Raw Whole Chicken with Bones
I have never boned a chicken before. I purposely avoided trying this technique so I could continue to deny all the requests I receive to make a Turducken. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken) I always thought stuffing a chicken in to a duck in to a turkey was gluttonous. I did not want to try it. Every offer comes with a fair share of begging. I have always been able to say I do not know how to bone poultry. Well, I cannot use that excuse any longer.
Marcella did an excellent job describing the entire process in the cookbook. The step by step instructions are fool proof. I was able to bone the whole chicken without damaging the skin. Sadly, I was a little distracted and did not photograph my boned raw chicken. :( Silly I know but nevertheless too late. Now that all the bones (except from wings) were removed from the chicken it was time to stuff it.
The stuffing is a mixture of ground beef chuck, parmesan cheese, parsley and garlic. As instructed, I filled in the leg cavities first then formed the remaining stuffing into oval like lump for the center of the chicken. I just realized I did not photograph this step either. Sorry, I am totally lame this week. Then the bird is stitched close. I did take a picture of the raw chicken sewn closed. I’m getting pretty good with a needle and thread in the kitchen.
Back of Boned Stuffed Chicken
The stuffed chicken is browned on all sides in a pan with oil and butter. I managed to rotate the chicken in the pan without tearing it up. White wine is added before covering the pan. The chicken is cooked on the stove top over low heat.
I turned the chicken half way through the cooking process. The skin near one drumstick ripped and a little stuffing oozed out. I was very disappointed. I had to give myself a timeout. Ten minutes later I laughed at how upset I was. It’s just food. I let the chicken rest a bit before slicing it.
Cooked Chicken
This tasted like mildly flavored meatballs and chicken. The meat combination was not for me. I've learned I do not like eating chicken and ground beef together. However, I am going to use this technique again. I have thought up all kinds of delicious stuffing to try.
Pan-Roasted Whole Boned Chicken with Beef and Parmesan Stuffing
Close-up of leg
Close-up of Breast section
Comments (12)
It's beautiful Irene! What a great job you did. I've never boned a chicken either. I might have to try now after seeing how great yours turned out. Too bad the taste wasn't to your liking though.
Posted by Cindy Ruth | October 5, 2010 12:44 AM
Posted on October 5, 2010 00:44
That is so cool! I'm way impressed and may have to give this a go too!
Posted by Kim | October 5, 2010 4:46 AM
Posted on October 5, 2010 04:46
It will be a long time before I pick this one to cook I think. The thought of boning a chicken is a bit intimidating. I will get there one day though! Looks beautiful.
Posted by David downie | October 5, 2010 4:53 AM
Posted on October 5, 2010 04:53
I'm very impressed, Irene! I've never tried boning a whole chicken either, but I do have a little roaster in the fridge....humn.
Posted by Amy | October 5, 2010 6:01 AM
Posted on October 5, 2010 06:01
BRAVO!
This is impressive. I remember reading the recipe and thinking that it sounded like a complex challenge - you rose to the challenge with style.
Like Cindy I that that I may have to try this myself.
Posted by Jerry | October 5, 2010 6:16 AM
Posted on October 5, 2010 06:16
I AM impressed, Irene! I've boned a whole chicken before, but it didn't look as beautiful as yours.
When I was a kid, my mother used to flatten chicken thigh meat and roll it around a beef, pork & bread crumb mixture. So your second from the last photo brings back powerful memories of Sunday afternoon dinner for me.
I'm another one who thinks the truducken thing is just plain WRONG.
Posted by Deborah | October 5, 2010 7:30 AM
Posted on October 5, 2010 07:30
OMG That looks delicious. If you weren't already married I would definatley propose. I might have to take a train trip down there on a Monday night. Keep up the good work.
Posted by Kisha | October 5, 2010 12:20 PM
Posted on October 5, 2010 12:20
My objective in doing this recipe was to provide instructions that would make boning a chicken easily accessible to a good cook. The stuffing is arbitrary, its mild flavor works well for me, but it can be replaced by any other combination that you'd find suitable and enjoyable. I am so pleased, Irene, that you undertook to produce this as directed and did it so skillfully. As for the photographs, next time you can ask Deborah to stand by and click her shutter.
David, what can we do to rid you of your fears? Try it, if it doesn't work, chuck it, and have a pasta sauce ready as a backup, or take Victoria out for dinner. Take a lesson from Irene, all you need is the patience to follow the directions and do EXACTLY as I have written. I have made all these dishes and they work. Deborah, I've never heard of truducken, it sounds medieval and horrible.
Posted by Marcella Hazan | October 5, 2010 2:11 PM
Posted on October 5, 2010 14:11
I may have forgotten to insert my name in my recent post here. Marcella
Posted by Marcella Hazan | October 5, 2010 2:30 PM
Posted on October 5, 2010 14:30
Marcella - a turducken is a deboned chicken stuffed inside a deboned duck and stuffed inside a turkey. The whole things is stuffed with a bread crumb/sausage mixture (how could there be any room left?) and baked. Paul Prudhomme is rumoured to have encouraged the craze - proof that famous cooks can do HARM as well as good!
Medieval and horrible sums it up.
They even sell them ready-made here in Canada!
ACK
Posted by Jerry | October 5, 2010 4:26 PM
Posted on October 5, 2010 16:26
This is absolutley fabulous and I am inspired to give it a try. What did/can you do with the boned out carcas? I imagine it could be used for stock.
Very well done Irene!
Brian
Posted by Brian S (aka JB) | October 8, 2010 5:52 PM
Posted on October 8, 2010 17:52
I'm new to this site; in fact, I found it by searching for this recipe so that I could share a link to the recipe with all my foodie friends. I just want to comment, for those of you deciding whether to invest the effort, that my husband made this last year, and I think it might be the best thing I've eaten in my entire life. Certainly it's the best savory dish I've had.
Posted by Evelyn S. | January 29, 2011 3:19 PM
Posted on January 29, 2011 15:19