It's very resilient - I made multiple simultaneous mistakes and it still came out great.

Reviewed On: Mar. 3, 2013

Like so many others, I used no foil and instead kept the bird off the bottom using potatoes, onions, and a few baby carrots stuck into the gaps. A more complete bed than was intended perhaps, but it worked quite well. The chicken did come out somewhat overcooked, however, I think this was probably due to my being worried about the first hour at high temperature being inadequate and extending that (big bird, full pot, incomplete seal, whole-bird-novice-jitters, etc.) I suspect if I'd followed instructions more precisely and just relaxed, it would have been fine. As it turns out (a surprise to nobody but myself), a five and a half pound bird on a full bed of vegetables for 8-10 hours produces quite a lot of thick, dark, beautiful chicken stock (assuming you strain and separate instead of enjoying it directly as a chicken-vegetable soup). I had planned on throwing the carcass in to make stock after cooking this but in retrospect I think this method of preparation does most of what can be done for you already. In any case, this would explain the other reviewers' experience adding broth at the beginning and then realizing it was entirely superfluous. Oh, and I did seasoning under the skin while leaving the skin on (as much as I could after that process), then sprinkled a little on top, worried about seasoning only the skin as commented by others. It turned out fine in all respects - everything was flavorful and much of the skin stayed put.

Reviewed On: Feb. 11, 2012

This was good, but I find myself substantially reducing the stock. That may, however, be due to how it was originally cooked (was surprised to find how thick/fatty the original 'stock' before I made the stock, that left by the cooking, turned out once I strained and separated it - perhaps I simply didn't need to force another quart or three out of the heap) and/or that I included some, but not all, of the skin (meant to transfer it all, simply forgot what I was doing while pulling the bird). Or perhaps my assessment of proper stock dilution is simply wrong. In any case, whatever the cause, I'll do this same technique/recipe again next time just with less than the prescribed water in the pressure cooker. Also, even on the weak side of chicken flavor this simply makes an unusually good vegetable stock.

Reviewed On: Feb. 11, 2012