[french fries]

I stumbled upon that video which unfortunately does not come with a recipe or instructions, at least not in English. The chicken looks just like a peking duck but it's not roasted, it's just given a water bath and a whole lot of drying time... then whatever happens is cut off from the video and at 5:35 it looks like he's dousing the chicken with hot oil?

Then later when he cuts up the chicken to plate it, the skin looks thin, all fat rendered, and crispy, beautifully golden...

Anyone has any pointers?

Thanks!

 

[phatch]

Soy sauce chicken or red cooked chicken both can go that way and look like that.

 

[french fries]

Soy sauce chicken or red cooked chicken both can go that way and look like that.

Thanks Phatch, but neither soy sauce chicken nor red cooked chicken gets doused in hot oil, or can they be? Would the skin look the same way it does at the end of that video?

 

[phatch]

I've seen recipes for both that do. And others that do not. The oil bath tends to be more restaurant reheating just before service in practice but even at home it is critical if you want the crackly skin.

I often broil instead as too much oil gives me indigestion.

 

[french fries]

Ok thanks Phatch. Would you have a recipe that you would recommend, that, ideally, would mention the oil frying technique?

Still I can't understand how you'd end up with such crispy and very very thin skin as on the plating at the end of the video. I mean I've poached chicken before and the skin ended up very soft, pliable, and the same thickness as raw chicken, all the fat intact, I can't imagine how pouring a few ladles of hot oil would make it instantaneously crispy and render the fat like that?

 

[chrislehrer]

My Mandarin is rusty, but I'll take a look in an hour or so.

 

[french fries]

Awesome, thanks Chris. Unfortunately some of the video is edited... still very curious to hear what you come back with.

 

[phatch]

The fan drying contributes to that thinning.

 

[millionsknives]

I wish it was easier to find chickens with the neck on in the US. It really keeps that whole area around the breast sealed for frying

 

[Seoul Food]

I remember a food show somewhere showing where they blew air into the neck to stretch out the skin from the meat and then poured hot oil over the skin to crisp it that way. Almost like frying the skin away from the moist meat to promote crispiness.

 

[french fries]

I remember a food show somewhere showing where they blew air into the neck to stretch out the skin from the meat and then poured hot oil over the skin to crisp it that way. Almost like frying the skin away from the moist meat to promote crispiness.

Sounds like Peking Duck?

 

[Seoul Food]

Sounds like Peking Duck?

Yes I think it was, but I would think you'd be able to utilize the method for chicken as well? Not sure never tried it.

 

[brianshaw]

But I always thought that was water, not oils, poured on Peking Duck to tighten up the skin before they were slathered with sugar syrup and roasted.

 

[Seoul Food]

But I always thought that was water, not oils, poured on Peking Duck to tighten up the skin before they were slathered with sugar syrup and roasted.

You're probably correct, I've never made it so couldn't say one way or the other.

 

[chrislehrer]

Unfortunately a Cantonese speaker, but I'm working on it....

 

[chrislehrer]

Ok. Unfortunately, he's not Mister Talkative.

There are only a few bits of information here:

1. The chicken starts cold
2. After the first pour-fry, he then glazes with "hong soi" (more on this below)
3. He hangs it to dry. The sound gets bad there: it's either 5 hours or 5 days. I think probably hours.
4. At the end, another pour-fry.

"Hong soi" I heard as "red water" (hongshui, in Mandarin), so I asked a friend from Hong Kong to watch the video. Yup: red water. Which is ...? Unknown.

Based on a little menu scanning, I suspect that it's a dilute glaze of the sort used on Peking duck: maltose, red vinegar (e.g. Fujian type), Shaoxing wine.

Hope that helps!

 

[mike9]

I've made Peking duck before and it's a heavily seasoned water bath for the first two ladlings. Same process for chicken I guess. You almost need another, empty fridge for hanging. I was lucky to have one at my disposal.

 

[french fries]

Ok. Unfortunately, he's not Mister Talkative.

There are only a few bits of information here:

1. The chicken starts cold
2. After the first pour-fry, he then glazes with "hong soi" (more on this below)
3. He hangs it to dry. The sound gets bad there: it's either 5 hours or 5 days. I think probably hours.
4. At the end, another pour-fry.

"Hong soi" I heard as "red water" (hongshui, in Mandarin), so I asked a friend from Hong Kong to watch the video. Yup: red water. Which is ...? Unknown.

Based on a little menu scanning, I suspect that it's a dilute glaze of the sort used on Peking duck: maltose, red vinegar (e.g. Fujian type), Shaoxing wine.

Hope that helps!

So is what I thought of as oil the red water? When you say pour fry... it's actually water or oil? I can tell he's starting with water but at some point it looks like oil... but maybe that's the red water. In any case thanks a lot for your help!

 

[chrislehrer]

First oil, then "red water," then oil again.

 

[french fries]

Oh really the first time it's oil? It looked just like water!! I'll have to watch the video again but right now my connection is so bad I an barely see anything... Thank you Chris!