Welcome! Today’s post is about the anxieties or mental roadblocks that might keep you from cooking a whole chicken and how to deal with those roadblocks. This post is co-authored by Vera Petersen. Vera is a License Mental Health Counselor from Exira, Iowa. She primarily works with clients who are experiencing anxiety, life transitions, and trauma. I reached out to Vera because this is such an important topic and I knew she would have great tips!
 
The idea for this post came about when I was talking with a valued friend and customer one day about the challenges or mental roadblocks that can come up when thinking about cooking a whole chicken. Or, honestly, any larger cut of meat. My friend admitted that although she loves our chickens once they are cooked, she has anxiety about cross contamination when cooking raw meat and also feels anxious about over cooking and possibly ‘ruining’ a WHOLE chicken. And that it’s hard to get over that ‘hump’ to actually start the cooking process.
And the thing is, I feel some of these anxieties at times myself and I’m sure a lot of other people do to. Soo, in addition to some of my own tips, I thought it would be really helpful to have professional input. And I am so very grateful that Vera agreed to contribute to this post!
 
To start, I think it helps to have a basic understanding of how to cook/handle raw meat and specifically a chicken. For a specific cooking method called ‘Spatchcocking’ check out my video: How to Spatchcock a Chicken

As with any cooking, it helps to prepare yourself and your kitchen before you even take the chicken out of the fridge. Vera says “When it comes to anxiety in the kitchen, a way to begin building trust with yourself would be to read a recipe through several times. It is also helpful to establish your “mise en place”, a French culinary term for preparing your pans, bowls, and ingredients ahead of time before you even start cooking. Knowing how your recipe works beforehand can help settle some anxiety and allow room to build trust with yourself.”
 
I would suggest making sure you have a clear counter space to work on, preferably close to the sink for easy hand washing. Before doing anything else, place your trash can next to your workspace so you can place the chicken packaging directly into the can after removing it from the chicken. It is also helpful to keep disinfecting wipes close by. Keep them open and ready to use! Because you are close to the sink, any utensils used can go directly in the sink when done with them. If you will be using any seasonings, pre-measure them into a bowl that can be easily washed so you don’t have to touch the containers with messy hands. This may feel awkward at first but after some practice, you will develop a routine that minimizes mess and therefore chances for cross contamination.
 
Vera shares that “Another way to build trust may include taking cooking classes. Community colleges often have non-credit classes for the public to take during an evening. Metropolitan Community College in Omaha often hosts specific classes about knife skills or cooking poultry. This classroom experience allows a space where you can feel safe to ask questions (because you will not be the only person with that question) and practice with the guidance of an experienced educator”
 
And “Possibly the scariest [but still effective]  way to build trust would be to learn to practice on your own. For this, work on using rationalization. Your dish most likely will not be perfect the first time and possibly not the second or third time either. Let go of the ideal perfect outcome as even the best chefs have had moments of overcooked or ruined chicken. It is a great learning experience!”
 
Finally, Vera adds “One of the biggest culprits of low self-confidence in the kitchen would be anxiety and it’s power to self-sabotage. Remind yourself, anticipatory anxiety can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, replace these negative thoughts with positive affirmations such as “I can learn from this”, “I am smart”, “I can do hard things”, or “I did the best I could.””
 
As for me, my last bit of advice is to familiarize yourself with different ways to check your chicken or other cuts of meat for ‘doneness’ as well as what ‘done’ means. There are cues such as smell, color of the skin and of course the old ‘when juices run clear’ and those are all valuable indicators, however these can be highly subjective and so I recommend using a meat thermometer. According to the USDA, Chicken is ‘done’ when the thickest part of the breast, and innermost part of the thigh and wing read 165F*. It’s worth noting that meat does NOT stop cooking the second you remove it from the oven. In fact, it will continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. This means that even if you remove the chicken from the oven a degree or two shy of 165, the meat will finish cooking. And regardless of what temperature you remove the chicken from the oven, ‘tenting’ your chicken with tin foil and allowing it to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting will allow the juices to settle and leave you with a juicier/tastier chicken.
Like most things, you can get a whole spectrum of meat thermometers – all the way up to thermometers that stay in the bird in the oven and send a signal to your phone when it reaches a pre-determined temperature. Honestly, I use a very basic, no frills meat thermometer but it’s nice to know that there are more specific tools out there too!
 
I hope this article has given you some ideas to help quell kitchen related anxieties! I want this blog as a whole to be helpful to you and so if you have any questions or things you would like me to write about, reach out via email brunkofarm@gmail.com. I can’t guarantee I will have all the answers or be able to get to all the requests but I do want to make sure I write about topics (and offer products) that are interesting and relevant to my followers <3
​
Thank you for reading and a huge thanks again to Vera for co-authoring this post. See Vera’s full bio below. We are lucky to have such a great mental health professional practicing in our small community!

​Emily + Vera

*There are a few poultry ‘doneness’ guidelines floating around out there and that can be confusing but this is the most current – see references below
 
https://www.thekitchn.com/the-right-internal-temperature-for-cooked-chicken-quick-kitchen-facts-216074
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2006/04/usda-165-degrees-magic-number-safe-poultry

To order whole or cut up chickens visit www.brunkofarm.com/chicken  
 ​

​If you follow us on Facebook, you have probably seen some pictures of beautifully delicious but oddly presented chickens. Those odd but delicious looking chickens look odd because they have been spatchcocked.

Spatchcocking is my favorite way to cook poultry and I’m here to shout it from the rooftops!

WHY spatchcock a chicken?? Because it results in the juiciest, tastiest chicken you will EVER eat. Also, it decreases the cooking time. And honestly, it’s super simple so I think the real question is why not?

Because learning to spatchcock a chicken totally changed my take on chicken, I made a short video to show you exactly how to do it so you can enjoy roasted chicken every bit as much as I do!

TL:DR thaw your chicken overnight in the fridge, remove backbone using sharp kitchen shears, lay chicken flat in a roasting pan and allow to sit at room temp for 30 minutes. Bake at 425F for approximately 45 minutes. Remove from oven at 162F and allow to rest 10-15 minutes to finish cooking. Enjoy fabulous, juicy, tender, chicken!

And don't forget to order your cage free, home grown chickens here!

​Ready to try spatchcocking a chicken yourself?? Order whole or cut up chickens here: www.brunkofarm.com/chicken

Do you dream of stocking your freezer with cage free, locally raised chicken but your just not sure how to cook a whole chicken? 

I can help with that! There are so many ways to cook a whole chicken that I'm confident we can find something that suites your needs/skill level!

Here we go..

1. Crock Pot
The absolute easiest way to cook a whole chicken (and my go to method for YEARS) is to simply throw that baby in the crockpot. Take your chicken out of the freezer 1-2 days ahead of time and allow to thaw in the fridge. On your chosen cooking day, simply place in the crockpot with a half cup of water or chicken broth and cook on low for 8 hours. You can rub any kind of seasoning on the outside of the chicken that you like. I suggest something with sage or lemon. YUM! 

2. Spatchcocking
Spatchcocking may sound odd but it is my new favorite way to cook a chicken. If you want a fool proof, tender, delicious chicken this is absolutely the way to go! For an extra moist chicken, try out dry brining.

To spatchcock a chicken, cut out the backbone and lay the chicken flat as pictured to the right. You may need to use a little pressure to crack the breast bone but not much. Spatchcock and let the chicken sit at room temperature for about an hour before cooking. Roast the chicken at 425F until the thermometer reads 157-160F.  At this time, remove chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. The chicken will continue to cook during the resting time and the temperature will increase by about 10F.
Optionally, if you are good at planning ahead, spatchcock & dry brine/season the chicken 12-24 hours prior to cooking for optimum flavor and extra crispy skin. How do you dry brine a chicken? Simply salt the chicken all over and let rest in the fridge uncovered* for 12-24 hours. You will use about 4-6TBSP salt. 

*yes you read that right uncovered!

There is nothing better than a juicy, flavorful pulled pork sandwich. And this recipe is as simple as it gets!

Creole Pulled Pork
Ingredients                                        

• pork roast, (any pork roast works well for this including fresh ham roast,         shoulder roast, and loin ... I've even used 4 or 5 shoulder steaks in a pinch
• olive oil
• creole seasoning (we like Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning**)

 
Directions

• Use a knife to pierce the roast all over
• Drizzle roast with olive oil
• Use your fingers to rub seasoning into the roast
• Allow to marinate overnight in an airtight container (optional)
• Put roast & 2 inches of water into crock pot and cook on low for 10-12 hours
• Remove any bones and shred pork into the juices

Serving Suggestion: This pulled pork really shines when served on an English muffin with a dill pickle and creamy grits on the side
 
 **Don't have creole seasoning on hand? The following creole seasoning recipe is from Tony Chachere's cookbook. You will only need a fraction of this so consider cutting the recipe down. Or, don't. It's a versatile seasoning and I'm sure you find many ways to use it in your cooking.  We also particularly like this seasoning on fried potatoes and chicken.

• 26-ounces Morton's free flowing salt
• 1 1/2 ounces ground black pepper
• 2-ounces ground red pepper
• 1-ounce pure garlic powder
• 1-ounce chili powder

Honey Garlic Glazed Pork Chops
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients                                       Glaze Ingredients
2 pork chops                                      ¼ cup honey
Salt                                                    1 Tbsp garlic scapes, chopped*
Pepper                                               2 tsp soy sauce
Cooking oil                                         2 Tbsp lemon juice
 
Directions

• Allow pork chops to come to room temperature before cooking.  Chop the garlic scapes. Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, lemon juice and garlic scapes and set aside.
• Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops. Heat cooking oil in the skillet over medium heat.  Add the pork chops when the skillet is hot.
• Sear the pork chops for 3 minutes on each side. The browning is super important to flavor so don’t touch the pork chops the first couple of minutes that they are in the pan!
• Once seared, turn the heat down to LOW and add the honey garlic sauce. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and stir into the sauce.
• Allow the pork chops to simmer until they are done – about 5 or 6 minutes*. Remove pork chops from pan and let sauce continue to thicken if need be. Sauce is done when you can pull a spatula through it and it leaves a slight trail.

*can substitute 1-2 cloves garlic
 
**Pork chops should be cooked to 145 degrees F but will continue to cook once removed from the pan so you can remove them from the pan when they are 130 degrees F. – you can check temperature by inserting a meat thermometer through the side and into the middle of the pork chop.

***Note that this recipe is for 2 pork chops as it was originally designed for our Date Night CSA. However, it can easily be scaled up!

With more snow in the forecast, I think it is a great time to share some winter weather farm fashion tips for kids. 

We are firm believers in the Danish "no bad weather only bad clothes" philosophy. I will admit that I sometimes (ok ... often) curse my way through the dressing process in the winter but it's always worth it in the end. If we DON'T make it outdoors for some reason, NP can always tell shortly after walking in the door at the end of the day just by the kids' behavior. They NEED, as Olivia would say, to 'blow the stink off' daily.

As you may have noticed in my previous farm fashion posts, farm *fashion* is really more about function than class. You won't find any of us on the cover of Vogue. Ha.

And with that, I present ....The Components of a Toddler's Outdoor Winter Wardrobe:

1. The Expensive Part

BOOTS! Warm ones. And waterproof. Yes, they are expensive. Yes, they can be cumbersome. But warm waterproof boots are ESSENTIAL to any kind of success with outdoor play in the winter. And boots can usually be passed from child to child so that helps bring the cost down. You can also occasionally find good used boots on swap. If you do find a pair in your kiddos size, snatch them up fast as they don't usually stay on swap for long!

Wool Socks are another worth while investment.  For $15-30 you can get a half dozen pairs of toddler size wool socks and they are worth every penny. Again they can be passed down from sibling to sibling and I can tell you from my own years of wool sock wearing experience that they are transformational. I highly recommend them both indoors and out during the cold winter months.

On a side note: I encourage you to consider gifting the more expensive and durable pieces of children's winter gear once your crew has outgrown it. Good quality coats, coveralls and boots can provide several winters worth of warm outdoor play but most kids grow so fast they will only get to wear it for one season. 

2. The Nit Picky Part

Neckies. Neckies are the best thing since sliced bread. Seriously. Waaaaay easier to slip over a toddler's head than any scarf and stays in place too! My personal opinion is that a neckie increases the warmth factor of an outdoor ensemble by at least 60%. Neck stays warm and neither cold breezes nor snow find their way down kiddos neck and into their coat.

Leather "chore" mittens. Yes, leather. And yes, MITTENS. NO GLOVES ALLOWED. Initially we purchased these mittens because O wanted chores gloves 'just like daddy.' Although these are mittens and not gloves, they were reminiscient enough of daddy's chores gloves that O accepted them and they have been the warmest and most waterproof mittens we have found. They also stay on well and hold up to mud and all of the chore time wear and tear. And again they can be passed from one child to the next. 

3. The Upcycling Part

Glove holder on-ers......I am accepting nominations for a better name :P These wonderful creations are the last item to go on. They are simply old knee high socks of mine which we have cut the toe off and cut a slit for the thumb. By pulling them on over the gloves and coat sleeves it makes it harder for kids to take their gloves off and even more importantly, it keeps the snow and cold from sneaking in between gloves and the ends of coat sleeves. I wish I could take credit for this brilliant idea but honesty compels me to admit that I saw this tip in some 'life hacks' video somewhere on the internet. I can however, wholeheartedly confirm the efficacy. 

Ok guys, this HAS to be my current all time favorite lamb recipe! The little dug right into this dish and asked for more ... so it must be a winner, right?! And I have to thank my friend Amber for introducing me to  her Lamb Broccolini Oreccheitte recipe that I adapted this from! ​

For some more fun with lam, also check out my Lamb & Rosemary Koftas recipe and my Greek Roasted Lamb Shoulder recipe! 

Lamb & Broccoli Pasta
​
Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta shells
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• salt to taste

Directions

Bring pasta to a boil and cook until almost tender. You want the pasta to be a little underdone at this point because you are going to add the broccoli for the last little bit of cooking time and save a dirty pan ;) Alternatively, you can fully cook the pasta while cooking the broccoli separately. If you cook the broccoli separately, simply steam or boil the broccoli to your taste and then add to the drained pasta when done cooking.

If you are using the 'one pot method', at this point add the broccoli and cook 3 minutes more, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender. Drain, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking water.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the lamb and break it up into small chunks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is deeply browned and a little crispy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the pepper flakes, and salt to taste, and cook about 1 minute longer.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir the pasta and broccoli into the pot with the lamb. Add the reserved cooking water and continue cooking about 1 to 2 minutes more, to allow the pasta to absorb the flavors. Sprinkle in about ½ cup of the cheese and stir to combine well. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top when you serve the dish!

Enjoy!
Emily

I've gotten several questions lately along the lines of "how do you cook lamb?" To be honest it's not super different from cooking beef. The main thing is just to not overcook it & cook it low and slow. Don't rush it! And don't leave it sitting in it's own juices once it's done cooking.

​When it comes to cooking something new, I prefer to have a recipe that I know is tried and true. SO I am going to share a couple of lamb recipes that I personally have had good success with! Make sure to check out the Lamb & Rosemary Koftas recipe that I've posted previously and be watching for Lamb & Broccoli pasta recipe that I adapted from my from friend Amber's lamb broccolini orecchiette! I will work on getting a grilled lamb chop recipe up as well!

For today, please enjoy a favorite of mine: Greek Roasted Lamb Shoulder Roast. I adapted this recipe from https://www.recipetineats.com/slow-roasted-rosemary-garlic-lamb-shoulder/. If you want a more in depth description of the steps, please visit her original recipe. And then get lost in all of the other great lamb recipes she has too! <3
​

​Greek Roasted Lamb Shoulder Roast (~3lbs) (adapted from: recipetineats)

Ingredients

• 3lb lamb shoulder roast
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onions, quartered (any color is fine, I used red)
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 1 Tbsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (1-2 lemons), plus more to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth (I like to use chicken bouillon)

 
 
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 465F
2. Rub the lamb with the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Use a thin, sharp knife to make 12 incisions in the lamb
4. Stuff garlic slivers into the holes
5. Place the onion, halved garlic bulb and rosemary in the base of a roasting pan. Place the lamb on top. Pour water around.
6. Cover with lid or tightly with a double layer of foil. Place in the oven, and TURN DOWN to 350F
7. Roast, covered, for 3 hours. Remove foil, turn up the oven to 425F and roast for a further 20 to 30 minutes, until the skin is browned and crisp. By now, you should be able to part the meat with two forks.
8. Remove lamb from the roasting pan and transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with foil then a couple of tea towels and let it rest for at least 20 minutes, up to a couple of hours (after this, you may want to reheat). Serve with sauce.
9. Strain liquid into a clear jug. The fat will rise to the top. Scoop/pour most of it off. Adjust the remaining sauce with salt, pepper and lemon to taste.

 
 
Serve lamb with the Sauce on the side

**NOTE: if you have a larger roast, add about 30 minutes of cooking time for every additional 2lbs of lamb

Enjoy!
Emily