Simple Roast Capon
Yield
serves 8
RECIPE Ingredients
- 1 Capon, Whole (about 8lbs), thawed in fridge, if needed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 onion, halved
- Small bunch fresh thyme
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Recipe notes
In this simple capon recipe, we add basic aromatics to the cavity and rub down the bird with butter before roasting in a hot oven for juicy, golden brown results that let the natural flavor shine.
RECIPE Preparation
- Remove capon from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pat the capon dry with paper towels. Season inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Place lemon, onion, and thyme into the cavity then truss the legs with butcher’s string and tuck the wings under. Rub the softened butter evenly all over the outside of the bird and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place the capon breast side up on a rack set inside a shallow roasting pan. Roast until capon is golden brown and thigh juices run clear, about 1½ hours. Finished temp: an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast and thigh should register 165 degrees F. (Account for about 10 degrees of carry-over cooking after you remove the bird from the oven.)
- Rest the capon, tented with foil, for 20 minutes before removing the string and carving.
