This is a recipe that is designed for gumbo. Extra fat is added to the bird and extra liquid is added to the roasting pan to allow for much more roux gravy than normal. Half of the gravy is the base of the next day's gumbo!
It's a bit of extra work, but you end up with chicken on Saturday and a very easy Gumbo on Sunday!
1 chicken, at least 3 pounds and a fatty fellow, too
2 tblsp butter, melted
1 tblsp butter, sliced thin
1 tsp each: Paprika, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Salt, Onion Salt
1 tsp each: chopped fresh parsley, fresh sage, fresh thyme, and fresh oregano
Three stalks of celery (for the bird)
Four stalks of celery (for the pan)
One stalk of celery (for the pot)
Two yellow onions
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bulb of garlic, paper left on, rubbed with olive oil, in a small pan.
(If you start singing "Scarborough Fair" that's fine)
Mix the dry spices and chopped herbs in a bowl.
Grab the chicken!
Remove the nuggies (liver, gizzard, heart and neck)
Wash hands!
Start the stock:
Put all of the nuggies (except for the liver! He gets fried. ) in a pot with enough water to cover.
Cut the one stalk of celery into about 2 inch pieces, and add to the pot.
Add a quarter of a yellow onion, a pinch of the spice/herb mix, and a tsp of chopped garlic. About 4 grinds of whole pepper and a tsp of salt will do.
The stock should simmer gently for about an hour. Then remove, strain, pressing on the meat and veggies to get all of the juice. Strain a couple more times for a beautiful, clear stock, or leave the gremines for flavor.
Wash the bird inside and outside. Pat dry with a paper towel.
Rub the inside of the main cavity and neck cavity with 1/4 of the spice/herb mix.
Carefully pick up the skin over the breast and rub with the spice/herb mix. Put the pats of butter underneath the breast.
Rub the outside of the bird with the last of the spice/herb mix. Drizzle on the melted butter.
Cut the two celery stalks into six inch pieces and stuff into the main cavity. Put smaller pieces in the smaller cavity, leaving room for onion and garlic. Stuff the bird loosely with the rest of the onion and garlic.
Put the rest of the celery on the base of the pan to form a "rack". Add any leftover onion and 5 whole cloves of garlic, with the paper left on.
Add 2 cups of chicken stock. Truss and place the bird, breast up, on the celery "rack"
Roast that fellow fast then slow. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Put the bird in for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 degrees. Do not even think of opening that door for 45 minutes.
In 45 minutes, check fluid levels, baste, and add more stock if needed, check for a nicely browned skin, and shut the door for another 40 minutes.
The whole bulb of garlic should be cooked by now.
Final check: meat should be 180 degrees at the leg joint and 175 degrees at the thickest part of the breast, juices run clear, and there is no pink or red next to the bone.
Best bird: give it another 30 minutes until the leg practically falls off. I don't know who started this undercooked bird business, but it don't fly in my house.
CAREFULLY remove the bird, remembering that there is extra liquid in the pan.
Remove the bird to a plate, and remove the veggie stuffing as quickly as possible. Let the beast rest and reincorporate some juices. Pour extra juice into the stock pot.
Ahhh, the pan... toss the veggies, reserve the whole bulb of garlic, and scrape and mix the "boullion" from the sides into the juice. Pour the juice into the stock pot.
Using a fat separator, get all of the fat out of the stock. Make sure that there is NO liquid with the fat, or you will have chicken flavored flakes instead of roux.
Put the fat into a saute pan. Add about 1/2 cup flour and make a roux. Roux is about equal parts flour and fat. Do not leave the roux, or it will burn. Constantly stir the roux until it is a beautiful golden brown. That will be the color of your gravy.
It's easy for me, I just cook the roux until it's my color. Ha! Ha!
Use a whisk to incorporate the roux into the rest of your stock , and simmer until it is thickened into golden beauty of a gravy. If it's too thick, add stock. If too thin, gently simmer away some of the liquid.
Cool down and hide half of that gravy, or people will go feral on you and start drinking it out of shot glasses.
Now, serve this loveliness with mashed potatos, rice, or crusty bread with the roasted garlic for a spread. A crisp green salad, collard greens or green beans with bacon and onion may be required as a first aid measure.
The gravy is astounding the next day, but make sure to cool it down completely before refrigerating or freezing any that's left over.
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