Rôti de Volaille

Cooking whole birds with both light and dark meat on them presents a bit of a problem since the white meat becomes tender before the dark. Therefore, cover the white breast meat with a sheet of salt pork to retard cooking and to keep the breast meat from becoming overcooked before the dark meat is tender.

Birds consisting of all dark meat, such as ducks and geese, need no protection from salt pork. Small whole birds, such as Cornish hens and squabs, cook at high temperatures for short periods and likewise require no covering of salt pork. If bird is to be stuffed, do so before it is trussed.