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French Chicken in a Pot browning question

JohnB
JohnB Posts: 183
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm going to give this recipe a 2nd try. The first was good. Used a small free range organic chicken and it was quite tasty. The only real problem is that the skin wasn't so appetizing to look at, accept where the top and bottom of the bird had been browned in the Dutch oven, on a burner, prior to putting the lid on and inserting it into the BGE.

Any advice on how to brown the skin a little?

thanks in advance!

Comments

  • Weed burner? :woohoo:
  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
    Are you using the whole chicken or cut? Sounds like the pieces browned individually might help.
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    John if you are putting the lid on when you put in the egg, why in the egg?
    Maybe I do not understand?
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • not sure what you mean by "french chicken"....here is a post i did a while back, roasting a chicken 'french' style based on jaque pepin...skin comes out great because after a little while you start basting it with the butter/drippings from the pan....gets very crispy skin with a wonderful buttery flavor...

    http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=207762&catid=1
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    photo-125.jpg
    That will sure do it :whistle:
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    I'm using a whole chicken. I've been brining it since yesterday evening.
  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    Actually I'm going to be putting it in my oven The initial poster cooked his on his Egg. I was temporarily mixed up.
  • Max,
    Thanks for the link to your previous cook. It looked so good I bookmarked it.
    Do you think that would work in a roasting pan with the chicken in the rack instead of upright? Seems like it would. Mad Max Ckn instead of turkey. :)
  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    I think part of the flavor of the chicken comes from being in the enclosed pot with all the aromatics. The first time I cooked this was the first time I've ever tried browning a whole bird in cast iron. I may let it brown a little longer this time
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    I had the same issue. I think the slow enclosed roasting like that will soften the skin no matter what you do. I just discarded it before serving.

    The leftovers made some terrific chicken salad.
  • John,
    One thing I picked up on when reading this thread wa that you said you were brining the chicken. Therein may be the problem. A brined chicken will by definition have more liquid than a non brined one and more difficulty getting the skin just right.
    If you look at the America Test Kitchen link as well as Mad Max's link, neither used brined chicken. :ohmy:

    Both of these recipes looked fantastic to me and I saved them both, but I would definitely not do it with a brined bird and expect the same results as they got.

    Since the Egg retains so much moisture, I rarely brine anything anymore, unless I am trying to impart a particular flavor through brining. If fact I usually leave the top vent off when cooking chicken to try to let more moisture out and get crispier skin!

    Post your results - interested to know how it turns out.
  • Man, not to be a party pooper, but I looked back at the Test Kitchen link and the sidebar with the nutritional info put me into shock! Serving size equal 1/4 chicken - OK. Calories per serving - 1148 with 51% of the daily sodium allowance. WOW! Guess ya gotta have broccoli or asparagus and no taters or bread with that meal! :laugh: :laugh:
  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    I just put it in to cook. I seared it longer (almost too long on the breast side) but also tilted the bird 1/4, so I could sort of sear the thighs and drumsticks. It looks better already.
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Hope it turns out good. I wasn't too impressed with it. The texture was fabulous and it was incredibly moist, but the flavor was blah. I may do it again and leave the lid off for a half hour or so at the end of the cook to get some smoke to it.
  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    I brined it because its a free-range, organic chicken from a friends farm. The meat is superior but it can get a little dry and rubbery and it seems like brining it may help. Also, the au jus is pretty delicious from the one time I tried this method, so the more the merrier. I can always reduce it!

    I let you know how it turned out.

    thanks!
  • I tried this recipe last week and had the same problem. I was going try it again this weekend with hopes of better results. I'm interested to hear how your second attempt went.
  • JohnB
    JohnB Posts: 183
    Browning it a little more certainly helped with the texture of the skin and the overall look. Also, I think brining it made a big difference, at least with the free range bird I had. The meat of the bird was perfect but I can't stress enough how important the au jus is, especially with the lemon added at the end after it's strained. It's not gravy but its incredibly tasty.