Clay Pot Stewed Chicken

Step 1

Initial preparation:

1. Slaughter the chicken, remove all feathers, open the cavity, remove the internal organs, rinse in clear water for 2 hours, then wash away the blood and set aside.
2. Remove the fat at the chicken neck and tail, crack the leg bones, make a cut on each side of the breast, and press down the breastbone. Removing the fat prevents the finished dish from being overly greasy with an unpleasant texture. The operations in step 2 help the chicken absorb flavor. If diners in some areas prefer crispy chicken skin, a little brine (lye water) can be added, but it must be rinsed repeatedly to wash away the brine flavor.

Step 2

Preparing the broth: First pour 10 kg of spiced broth into a stainless steel bucket, bring to a boil over high heat, then add in order: 6 g soup base, 10 g maltose, 4 g osmanthus syrup, 10 g chicken essence, 5 g straw mushroom dark soy sauce, 2 g chicken juice, 100 g raw vegetable seed oil, and 10 g salt. Bring to a boil over high heat again and simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Marinating: For each chicken, mix 1 g salt with 50 g premium straw mushroom dark soy sauce, rub the mixture evenly over the inside and outside of the chicken, and marinate for 5 minutes. Then rinse the surface dark soy sauce clean with clear water and drain. Stuff 3 pre-soaked fresh chestnuts into the chicken cavity, tuck in the chicken legs, twist the two wings backward, and tuck the chicken head underneath. The surface dark soy sauce must be rinsed thoroughly, otherwise the braised chicken will be too dark in color.

Step 4

Braising:

1. Place one freshly lit honeycomb coal briquette in a honeycomb coal stove, then place two unlit briquettes on top. Set up an iron pot on the stove and place a special clay pot inside.
2. Add 20 g fried pork belly, 3 dried red chili peppers, and 3 ginger slices to the clay pot in order, then gently lower the chicken into the pot with the breast facing up. Ladle the heated special spiced broth over the chicken (the broth should be about 1 cm below the rim of the clay pot).
3. Move the clay pot onto a gas stove, bring to a boil over high heat, quickly skim off the foam on the surface, and repeatedly ladle the broth over the chicken with a small spoon. After simmering for about 2 minutes, transfer the clay pot back onto the iron pot on the honeycomb coal stove. Cover with the stainless steel inner lid and outer lid and begin braising. Braising the chicken must be done over a honeycomb coal stove because the coal fire increases from low to high and then slowly decreases after 2 hours, naturally reducing the liquid over a long period, allowing the chicken to cook through slowly. The burning time of these three briquettes equals the entire braising time of the chicken. The dedicated coal stove has a small mouth and moderate ventilation; 3 briquettes burn for about 3 hours. This is a crucial step; otherwise the desired effect cannot be achieved. After braising for 90 minutes, lift the stainless steel cover and use tongs to shift the chicken left and right slightly to prevent sticking to the bottom. The clay pot may crack from prolonged dry heating. If the broth reduces too much, add a small amount of the special spiced broth, cover, and continue braising. After 90 minutes, when the chicken is soft, glutinous, and fragrant, it is ready.

Step 5

Reducing and seasoning: For reducing, place the clay pot on a gas stove over low heat. When the broth thickens to a viscous consistency, add 1 g homemade spice mix and 5 g chopped scallion, cover and let steam for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Place the clay pot into a bamboo basket. Bring it to the table and lift the lid in front of the guests, releasing the rich aroma.