Better Poultry through Blow-drying

The key to super crispy skin is to dry your bird completely before roasting. Paper towels just won't cut it. Chris Shepherd, chef-owner of Underbelly in Houston, discovered that a local Chinese restaurant was using an air compressor to dry Peking duck, and he adopted the trick himself. Insert the nozzle between the skin and meat of the bird and dry for about 30 seconds. Don't have an air compressor? Stop at a gas station for a hit of compressed air on the way home from Whole Foods.