Beautiful color! I would not complain about that one based on it's appearance. Brining may help you get closer to your goal. Modern roasting chickens are hybridized to have more fat than turkey...so what you may be missing is the moisture. The brining will help that a great deal.
Did someone slip you a sample from my table when I wasn't looking?? You nailed it.
I definitely would not call the bird dry, but as I ate it I couldn't help thinking of the tender juiciness of the chickens that come out of the PBC. I kept my comments to myself, but despite the compliments coming from family and guests I was disappointed and was already thinking about next time. I plan to try again this weekend for a confidence builder, then go for real on Christmas for about 18 guests. I thought the flavor was dead-on so I won't do anything too "out there" with the brine, just plain and simple. I realize the raw material is a crucial factor, but if I can do it, I'll be perfectly happy with something in-between what we had the other night and the PBC chicken.
Thanks to all for the encouragement and comments!
