Meat Dishes
- Roasted Chicken
- Jucy-Lucy Burgers
- Beef Wellington
- Cherry-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
- Porchetta (Italian Roast)
Roasted Chicken
Sources: Julia Childs & Cooks Illustrated
Modified By: Michael D'Attilo
Cook Time: ~2.5 Hours
Ingredients
Chicken
1 3.5lb - 4lb Chicken
(Note: 'Air Dried' is the most important property to look for in a quality chicken)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, soft
1/2 cup salt
1 tbsp olive oil
pepper
Vegetables
1tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup carrots, diced
1/3 cup onion, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Handful of fresh parsley stems
Handful of celery leaves
Six 1/8-inch-thick lemon slices
1 cup onion sliced
1 cup carrots sliced
1 cup celery sliced
1/4 cup chicken broth
Braising & Gravy
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of water to help veggies from burning if needed
1/2 cup chicken broth
Instructions
Dissolve salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
Meanwhile, Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet. Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery then cook over medium heat until softened; add the thyme sprigs.
When chicken is ready, heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix 2 tbsp butter together with a small amount of pepper. Use your fingers to gently loosen center portion of skin covering each breast; rub butter under skin, directly on meat in center of each breast (being careful not to coat the outside of the skin). Gently press on skin to distribute butter over meat. Tuck wings behind back. Rub skin with oil.
Salt and pepper Chicken cavity and spoon in cooked vegetables, a handful of parsley stems, celery leaves, and the lemon slices. Truss the Chicken as tightly as possible, tying legs together and sealing cavity as much as possible.
Lay remaining carrots, onion, and celery in bottom of roasting pan, along with 1/4 cup chicken broth. Place oiled V-rack on top of roasting pan, Place chicken, wing side up, on prepared V-rack. Roast in oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, Open oven and rotate chicken so that other wing side faces up. Braise chicken with 1tbsp fresh lemon juice. Add more broth or water to vegetables if they seem to need it. Continue to roast until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, about 25 to 30 minutes longer.
Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain juices and fat from chicken pan with remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, and simmer over medium heat until reduced and syrupy. Serve chicken with gravy and cooked vegetables.
Jucy-Lucy Burgers
Source: Cook's Country, Aug/Sept 2007
Ingredients
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into rough pieces
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
1 slice deli American cheese (1/2-inch-thick), cut into quarters
Instructions
Straight from the grill, the cheesy center of the Jucy Lucy will be molten hot. Be sure to let the burgers rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
1. Using potato masher, mash bread, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in large bowl until smooth. Add beef and gently knead until well combined.
2. Divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Following related photos, mold each portion of meat around 1 piece of cheese. Transfer patties to plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
3. Grill burgers over medium fire until well browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.
STOVETOP JUCY LUCY BURGERS
Prepare Grilled Jucy Lucy Burgers through step 2. Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add patties and cook until well browned, about 6 minutes. Flip burgers, cover skillet, and continue cooking until well-done, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.
1. Using half of each portion of meat, encase the cheese to form a mini burger patty
2. Mold remaining half-portion of meat around the mini patty and seal the edges to form a ball.
3. Flatten the ball with the palm of your hand, forming a 3/4-inch-thick patty.
Beef Wellington
Source: Gordon Ramsey
Ingredients
2lb Fillet Mignon roast
12 slices of Prosciutto
8oz of Small Brown Mushrooms (ex. Baby Bella)
35oz pack of Puff Pastry
2 Egg Yolks
1/4 cup Butter
1 large sprig of Fresh Thyme
Dry White Wine
Olive Oil
Flour
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Instructions
-
Season fillet mignon with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan until it is very hot. Quickly sear the beef in the oil (Tilt the pan and press it against the side to sear multiple sides at once; lift it with tongs to sear either end) and remove from heat to let it cool. Chill in the fridge for about 20 mins.
-
While the beef is cooling, chop mushrooms as finely as possible so they have the texture of coarse breadcrumbs. You can use a food processor to do this, but make sure you pulse-chop the mushrooms so they don't become a slurry.
-
Heat about 1/4 cup butter in a large pan and fry the mushrooms on a medium heat, along with the thyme, for about 10 mins stirring often, until you have a softened mixture. To season the mushroom mixture, pour over 7 tbsp dry white wine and cook for about 10 mins until all the wine has been absorbed. The mixture should hold its shape when stirred. Remove the mushroom duxelle from the pan to cool and discard the thyme.
-
Overlap two pieces of saran wrap over a large chopping board. Lay prosciutto on the cling film, slightly overlapping, in a double row. Spread half the duxelles over the prosciutto, then sit the fillet on it and spread the remaining duxelles over. Use the saran wrap's edges to draw the prosciutto around the fillet, then roll it into a sausage shape, twisting the ends of cling film to tighten it as you go. Chill the fillet while you roll out the pastry.
-
Overlap three more pieces of saran wrap, and dust with a little flour. Roll the puff pastry out into a strip that is at least 12in wide. Beat egg yolks with 1 tsp water and brush down the pastry; unravel the fillet from the saran wrap and do the same to it. Place the fillet at one end of the pastry strip and wrap it around the fillet with the saran wrap, smoothing as you go to ensure there are no air bubbles. Trim off excess pastry, and seal the seam with egg yolk and the back of a spoon.
-
Glaze all over with egg yolk and sprinkle with a small amount of salt. Using the back of a knife, mark the beef Wellington with long diagonal lines taking care not to cut into the pastry. Chill for at least 30 mins and up to 24 hrs.
-
Heat oven to 430F (390F for convection ovens). Butter a rectangular area on a medium-sized baking pan, large enough for the Wellington to sit. Brush the Wellington with remaining egg yolk and cook until golden and crisp - 35 mins for medium rare. Allow to stand for 10 mins before serving in thick slices.
Tips:
Trim carefully
Lower the chances of the edges separating by giving yourself lots of room - and don't trim the pastry too close to the meat.
Gordon's tips
Brush the meat as well as the pastry with egg wash. This will make the top layer of pastry stick to the meat and stop it from rising and leaving a gap.
Use up leftover pastry
Any leftover pastry is fine to use for something else, even if covered in egg. Simply roll it into a ball and refrigerate until needed.
Sealing the pastry
Use the rounded end of a fork or spoon handle to seal the edges rather than the prongs of a fork - using the prongs will only pierce the pastry rather than joining it.
Keep it air-free
Drape over the top layer of pastry very carefully, smoothing it down with your hands as you go. You don't want any air trapped between the pastry and the meat.
763 kcalories, protein 50g, carbohydrate 32g, fat 48 g, saturated fat 20g, fibre 0g, salt 2.46 g
Cherry-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Source: Allrecipes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 thin slices prosciutto
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Brush the inside of an oven-proof skillet with vegetable oil. Set aside.
Mix cherries, bread crumbs, egg yolk, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, olive oil, thyme, oregano, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until combined.
Cut a 1-inch slit in each chicken breast by slicing at an angle from the thick end of the breast toward the thinner end.
Open flap and place one butterflied chicken breast between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Repeat with the other breast.
Place half the stuffing on each chicken breast, place each breast on a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a tight roll, twisting the ends of the plastic wrap to hold create a tight package.
On a piece of plastic wrap, slightly overlap 2 slices of prosciutto so they are as wide as the rolled chicken breast. Unwrap rolled chicken breast and place the breast at one end of the prosciutto. Roll prosciutto around the stuffed breast using the plastic to make a tight roll. Repeat with the second stuffed breast and remaining 2 slices of prosciutto.
Lay 4 pieces of string on the cutting board, about 1-inch apart. Place chicken roll across the strings, and tie each into a knot to keep the chicken from unrolling. Repeat for the second stuffed breast.
Place stuffed, rolled chicken breasts in the prepared skillet and bake in the preheated oven until the prosciutto is browned and crispy and chicken is no longer pink, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove chicken to a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil.
Drain grease from the pan as desired, leaving juice and browned bits. Pour in chicken stock and balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until liquid has reduced by half, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter and stir until melted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Remove twine from chicken breasts; slice into bite-sized pieces. Serve drizzled with pan sauce.
Porchetta (Italian Roast)
Source: Andrew Janjigian, Cook's Illustrated #143, pp 8-9
Ingredients
Pork butt is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. Look for a roast with a substantial fat cap. If fennel seeds are unavailable, substitute 1/4 cut ground fennel. The Porchetta needs to be refrigerated for 6 to 24 hours once it is rubbed with the paste, but it is best when it sits for a full 24 hours.
3 Tbsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves (2 bunches)
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves (2 bunches)
12 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (5-6 lb) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed
1/4 tsp baking soda
Directions
Grind fennel seeds in spice grinder or mortar and pestle until finely ground. Transfer ground fennel to food processor and add rosemary, thyme, garlic, 1 tbsp pepper, and 2 tsp salt. Pulse mixture until finely chopped, 10 to 15 pulses. Add oil and process until smooth paste forms, 20 to 30 seconds
Using a sharp knife, cut slits in surface fat of roast, spaced 1 in apart, in crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into meat. Cut roast in half with the grain into 2 equal pieces.
Turn each roast on its side so fat cap is facing away from you, bottom of roast is facing toward you, and newly cut side is facing up. Starting 1 in from short end of each roast, use boning or paring knife to make slit that starts 1 in from top of roast and ends 1 in from bottom, pushing knife completely through roast. Repeat making slits, spaced 1 to 1 1/2 in apart, along length of each roast, stopping 1 in from opposite end (you should have 6 to 8 slits, depending on size of roast).
Turn roast so fat cap is facing down. Rub sides and bottom of each roast with 2 tsp salt, taking care to work salt into slits from both sides. Rub herb paste onto sides and bottom of each roast, taking care to work paste into slits from both sides. Flip roast so that fat cap is facing up. Using 3 pieces of kitchen twine per roast, tie each roast into compact cylinder.
Combine 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and baking soda in small bowl. Rub fat cap of each roast with salt-baking soda mixture, taking care to work mixture into crosshatches. Transfer roasts to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 6 hr or up to 24 hr.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer roasts, fat side up, to large, high-rimmed roasting pan, leaving 2 inches between roasts. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Cook until pork registers 180 degrees, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Remove pan from oven and increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Carefully remove and discard foil and transfer roasts to a large plate. Discard liquid in pan. Line pan with foil. Remove twine from roasts; return roasts to pan, directly on foil; and return pan to oven. Cook until exteriors of roasts are well browned and interiors register 190 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes.
Transfer roasts to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Slice roasts 1/2 inch thick, transfer to serving platter, and serve.