312-motor-oil-cotton-balls-food

this was the one I was thinking of 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUjz_eiIX8k

[jpcher]

Those food tricks are amazing! I remember seeing a show (years ago) where they used soap bubbles instead of whip cream (or some such thing) because the whip cream melts under the hot lights too quickly in order to take the shot.


I guess the roaster oven is just a huge crock-pot? Which is deceiving in itself because of the term "roaster."

I always thought that it was just a small oven.

Learn something new every day!

[Dazi]

snip

I guess the roaster oven is just a huge crock-pot? Which is deceiving in itself because of the term "roaster."

Pretty much.  I think the only real differences are the name and the wire rack in it.  I have a 5 or 6 quart crock-pot that I cook chicken in often.  It just falls off the bone, but it's nearly impossible to get it out in one piece (it does make mouth watering delicious chicken for dumplings or chicken salad though).

When I want crispy, it has to be done in the oven.

[sparksals]

I think it is a misnomer to call it a crockpot.   I used mine tonight to heat up the squash and mashed potatoes.  Then transferred to the oven to roast and back to the roaster to keep warm.  Worked perfectly.   I don't believe it is anything like a crockpot.  I wouldn't do a stew or tough roast in my roaster.  I use it as a 2nd oven.

[doodlemor]

I'm afraid my idea involves a blow torch... so that probably isn't helpful 

There actually is a kitchen device called a creme brulee torch, or chef's torch, or kitchen torch.  It uses a butane canister.  Maybe this would work.

In olden times chefs had an iron tool called a *salamander* that was heated on the fire, and then used for browning.  These things are apparently still used, because they are available for sale online.

We're running a different computer system, and I can't figure out how to copy and paste the links.

[jpcher]

I think it is a misnomer to call it a crockpot.   I used mine tonight to heat up the squash and mashed potatoes.  Then transferred to the oven to roast and back to the roaster to keep warm.  Worked perfectly.   I don't believe it is anything like a crockpot.  I wouldn't do a stew or tough roast in my roaster.  I use it as a 2nd oven.

That's interesting. My old one (which was lost in a flood about 7 years ago) was used mainly by LDH for a double batch of his famous chili -- much like a crock pot was used.

I bought this one mainly because I needed a second oven for a large party. I would really like to use it more for it's intended purpose.

[NyaChan]

I actually just roasted a turkey today in a roaster and thought of this thread!  Ours definitely had a nice crispy skin and needed no additional browning (we like things really browned, not golden but actually dark brown).  We didn't do anything differently, but I've noticed that our marinade for the turkey really helps get that result regardless of whether we use an oven or a roaster unless it is cooked in a paper bag, in which case additional browning is needed.  We do a rub of salt & pepper, then rub in a paste of fresh garlic and ginger, and then slather with mayonnaise.   

[Sharnita]

I think it is a misnomer to call it a crockpot.   I used mine tonight to heat up the squash and mashed potatoes.  Then transferred to the oven to roast and back to the roaster to keep warm.  Worked perfectly.   I don't believe it is anything like a crockpot.  I wouldn't do a stew or tough roast in my roaster.  I use it as a 2nd oven.

That's interesting. My old one (which was lost in a flood about 7 years ago) was used mainly by LDH for a double batch of his famous chili -- much like a crock pot was used.

I bought this one mainly because I needed a second oven for a large party. I would really like to use it more for it's intended purpose.

The turkey cooks faster in the roaster than in the regular oven so it doesn't seem real similar to a crockpot to me.