How Much Twine Do You Need To Truss A Chicken For Rotisserie?

When you're making rotisserie chicken, trussing is an important step that involves tying the legs and wings of the chicken close to its body. You might already know that the best kind of twine for trussing birds is butcher's or kitchen twine. Made from linen, 100% cotton, or a blend of cotton and polyester, cooking twine is durable, strong, heat resistant, and safe to wrap around meats and other foods. But how much twine do you need to cut off the spool?

While some people say 2 feet is enough, others recommend 3 feet for the average bird. Another recommendation is to hold your arms straight out from your sides, and cut the width from fingertip to fingertip. Although these measurements could work, they might not be the most accurate since not all chickens are the same size. Instead, a better measurement is four lengths. This involves holding the twine from neck to tail, letting go of the end, and pulling the twine across the bird four times. 

At the very least, it's always best to cut more twine than you need because you can remove the excess afterward. What do you do if there's not enough twine on the spool, though? You could always use the dental floss hack if you've run out of kitchen twine, but this alternative is only ideal if you have the unflavored, unwaxed variety. Otherwise, you could end up with an odd, fake minty flavor in your chicken.

Not trussing the bird is one of the mistakes everyone makes when cooking rotisserie chicken at home. The reason this technique is so essential is because it ensures that the meat cooks evenly while it's on the spit. Without trussing, the breast cavity is open while it's cooking, which lets too much hot air inside the bird, making the breast too dry before the legs and thighs fully cook. Additionally, letting the legs and wings hang risks them hitting the heating element or getting stuck on something else as the bird rotates. 

So, for the most flavorful, juicy rotisserie chicken, trussing is a must. After cutting four lengths of butcher's twine, position the midway point under the protrusion at the rear of the chicken (called the pope's nose) with it facing away from you. Pull the twine around both ends of the legs, and cross it over. Then, slide it forward and underneath the leg ends to create a figure eight, and pull tightly. Maneuver the twine under the breast, pulling toward yourself and keeping it parallel to the wings. 

Next, lift the bird onto the pope's nose, and use your thumbs to pull down the skin over the neck cavity. Meanwhile, pull the twine over the wings to make them lay against the body, and wrap it over the neck hole and skin. Tightly secure the twine with a slipknot, and cut any excess. Now, you're ready to insert the spit and get to roasting. You can order a 328-foot spool of cotton butcher's twine on Amazon.