Can a person ever have too many ways to roast a chicken? I think not! Roast chicken is a real family favorite around here. Most members of my family would rather have roast chicken than roast turkey. It is something which we never tire of.
And in a world where the cost of food keeps rising and rising all the time, roasting a chicken makes great economical sense! A person might balk when they see the initial cost of a roasting chicken, but when you consider that you are going to be getting two or three meals from it, depending on its size, it becomes quite an economical choice!!
Depending on the side dishes you choose to serve with it, you can get a hearty meal on the first day, of carved chicken, with stuffing and a variety of vegetables and gravy.
If you haven't made pigs of yourselves, you can often have sandwiches the day after, and then a soup from the spent carcass. Very economical indeed.
The recipe I am sharing today comes from a book entitled The Country Cooking of Ireland, by Colman Andrews. This is one of the books I chose to replace when I moved back to Canada. It is filled with lovely recipes.
The photos of the recipes are all very delicious looking and the recipes all sound and using simple, readily available ingredients for the most part.
Photography by Christopher Hirsheimer
Interspersed between the gorgeous photographs are wonderful snippets of history, interesting people and facts.
In short it inspires one to get into the kitchen and start cooking!
This recipe for roast chicken is attributed to Myrtle Allen of the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, where it is served with bread sauce, crisp bacon, homemade sausages, black pudding and Colcannon. A hearty repast indeed!
I'm not sure I could eat all that at one sitting!!! Must be meant for farm folk who labor hard all day!
The end result of this recipe is a deliciously tender and juicy roast chicken, with golden skin, a fabulously tasty herbed bread stuffing and a lovely tasty gravy.
I always add potatoes to my roasting tin because we like to have roasted potatoes with our chicken. Just par boil them, toss with some oil and then scatter them around the chicken in the roasting tin.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BALLYMALOE HOUSE ROAST CHICKEN WITH HERB STUFFING
Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way!
- 2 cups (480ml) chicken stock
- one (4 to 5 lb / 2 to 2 1/2 kg) roasting chicken, with neck and giblets
- 3 TBS butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups (120g) fresh white bread crumbs
- 1 TBS chopped parsley
- 2 TBS chopped fresh thyme or winter savory, plus 5 to 6 sprigs of thyme
- 1 TBS chopped fresh chives
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS white flour
Do be sure to buy the very best roasting chicken that you can afford. I buy free range if possible. This chicken was a President's Choice Free From Roasting Chicken.
If you can, try to get one with the neck and giblets included. This adds flavor to the stock you will be using to make the gravy. If you can't get them, then just use the stock without them. The gravy won't have quite as much flavor, but it will still be very good.
HOW TO MAKE BALLYMALOE HOUSE ROAST CHICKEN WITH HERB STUFFING
You will begin by making the stock which will be used for the gravy. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium sized saucepan, then reduce to medium low. Add the chicken neck and giblets. Simmer for half an hour, until the stock has reduced by 1/3. Set aside to cool, then strain, discarding any solids.
Melt the butter in another saucepan over low heat. When it starts to foam add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, without coloring, for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the bread crumbs and herbs. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Allow to cool completely to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.Season the chicken all over, inside and out, with salt and black pepper. Fill the cavity with the stuffing, taking care not to pack it in too tightly. (Any extra can be cooked separately in a small dish along with the chicken, see below.)
Push the thyme sprigs into the stuffing, so that they protrude a bit. Secure the opening with a small skewer. Place onto a rack in a roasting tin.
Put into the oven and roast for half an hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/ 180*C/ gas mark 4. Place any extra stuffing into a small covered casserole and pop into the oven. Continue to roast the chicken for an additional 20 minutes per pound/40 minutes per kg. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when a skewer is poked into one of the thighs. The legs will also be a bit loose in the socket.
Remove the chicken and stuffing from the oven. Remove the chicken to a large plate and lightly tent. Skim off and discard any excess fat from the juices in the roasting tin.
Place the tin over low heat on top of the stove. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until a roux forms. Whisk in the reserved stock. Increase the heat to high and whisk to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits, etc.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens. Leave to simmer for several minutes. Remove the stuffing from the cavity of the chicken and stir together with the extra stuffing. Carve the chicken and serve hot with the stuffing, gravy and any extra vegetables you want to serve.
With the chicken carved into thin slices and gravy ladled over top, it makes for a very lovely meal, with plenty of leftovers to be enjoyed in either a casserole or sandwiches the next day and a soup after that with the bones.
If you don't want to make a soup right way, you can pack the bones into a zip lock freezer bag and freeze them until you do!
These are our favorite kinds of meals to enjoy. How about you???
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Irish Roast Chicken with Herb Stuffing
Yield: 6-8
Properly roasted, moist and tender chicken. Well flavored with a delicious stuffing and gravy. Buy the best roasting chicken that you can afford.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (480ml) chicken stock
- one (4 to 5 lb / 2 to 2 1/2 kg) roasting chicken, with neck and giblets
- 3 TBS butter
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups (120g) fresh white bread crumbs
- 1 TBS chopped parsley
- 2 TBS chopped fresh thyme or winter savory, plus 5 to 6 sprigs of thyme
- 1 TBS chopped fresh chives
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS white flour
Instructions
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium sized saucepan, then reduce to medium low. Add the chicken neck and giblets. Simmer for half an hour, until the stock has reduced by 1/3. Set aside to cool, then strain, discarding any solids.
- Melt the butter in another saucepan over low heat. When it starts to foam add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, without coloring, for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the bread crumbs and herbs. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Allow to cool completely to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.
- Season the chicken all over, inside and out, with salt and black pepper. Fill the cavity with the stuffing, taking care not to pack it in too tightly. (Any extra can be cooked separately in a small dish along with the chicken, see below.) Push the thyme sprigs into the stuffing, so that they protrude a bit.
- Secure the opening with a small skewer. Place onto a rack in a roasting tin.
- Put into the oven and roast for half an hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 350*F/ 180*C/ gas mark 4. Place any extra stuffing into a small covered casserole and pop into the oven. Continue to roast the chicken for an additional 20 minutes per pound/40 minutes per kg. The chicken is done when the juices run clear when a skewer is poked into one of the thighs. The legs will also be a bit loose in the socket.
- Remove the chicken and stuffing from the oven. Remove the chicken to a large plate and lightly tent.
- Skim off and discard any excess fat from the juices in the roasting tin. Place the tin over low heat on top of the stove. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until a roux forms. Whisk in the reserved stock. Increase the heat to high and whisk to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits, etc.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens. Leave to simmer for several minutes.
- Remove the stuffing from the cavity of the chicken and stir together with the extra stuffing. Carve the chicken and serve hot with the stuffing, gravy and any extra vegetables you want to serve.
Thank you for visiting! Do come again!!
Rick periodically makes roast chicken and very good gravy but I think your recipe for gravy might even top his! I'll have to share this -- or maybe try on my own!
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