Poularde Roast

Instructions

1. A poularde (pullet) is a domestic hen that has not yet laid eggs, fattened on a diet rich in grains and dairy products. The fillets are long and wide, the drumsticks round, and the muscles, infiltrated with fat, give the meat a delicate, melting texture. Choose a free-range, certified bird. It's undeniably tastier and better for your health. Poularde weights generally between 3 and 4 kg. Suitable for poularde and capon. A capon (from the French chapon) is a castrated male chicken. Its meat is prized for its fine texture, remarkable tenderness, and delicate flavor. In France, the traditional Christmas dish of roasted stuffed capon holds the same ceremonial place as the stuffed turkey (from the French dinde) does for Thanksgiving in the United States. The turkey meat is way liner than the capon, an therefore subject to dry if not handled accordingly. Have you tried the turkey leg roulade?

2. Using the sous-vide method allows the poularde log to be prepared days ahead. With the direct roasting method, however, you should assemble the log about 48 hours prior to cooking.

3. To debone poularde legs, you can either ask your butcher or use the following technique (video coming shortly). After deboning, any remaining cartilage, nerves, and silver skin must also be removed from the chicken legs.

4. Use mushrooms like chanterelles, porcini, or shiitake. For a luxurious note, add some grated black truffle, whose strong scent should be used judiciously. Clean mushrooms accordingly and chop into small pieces. Clean the chicken livers by removing the white membranes and any visible blood spots. Roughly chop the livers and keep them refrigerated. In a large skillet, melt the duck fat over medium heat. Add the shallots and sweat for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and the minced prosciutto, and cook until fragrant, about 3 minute. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high, add the chicken livers, and sauté 4 minutes. Transfer the shallot-liver mixture to a chilled baking tray. Let it cool, then place it in the refrigerator. Once chilled, transfer mixture in a large bowl. In the food processor: Begin by gently shredding the chilled breast pieces, add the eggs, salt, pepper and parmigiano reggiano, and pulse for a few more times until combined. Do not over process. Add the shredded breast to the shallot-liver mixture. Combine the two mixtures. Refrigerate the stuffing for up to 24 hours.

5. Place the deboned poularde legs skin-side down on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Season the flesh with gray salt and freshly ground pepper. Fold each leg into, and refrigerate overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the breast: cut it into scallops or butterfly it. Refrigerate until ready to use.

6. To prepare the wrap: lightly dampen the counter with a sponge. Overlay 3 large sheets of plastic wrap. Place the seasoned legs skin-side down side by side on the plastic, pressing them together to form a seamless layer of meat with no gaps. Add the stuffing and form it into a cylinder along the length of the meat. Fold the cylinder over the stuffing, then cap each end with the reserved breast skin. Roll and press the stuffed poularde legs into a tight, even cylinder, resembling a thick sausage. Secure both ends tightly with kitchen twine or use the plastic film. Freeze the roast for 2 hours to set its shape. You now have a beautiful 3.2 kg roast ready for cooking. Roast it whole if your oven is large enough. If not, cut it in half. Cap ends with the reserved breast skin. Rewrap each roast in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. A this point, the roast can be kept frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking.

7. Vacuum-seal the roast. Set your thermal immersion circulator to 155°F/68°C. Completely immerse the vacuum-sealed poularde roast in the water bath. Cook for 6 hours. After cooking, immediately transfer the roast to an ice bath to stop the cooking process quickly. This step is crucial for food safety and texture. After an hour or so, remove the meat from the cold water and refrigerate overnight. The roulade can be refrigerated at this point for up to 5 days. Remove the chilled cooked roast from the bag and plastic wrap and drain. Reserve the rendered juices—this potent flavor concentrate will be added later to enrich the poularde demi-glace sauce. For best results and extended storage, transfer roast to a fresh sous-vide bag and vacuum-seal.