Classic Roast Stuffed Organic Chicken with Gravy
A traditional roast stuffed chicken with lots of gravy is a forgotten flavour for many people, partly because unless you have access to a really good bird the smell and flavour will be quite different to one's childhood memory.
People often feel that making stuffing is too bothersome but if you keep some breadcrumbs in the freezer, it can literally be made in minutes. Should I cook the stuffing inside the bird or separately?
The best place for the stuffing is inside the bird where it absorbs lots of delicious juices as it cooks. Do not overfill the bird otherwise the heat may not penetrate fully. This is particularly important if you are using an intensively reared bird which may be infected with salmonella and/or campylobacter.
Ingredients
1.5 - 2.3kg (4 1/2 - 5lbs) free range chicken, preferably organic
Giblet Stock (optional)
- giblets (keep the liver for a chicken liver pate), and wish bone
- 1 thickly sliced carrot
- 1 thickly sliced onion
- 1 stick celery, sliced
- a few parsley stalks and a sprig of thyme
- Or 600-900ml (1 – 1 1/2 pints/2 1/2 – 3 3/4 cups) chicken stock (use for gravy)
Serves 6
Stuffing
- 45g (1 1/2oz/1/3 stick) butter
- 75g (3oz) chopped onion
- 75-100g (3-3 1/2oz) soft white breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons (2 1/2 American tablespoons) finely chopped fresh herbs e.g., parsley, thyme, chives and annual marjoram
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- a little soft butter
Gravy
600-900ml (1 – 1 1/2 pints/2 1/2 – 3 3/4 cups) of stock from giblets or chicken stock
Garnish
Sprigs of flat parsley
Method
Dry brine the chicken while you prepare the stuffing (see recipe).
First, sprinkle the chicken lightly all over with pure dairy salt (2 rounded teaspoons) - (20 minutes approx.).
This seasons the meat, enhances the flavour and firms the texture of the flesh
Remove the wish bone from the neck end of the chicken, this is easily done by lifting back the loose neck, skin and cutting around the wish bone with a small knife – tug to remove, this isn't at all essential, but it does make carving much easier later on.
Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken to make a neat shape. Put the wish bone, giblets, carrot, onions, celery and herbs into a saucepan.
Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, skin and simmer gently while the chicken is roasting.This is the basis of the gravy. Alternatively, use homemade chicken stock.
Stuffing
Next make the stuffing, sweat the onions gently in the butter in a covered saucepan until soft, 10 minutes approx. then stir in the white breadcrumbs, the freshly chopped herbs, a little salt and pepper to taste.
Allow it to get quite cold unless you are going to cook the chicken immediately. Fill the cavity with stuffing but not too tightly. Dry the chicken with kitchen paper. Smear the breast and legs with a little soft butter.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Weigh the chicken and allow about 20 minutes to the lb and 20 minutes over – put on middle shelf in oven. Baste a couple of times during the cooking with the buttery juices. The chicken is done when the juices are running clear.
To test prick the thickest part at the base of the thigh, hold a spoon underneath to collect the liquid, examine the juices - they should be clear.
Remove the chicken to a carving dish, keep it warm and allow to rest while you make the gravy.
Gravy
To make the gravy, tilt the roasting tin to one corner and spoon off the surplus fat from the juices and return the roasting pan to the stove.
Alternatively, use a maigret to degrease*.
De-glaze the pan juices with the fat free stock from the giblets and bones (you will need 600 – 900ml/1 - 1 1/2 pints/2 1/2 – 3 3/4 cups) depending on the size of the chicken).
Using a whisk, stir and scrape well to dissolve the caramelized meat juices in the roasting pan. Boil it up well, season and thicken with a little roux if you like (the gravy should not be thick).
Taste and correct seasoning, serve in a hot gravy boat.
Serving
If possible, serve the chicken on a nice carving dish surrounded by crispy roast potatoes and some sprigs of flat parsley then arm yourself with a sharp knife and bring it to the table. Carve as best you can and ignore rude remarks if you are still practicing but do try to organise it so that each person gets some brown and some white meat. Serve with gravy and bread sauce.
Use the cooked carcass for stock.
Note
*A maigret though not essential is a very useful piece of kitchen equipment – it simplifies the task of separating the fat from juices.
Julia's Roast Potatoes
Ingredients
8 potatoes, unwashed Golden Wonders or Kerr's Pinks
Method
Choose medium to large potatoes of even size. Scrub and peel. Put into a saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to the boil. Drain thoroughly. Lightly scratch the surface with a fork and season with salt.
Put the potatoes into smoking hot fat or olive oil. Baste occasionally. Cook until soft in a hot oven 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8 for 30-45 minutes depending on the size. Drain well on kitchen paper. Serve immediately.
Alternatively, put the potatoes into smoking hot fat in the same tin as the meat, 40-45 minutes before the meat is fully cooked and baste well. Cook until soft. (Baste the potatoes when you baste the meat and turn them over after 25 minutes). Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.
Roux
Ingredients
- 110g (4oz/1 stick) butter
- 110g (4oz/scant 1 cup) flour
Method
Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally. Use as required. Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred. It will keep at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.
Basic Brine for Chicken, Duck or Pork
Brining greatly enhances the flavour of chicken, duck or pork.
We brine whole turkeys (48 hours), chickens and ducks (16-18 hours), chicken breast (30-40 minutes depending on size).
Soak the bird or joint in a brine mixture of salt and water. The electrically charged ions of the salt plump up the muscle fibres, allowing them to absorb water. This changes the structure of the proteins, preventing the water from escaping during cooking. In addition to keeping the meat moist, the salt intensifies flavour.
To make a basic brine, mix together 30g salt to 1 litre of water in a suitable size container with a cover (stainless steel, plastic or enamel are ideal). A little sugar may be added to the brine, even a few spices. Stir the salt with a wooden spoon or clean hand in cold tap water to dissolve completely . Add the bird or joint (it should be submerged in the water), cover and chill in a refrigerator or keep in a cool place and brine for chosen time.
Traditional Bread Sauce
I love Bread Sauce but if I hadn't been reared on it I might never have tried it - the recipe sounds so dull! Serve with roast chicken, turkey and guinea fowl.
Ingredients
- 600ml (1 pint/2 1/2 cups) whole milk
- 75-110g (3 - 4oz) soft white breadcrumbs (see recipe)
- 2 medium onions, each stuck with 6 cloves
- 35 - 50g (1 1/2 - 2oz) butter
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 75-110ml (3-4 fl oz/scant 1/2 cup – 1/2 cup) thick cream
- 2 good pinches of ground cloves or quatre epices
Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
Method
Bring to the boil in a small, deep saucepan all the ingredients except the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the onion and add the cream just before serving. Taste, correct the seasoning and add a little more milk if the sauce is too thick. Serve hot.
Note: The bread sauce will keep in the fridge for several days – the remainder can be reheated gently – you may need to use a little more milk.
Quatre Epices is a French spice product made of equal amounts of ground white pepper, cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
Serves 6-8
Redcurrant Sauce
A simple, delicious sauce which is unbelievably quick to make. It goes well with lamb, guinea fowl, ham and pâté de campagne. Frozen redcurrants may be used.
Ingredients
- 125g (4 1/2oz/generous 1/2 cup) sugar
- 125ml (4 1/2fl oz/1/2 cup) water
- 150g (5oz) fresh redcurrants
Remove the strings from the redcurrants if necessary.
Method
Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Toss in the redcurrants, bring back to the boil, cook uncovered for 4 or 5 minutes or until the redcurrants burst. Serve hot or cold.
Tip: Keeps for several weeks in a covered jar in the fridge and may be reheated gently.
Redcurrants freeze brilliantly just pop them into the freezer in the punnet or a plastic bag. If you shake the bag when frozen the berries will fall off the strings - much easier than painstakingly removing the stings when they are fresh. Discard the strings before using the berries.
Note
When using frozen redcurrants, the quantities are as follows:
- 175g (6oz) redcurrants
- 110g (4oz/1/2 cup) granulated sugar
Place the redcurrants in a saucepan with the sugar, bring to the boil and stir for 2-3 minutes.
Serves 4-6