Roast chicken from Hovelsrud farm by Lake Mjøsa, Eastern Norway.
Chicken dinner from the Hovelsrud farm, Eastern Norway.
A farmer and a chicken at Hovelsrud farm in the Hamar region, Eastern Norway
The Hovelsrud farm at Helgøya in the Hamar region, Eastern Norway
Chicken from the Hovelsrud farm by Lake Mjøsa, Eastern Norway.
Marianne hold a chicken at the Hovelsrud farm by lake Mjøsa, Eastern Norway.
Marianne hold a chicken at the Hovelsrud farm by lake Mjøsa, Eastern Norway.

RECIPE:
Roast organic chicken
from Hovelsrud Farm

Mmm! Looks good, doesn't it?

Roast chicken is the perfect meal to share with family or friends. It looks impressive, and it's actually not too hard to make.

The key is a good recipe and quality ingredients.

So, let's start with the main ingredient, the chicken.

“We believe that animals that have had a good life taste better. The combination of slow growth and plenty of activity makes the meat juicier.”

Marianne Olssøn, owner of Hovelsrud Farm

Marianne Olssøn and her family own Hovelsrud Gård – one of the great farms by Mjøsa lake in Eastern Norway.

They have been farming organic chicken since 2016.

The chicken raised at the farm live a longer life than most industrially farmed chickens. They also have large outdoor areas where they can play and explore.

The result? A happier chicken with a better taste...

... at least according to some of Norway's best restaurants.

Both Michelin-starred Maaemo in Oslo and RE-NAA in Stavanger, as well as Credo in Trondheim serve Marianne's organic chicken.

And you can do it too! You'll find Hovelsrud's chicken in several stores in Norway – and it's perfect for a roast chicken dinner.

Here's how you do it:

Roast chicken from Hovelsrud

Marianne recommends using master chef Heston Blumenthal's method to get the chicken as juicy and delicious possible. Just follow the steps below.

Ingredients:

1 whole organic chicken

Salt for brining

1 lemon

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

Some stalks of herbs: rosemary and thyme

100 grams good quality butter

Salt and pepper

Source: Hovelsrud Farm

This recipe is made in three main steps: Marinating the chicken in brine, roasting and rest time, and browning.

1. The chicken should be almost completely covered with a salt and cold water brine. Use 60 g of salt per litre of water. Cover the chicken with cling film and refrigerate overnight. Remove the chicken and dry off the brine. Glaze the skin with good butter. Fill the cavity with lemon, garlic and herbs. We used 2 sprigs of thyme and 2 sprigs of rosemary here.

2. Bake the chicken at 90 degrees Celsius for at least 90 minutes, 120 minutes for large chickens. A low temperature makes the meat juicy. Use a cooking thermometer. The core temperature should be 75 degrees Celsius. The chicken should rest uncovered for 45 minutes once it's removed from the oven. Rest time is important for the juice to remain in the meat.

3. Glaze the chicken with butter, salt and pepper. Set the oven to 300 degrees Celsius and brown the chicken for about 10-15 minutes, until the skin has a golden colour.

Cut the chicken and serve with your favourite vegetables. Enjoy!

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Hovelsrud is a working farm, but it's also open to visitors, with lots to explore.

Go for a stroll through the farm's impressive garden – and sample its products in the farm shop.

You can also spend the night at the farm, and wake up to tasty, locally produced treats delivered to your door.

This area by Mjøsa lake can be covered by bike, foot or kayak, making it easy to travel from one farm adventure to another.

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