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How to Truss a Chicken

Name: How to Truss a Chicken
Ingredients: 3 feet kitchen twine; 1 chicken

Trussing a chicken means tying it with kitchen twine so it cooks evenly and stays compact. You tuck the wings under, tie the legs together, and secure everything so the bird holds its shape in the oven. Takes two minutes once you know the moves.

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

3 feet kitchen twine
1 chicken

Step by step

Pat the chicken completely dry. Use paper towels inside and out. Any moisture will make the twine slip and your hands fumble. Remove the giblets if they're still tucked inside.
Cut a 3-foot length of kitchen twine. Cotton twine works best. Longer is better than shorter—you can always trim excess, but you can't add more once you've started.
Place chicken breast-side up, legs toward you. Position it so the cavity opening faces you. This gives you the best angle to work with the legs and makes everything easier to reach.
Tuck the wing tips under the body. Fold each wing back so the tips slip underneath the chicken, like the bird is putting its hands behind its back. This keeps them from burning.
Find the center of your twine and loop it under the tail. Slide the middle of the twine under the pointed end of the chicken, right where the tail would be. Pull both ends up so you have equal lengths on each side.
Cross the twine over the legs and pull tight. Bring both ends of twine up and cross them right where the drumsticks meet the thighs. Pull firmly to bring the legs together and close the cavity.
Wrap around each drumstick and tie. Loop each end of twine around the outside of each drumstick, then bring the ends back together. Tie a double knot tight against the legs.
Flip and secure the neck. Turn the chicken over. Pull any loose neck skin over the cavity opening and tuck it under. If there's excess twine, wrap it around to keep the neck skin in place.

Tips & troubleshooting

Wet hands make twine slip. Keep a towel handy and dry your fingers between steps.
If the twine keeps sliding, the chicken isn't dry enough. Pat it down again before you start over.
Tight is good, but don't cut into the skin. You want the bird compact, not strangled.
Save the wing tips if you trim them. They make excellent stock.
Cotton twine burns away cleanly. Never use synthetic string or rubber bands.

Variations

Simple leg-tie method. Skip steps 5-7 and just tie the drumsticks together with a short piece of twine. Less secure but faster if you're in a hurry.
Butcher's knot technique. Use a slipknot at the legs instead of a regular knot. Easier to untie after cooking and gives you more control over how tight the binding is.
No-flip method. Do everything from the breast side without turning the chicken over. Works fine if the neck skin isn't loose or if you've already trimmed it.

Questions

Do I really need to truss a whole chicken?: Not strictly, but it makes a difference. Trussed birds cook more evenly because the thick thighs don't stick out where they cook faster than the breast. Plus it looks better on the table.
Can I truss a chicken ahead of time?: Yes, you can truss it the morning you plan to cook it. Much longer than that and the twine can start to dig into the skin. Don't truss a chicken you're planning to brine.
What if I don't have kitchen twine?: Dental floss works in a pinch, but only the unflavored kind. You can also use thin strips of aluminum foil twisted into rope, though it's trickier to work with.
When do I remove the twine?: Cut it off right after the chicken comes out of the oven, while it's still hot. The twine will be easier to cut and won't stick to the skin as much.
My trussing looks messy compared to the butcher's. Does it matter?: Not at all. As long as the legs are together and the wings are tucked, you've done the job. Perfect symmetry is nice but doesn't affect how the chicken cooks.