When snow was coating the UK Abel & Cole contacted me asking if I would like to try one of their soya-free chickens. It's an intriguing concept and not one I had really considered or come across before. As the majority of GM-free soya comes from Brazil, where rainforests are chopped down to make way for soya, Abel & Cole have looked into soya-free ways of chicken getting their protein for growth. I was pleased with the quality of the bird. I'm fortunate to have a very good supplier of organic, free range meat and will continue to use them, but for what ever reason I can't get to them I'll be giving Abel & Cole a call.
Like the chicken we usually buy, this chicken came with the giblets. I'm always freaked out by the giblets. Half pig? fine, giblets stuffed up a chicken? um, no chance. Thank goodness for Hubby. I know I should have kept them to make the ultimate chicken stock, but I couldn't bring myself to use them. Maybe I've eventually get over my gibletphobia.
To cook the chicken I wanted to try pot-roasting, different from my usual way of cooking a chicken. Something I hadn't tried with chicken. I was also yet another excuse to use my Le Creuset dish. Rarely does a week go by when I don't use the Le Creuset dish I got for Christmas. I admit I'm a bit obsessed with it. I was pleased how it turned out. This method of roasting produced a succulent and tasty bird. The roasting juices were then used as a slightly sweet gravy. I'll certainly cook a chicken again this way.
Based on this recipe from Delicious Magazine
Pot-Roast Cider Chicken
1.5kg whole free-range chicken with giblets removed.
330ml dry cider
2 large onions, wedges
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1) Preheat oven to 220oc. Scatter the onion wedges over the bottom of the casserole pan then place chicken on top of the onions. Pour in the cider and sprinkle with thyme. Replace lid and roast in oven for 45 min.
2) Uncover the chicken and roast for a further 45 min, until the chicken is cooked. Remove chicken from pan, wrap in foil and rest for 20 min. The remaining liquid in the pan can be used as a gravy.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Pot-Roast Cider Chicken
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Oh my, your roasts look amazing! I would love some now!
ReplyDeleteChicken & cider's a winner. You didn't use your drop dead stuff though?
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about the giblets are though - keep the liver. Only realised this recently. Fried chicken livers on toast - a neat lunch snack for another day. Meanwhile once the chicken's cooked, & deboned boil up the bones with giblets, simmer it for a good hour or two, then turn the heat back up to reduce it to a ladle or two full, so it doesn't dilute what you're adding it to. Add that back in to your sauce/ gravy and you have a serious flavour boost. Of course for time purposes (not everyone spends 18 hours a day cooking) you can work in arrears - make your stock from left over bones & giblets this time, freeze it and use it next time.
Oh and the other thing - a thrifty tip - after you've made your stock let the chicken carcass cool slightly and then you can pick off the last bits of meat - mixed with mayonnaise makes great open sandwich
ReplyDeleteWe got one of these chickens too but I'm yet to blog about it. I've become a bit of a liver convert so we had part of the giblets as a starter. I think I wrote a while back that it's a great way to get cheap chicken liver as you then get to use the rest for stock/gravy. I still resort to bisto I'm afraid as it reminds me of childhood roasts but my husband doesn't like it having grown up in Spain and only likes gravy made with the giblets...
ReplyDeleteagirlhastoeat - trust me, my roasts have not always looked so good!
ReplyDeleteJames - Oh no, didn't dare use the scary cider! I don't eat liver, but Hubby does. He'll have to try the chicken livers on toast next time.
Amanda - after many failed attempts I only mastered gravy recently. I know what you mean about the bisto tasting of roast dinners of childhood.
Im you on the giblets! I've got some cider lying around from another dish I made so will have to try this. Looks lovely and moist
ReplyDeleteLooks lovely, and a great excuse to use the Le Creuset as you say!
ReplyDeleteYour pot roast chicken looks delicious! A few decades ago giblets always came with the chicken and make a lovely stock for the gravy.
ReplyDeleteApologies for not calling by sooner due to gastric influenza.
Rosie x
Beth - The cider seems to sweeted the flavour of the chicken.
ReplyDeleteGinger - good old Le Creuset!
Rosie - Good to hear your feeling better.
Oh wow this looks and sounds wonderful, perfect for a Sunday lunch!
ReplyDeleteMaria
x
Although I am not much of a cook, I can roast a chicken. (People are always super-impressed when I do it too. Even though all I did was throw the chicken in the oven for 90 minutes!) Anyways, thanks for the inspiration...I like the idea of roasting the chicken in cider!
ReplyDeleteMaria - I think the best thing about Sunday Lunches is the leftover meat!
ReplyDeleteKrista - I always used to be scared of roasting a chicken and it was one of the last meats I learn how to roast, but now I love cooking it. The cider gives the chicken a delicious flavour.