How to Make Braised Chicken and Detailed Steps

1. Ingredient formula:

Dressed chicken 5kg, white sugar 25g, Cao Kou 1g, star anise 2.5g, Shan Nai 3.5g, Bai Kou 1g, fennel 2.5g, galangal 3.5g, Bi Bo 1.5g, cardamom 1g, nutmeg 2.5g, Gui Ding 1.5g, angelica dahurica 4g, Sichuan pepper 0.5g, cassia bark 1g, dried tangerine peel 1g, clove 1g, tsao-ko 2.5g, magnolia flower 1g, refined salt 150g, sodium nitrate 1g.

2. Key operating points:

A. Selecting ingredients: Choose a clean dressed chicken, then make a small cut at the neck, remove the crop, insert a carving knife through the chicken's anus, make a small opening, pull out the internal organs, and cut away the anus and the throat tube.

B. Shaping: Cross the two legs of the dressed chicken and insert them into the belly, turn one wing backward, and thread the other wing forward out through the chicken's mouth.

C. Deep-frying: Dip the shaped chicken body in honey water (1:20), coat it evenly, let it dry, then put it into boiling vegetable oil and deep-fry it. When the outside of the chicken is fried golden yellow, it can be taken out.

D. Boiling: Put the fried chicken into a pot of master stock, then add the spice bag, salt and white sugar, press a bamboo rack on top, and after boiling for 40--50 minutes, continue cooking over low heat, skim off the floating oil, and let the soup temperature gradually drop. After 3 hours, when the soup temperature is about 30 degrees, take it out of the pot.