Pot-Roasting Poultry

Pot-roasting (Fr. en cocotte), as applied to poultry, is not at all precise. It means to cook in the oven in a covered casserole, but with what, and how, is open to the cook’s imagination. Often the bird is left whole and browned in butter, then cooked in its own juices with vegetables such as onions, small potatoes and carrots.

An important point to remember is the size of the pot, which should contain the ingredients without crowding them. Cooked in this way, the bird tastes like a succulent roast, and it reheats well, unlike a plain roast bird. One variation of pot-roasting is to bake the poultry in a clay pot or chicken brick, shaped to fit it. The pot needs to be soaked in water first so that the contents stay moist during cooking.