Roast Chicken in a Pot
Chicken and capon were both cooked fairly frequently in medieval times. This was true across a variety of cultures, eras, and places. Roasting chicken in a pot was easy, relatively quick, and produced a delicious meal with a minimum of effort on the cook's part.
This recipe is made for three to four people. Feel free to double and triple, if you have a crowd! |
Ingredients:
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Your chicken should be put into a pot that will contain it and the other ingredients with the lid closing fully. A large cast iron pot, clay tagine, or any fire-proof pot or pan with a tight fitting lid will do. The pot should be well oiled with olive oil or coconut oil or butter before putting the chicken in. Rough chop the pear, apple, and onion, and distribute evenly around the chicken, stuffing a few pieces into the cavity. Pour the wine over the contents of the pot.
If you are able, the absolute best flavors for this will come if you hand-grind the spices. Coarse salt, whole peppercorns and cubebs, and whole mustard seeds and cardamon, crushed by hand in a wood or clay mortar and pestle, will give you incredible spicing on your meal, as well as looking very authentic. Add all the spices into the mortar, even if some are pre-ground, and then crush and grind with the pestle until the spices are uniformly sized. Don't rush this - you're releasing all the lovely flavors and oils present in whole herbs and spices, and these will blend into your cooking in magical ways.
Sprinkle the chicken and fruit with the spice blend, reserving some for use if you're making any vegetables or starches on the side, and for use at the table. Cook the chicken at about 350F for two to three hours. If you're cooking over a fire, you want your pot to be hanging close enough to heat thoroughly, but not so close that the liquid inside reaches a full boil, a "moderate" fire. Replenish the liquid as necessary, so that there is always some in the bottom of the pot. If you're cooking in coals, you want to keep the temperature even on top and bottom, so be sure not to get too close to the active fire itself.
The chicken is done when the legs move freely and begin to fall off the bird. Fancy cooks will tell you that's over-done, but from a camp cooking perspective, it's not a bad thing. The liquid in your pot will keep your poultry moist and delicious!
Serve the chicken with a side of sauteed vegetables and some rice or barley cooked in broth for a beautiful presentation that's sure to wow your camp mates!
For an extant roast chicken dish right out of history, check out Gode Cookery's Chicken Stuffed with Apples and Prunes.
If you are able, the absolute best flavors for this will come if you hand-grind the spices. Coarse salt, whole peppercorns and cubebs, and whole mustard seeds and cardamon, crushed by hand in a wood or clay mortar and pestle, will give you incredible spicing on your meal, as well as looking very authentic. Add all the spices into the mortar, even if some are pre-ground, and then crush and grind with the pestle until the spices are uniformly sized. Don't rush this - you're releasing all the lovely flavors and oils present in whole herbs and spices, and these will blend into your cooking in magical ways.
Sprinkle the chicken and fruit with the spice blend, reserving some for use if you're making any vegetables or starches on the side, and for use at the table. Cook the chicken at about 350F for two to three hours. If you're cooking over a fire, you want your pot to be hanging close enough to heat thoroughly, but not so close that the liquid inside reaches a full boil, a "moderate" fire. Replenish the liquid as necessary, so that there is always some in the bottom of the pot. If you're cooking in coals, you want to keep the temperature even on top and bottom, so be sure not to get too close to the active fire itself.
The chicken is done when the legs move freely and begin to fall off the bird. Fancy cooks will tell you that's over-done, but from a camp cooking perspective, it's not a bad thing. The liquid in your pot will keep your poultry moist and delicious!
Serve the chicken with a side of sauteed vegetables and some rice or barley cooked in broth for a beautiful presentation that's sure to wow your camp mates!
For an extant roast chicken dish right out of history, check out Gode Cookery's Chicken Stuffed with Apples and Prunes.
Notes from the Massachusetts Renaissance Faire, 7/28/2018:
I cooked this over an open fire in two large pots. I prepared three chickens for a crew of 12 or so, and there were leftovers. I had two chickens in one massive cast iron pot, and a single chicken in another, smaller cast iron pot. Both of the pots were hung over the fire, slightly to the side so they weren't directly in the flames. I had a good bed of coals going, long before I hung the pots up. They were hung over the fire for about 4 hours total, and cooked until the chicken was literally falling apart. I used red wine, as it's what I had on hand, and the spices listed above in the ingredients list. It turned out amazing!
Beware opening the pots too often. Check no more than once an hour until you're very close to ready, as every time you take the lid off, you allow the steam to escape and may have to add more liquid. If the bales on your pots are off kilter, you may have to take the pots off the hooks and put them on the ground before lifting the lid to check. One of our pots never hangs quite straight, and if I remove the lid while it's still hanging, I risk losing the contents into the fire!
The photo below shows the chicken in the smaller pot. Note how the chicken largely fills the space - this is good. You want the chicken to be "almost but not quite" filling your space, so that the heat is kept compact. As you can see, the saffron gives it a gorgeous color. If you want crispy skin, you'll need to take the lid off for the last few minutes and lower the pot into the fire a bit more OR you can take the whole pot off the hooks and set it aside, and put some hot coals into the lid for a few minutes. Of course if you're doing it in an oven, just take the lid off, and continue cooking until the skin looks the way you want it to.
I cooked this over an open fire in two large pots. I prepared three chickens for a crew of 12 or so, and there were leftovers. I had two chickens in one massive cast iron pot, and a single chicken in another, smaller cast iron pot. Both of the pots were hung over the fire, slightly to the side so they weren't directly in the flames. I had a good bed of coals going, long before I hung the pots up. They were hung over the fire for about 4 hours total, and cooked until the chicken was literally falling apart. I used red wine, as it's what I had on hand, and the spices listed above in the ingredients list. It turned out amazing!
Beware opening the pots too often. Check no more than once an hour until you're very close to ready, as every time you take the lid off, you allow the steam to escape and may have to add more liquid. If the bales on your pots are off kilter, you may have to take the pots off the hooks and put them on the ground before lifting the lid to check. One of our pots never hangs quite straight, and if I remove the lid while it's still hanging, I risk losing the contents into the fire!
The photo below shows the chicken in the smaller pot. Note how the chicken largely fills the space - this is good. You want the chicken to be "almost but not quite" filling your space, so that the heat is kept compact. As you can see, the saffron gives it a gorgeous color. If you want crispy skin, you'll need to take the lid off for the last few minutes and lower the pot into the fire a bit more OR you can take the whole pot off the hooks and set it aside, and put some hot coals into the lid for a few minutes. Of course if you're doing it in an oven, just take the lid off, and continue cooking until the skin looks the way you want it to.