Five-Spice Braised Chicken
Spiced Braised Chicken (Dezhou Style)
A famous traditional dish from Dezhou, Shandong province, this recipe is made through 12 specific steps: sorting, slaughtering, scalding, dehairing, eviscerating, washing, trimming, air-drying, coating, deep-frying, seasoning, and braising. The finished dish features tender meat that falls off the bone, with a rich, fragrant aroma.
Ingredients
Chicken (disease-free, uniform size)
to taste
Maltose (mixed with water, brushed evenly over the chicken)
30 g
Water (for mixing with the maltose)
30 g
Dark soy sauce (optional, brushed evenly over the chicken)
to taste
Oil (for deep-frying the chicken, about 180°C)
as needed
White peppercorns (added to the frying oil)
about 10 pieces
Scallion (for sautéing until fragrant)
to taste
Ginger (for sautéing until fragrant)
to taste
Bone broth (base for the braising liquid)
as needed
Unrefined oil (added to the braising liquid)
to taste
Refined salt (to season)
to taste
Sichuan peppercorns (spice bag)
to taste
Star anise (spice bag)
to taste
Cloves (spice bag)
to taste
Black cardamom (spice bag)
to taste
Cassia bark (spice bag)
to taste
Amomum villosum (added later, spice bag)
to taste
Dahurian angelica root (added later, spice bag)
to taste
Sand ginger (added later, spice bag)
to taste
Alpinia katsumadai (added later, spice bag)
to taste
Nutmeg (added later, spice bag)
to taste
Instructions
1
Selection
Select chickens that are disease-free and of uniform size.
2
Slaughter
Slaughter the chicken. Cut the throat with a knife to drain the blood completely.
3
Scald
Scald the bled chicken in 65°C hot water to loosen the feathers.
4
Pluck
Lift the scalded chicken from the water and pluck all the feathers off thoroughly.
5
Eviscerate
Make a cut about 4 cm long at the top of the neck and remove the crop, then make a horizontal 4 cm cut near the vent on the belly and remove the innards.
6
Wash
After removing the innards, rinse off the blood and residue with water.
7
Shape
Shape the chicken by tucking the crossed legs inside the cavity and inserting the wing tips through the mouth so they protrude, resembling a kneeling posture.
8
Air-dry
Air-dry the chicken to remove surface moisture.
9
Brush
Mix maltose with 30 g of water and brush it evenly over the chicken for color; dark soy sauce may be brushed on as an alternative.
10
Fry
Deep-fry the maltose-coated chicken in 180°C oil until golden. About 10 white peppercorns may be added to the oil during frying.
11
Prepare braising liquid
Sauté scallion and ginger in a small amount of oil until fragrant, add bone broth, pour in unrefined oil, season with refined salt, and add the spice bag. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes to release the spice flavors.
12
Braise
Place the chickens on a rack and lower the rack into the braising liquid. Boil vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 60 to 120 minutes so the chicken is fully flavored and cooked through.
