If you've ever cooked a chicken on a rotisserie, either on the barbecue or in a specialized rotisserie cooker indoors, you'll know how important it is to secure the chicken. If left unsecured, the chicken will flop around with every revolution and make a mess. One way to secure the chicken is with twine, but this way can be time consuming. Another way is to use elastic chicken ties, which are sold in cooking stores and online. These products aren't standard elastics, but are specially designed exactly for this purpose.
Step 1
Place the chicken on its back on a cutting board. It should be placed with its wings closest to you and its legs away from you.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Slide an elastic tie over one end of the chicken and position it to the middle of the bird, between the wings and legs. Slide it up against the bottom side of the wings, or the side of the wings away from you.
Step 3
Gather the elastic from the side of the chicken facing downward and pull it toward you, then over the top of the chicken toward the legs. You will notice that as you do so, the elastic under the wings will tighten and hold them in place.
Step 4
Pull the elastic down the length of the chicken and slide it over both ends of the legs. Your chicken should now be secure. If not, repeat this process with another elastic to add more pressure to keep the chicken held together.
Tip
Buy only elastic ties that are safe in temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, the elastics may melt or release dioxins into the meat.
When the chicken is cooked, pull the elastic off the chicken's body and wash it in hot, soapy water.
Warning
Always wash your hands, the cutting board and anything else that comes in contact with raw poultry after touching it.
Video of the Day