radiation heat, such as below the rim of a roasting pan or inside the cavity of a turkey A convection oven, on the other hand, forces hot air to circulate all around the food, constantly supplying it with plenty of heat energy It also whisks away surface moisture, causing skin of crusts to dry out faster This can significantly increase the rate of cooking, as well as make for better, more evenly browned poultry skin or meat crusts If your oven has one, I recommend using the convection setting, particularly for roasting meats and poultry The drawback is that most recipes (including the ones in this book) are not specifically designed for convection ovens, so some adjustment is necessary to get them to work as advertised The general rule of thumb is that if you are using a recipe developed for a conventional oven but cooking in a convection oven, reduce the oven temperature by around 25 degrees The exact adjustment will vary depending on oven brand and model, so some testing may be required before you learn exactly how your oven works WHAT MAKES CHICKEN SKIN CRISP AND GOLDEN? C hicken skin is composed mainly of three elements: water, fat, and protein (mostly collagen) In order for it to become crisp, a few things must happen First, the collagen must convert to gelatin Next, the water must evaporate Finally, the fat must render and run off What you’re left with is skin that’s a crispy, golden brown shell of its former self To enhance the process, there are several things you can First, start with relatively dry chicken Look for chickens that are labeled “air-chilled.” Regular chickens are chilled in water, which adds extra moisture to the skin and can prevent good browning Second, dry the skin well with paper towels Better yet, if you have the time, let the chicken sit on a rack on a baking sheet, uncovered, in the refrigerator for a day This will jump-start the drying process, allowing the skin to crisp faster in the oven But letting it rest for longer than a day is not a good idea Why is that? Well, collagen breakdown is a time- and temperature-dependent process that requires the presence of moisture and a temperature of at least 160°F For this reason, if you cook your chicken at too low a temperature or let the skin dry too much (by, say, allowing it to rest for several days uncovered in the fridge), you’ll end up driving off the moisture required for the collagen to turn into gelatin The skin becomes papery or leathery instead of crisp Aiding the rendering of the fat can give you a big boost in good crisping To do this, you need to create ... uncovered in the fridge), you’ll end up driving off the moisture required for the collagen to turn into gelatin The skin becomes papery or leathery instead of crisp Aiding the rendering of the fat can give you a big... moisture to the skin and can prevent good browning Second, dry the skin well with paper towels Better yet, if you have the time, let the chicken sit on a rack on a baking sheet, uncovered, in the refrigerator for a day... fat, and protein (mostly collagen) In order for it to become crisp, a few things must happen First, the collagen must convert to gelatin Next, the water must evaporate Finally, the fat must render