Chicken Roasted in Butter

• 3-lb. plump roasting chicken (without giblets & with wing tips removed)
• 4 tablespoons butter (2 oz.wt.)
• Salt (about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon altogether)
• Freshly milled pepper
• A little chopped fresh, or 1/4 to 3/8 teaspoon crumbled dry, tarragon

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt butter. Pour some into the cavity of the chicken. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, a grind or two of pepper, and the tarragon.

Place the chicken on its side in a baking tin or on the rack of a roasting pan. Pour half of the remaining melted butter over; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some more pepper. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Turn the bird over onto its other side and pour remaining melted butter over. Sprinkle with another 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook for another 20 minutes.

Turn the bird over onto its back, after draining out its cavity. Baste the chicken with juices from the pan. Cook another 20 minutes.

The chicken is done when nicely browned and the meat thermometer reads at least 165 degrees F. when stuck into the breast meat.

Set the the bird aside to rest about 10 minutes before carving. Scrape up all the brown bits in the roasting pan; pour them along with the pan juices into a small saucepan.

Heat the pan juices, using a whisk to blend in the brown bits. Pour into a sauceboat. If there are any burnt black bits use a strainer to remove them.

Serves 4