Beer Brined Chicken with Giblet Gravy

  • Average
  • Average budget

Ingredients

  • BRINE
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp black pepper corns
  • 1 tsp juniper berries
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 tsp whole cloves
  • 8 cups dark beer
  • CHICKEN
  • 1 (4 to 5 pound) roasting chicken, well rinsed and patted dry, giblets reserved and chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onions
  • 3/4 cup diced celery
  • 3/4 cup diced carrots
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 tsp Essence
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 4 tsp flour
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, or chicken broth
  • 1 tsp chopped sage
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the mixture with the beer in a plastic container. Place the chicken in the brine and if necessary, weigh down with a heavy dinner plate to completely submerge. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 425F

Step 3

In a small saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp butter and Essence over medium heat. Remove from the heat. With a pastry brush, baste the top and sides of the chicken with half of the butter. Place in oven and roast breast side up for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Remove from the oven, turn breast side down, and baste with the remaining seasoned butter. Reduce the temperature to 375F and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, place breast side up and roast until golden and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest while making the sauce.

Step 5

In a medium, heavy pot, melt the remaining Tbsp butter and heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the reserved giblets and cook, stirring, until brown 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the vegetables from the roasting pan and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock and any juices accumulated in the roasting pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the sage and cook at a heavy simmer until reduced by 50% in volume, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat

Step 6

With a hand-held immersion blender or in batches in a food processor, process to a thick liquid. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, pressing against the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Adjust the seasoning to taste

Step 7

To serve, carve the chicken and serve with the gravy, garnished with parsley.

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