🍗 Block 23–24: Poultry
← Block 21–22: Pork & Charcuterie | Block 25–26: French Classics →
"The chicken is the most cooked protein in the world and the most underestimated. Learning to roast, spatchcock, confit, and sauce a bird properly is the single most transferable skill in cooking."
⏰ Planning Ahead
- Session 62 (High-Heat Whole-Bird Roast): dry-brine the bird the night before
- Session 69 (Gai Yang): marinate the chicken at least 2 hours, preferably overnight
- Service 16 (Duck Confit): cure the duck legs the evening before; plan for 4–6 hr low cook
- Service 17 (Roast Turkey): dry-brine the turkey 24–48 hours ahead
Block 23 — Poultry Fundamentals
- Session 62: High-Heat Whole-Bird Roast
- Session 63: Spatchcock: Why It Changes Everything
- Session 64: Braised Poultry: Coq au Vin
- Session 65: Pan-Seared Chicken Breast + Pan Sauce
- ⏰ Service 16: Duck Confit
Block 24 — Expanding the Repertoire
- Session 66: Chicken Thighs — Crispy Skin, Dark-Meat Technique
- Session 67: Chicken Stock from Scratch + Chicken Soup
- Session 68: Stir-Fry — Kung Pao Chicken
- Session 69: Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang)
- ⏰ Service 17: Roast Turkey Dinner
A Book Worth Having
- 📚 On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee — Ch. 3 (Meat), poultry sections. Dark vs. white meat (myoglobin), why 165°F is the target, dry-brining science, skin crisping (dehydration + Maillard), and confit. Full reading guide →