Detailed Explanation of the Processing Technology of Shijiazhuang Braised Chicken

Shijiazhuang Braised Chicken, namely Shijiazhuang Hui Braised Chicken, is one of the famous foods of Hebei, with a history of more than 50 years. After 1947, it also absorbed the production techniques of Dezhou Braised Chicken, which further improved the quality of the product, greatly increased sales, and spread its fame far and wide.

Raw material formula: 100 chickens, 5 kg salt, 300 g fresh ginger, 250 g dried tangerine peel, 25 g cardamom, 25 g clove, 150 g cinnamon, 150 g Sichuan pepper, 150 g fennel, 15 g tsao-ko, 35 g long pepper, 30 g amomum fruit, 20 g galangal, 20 g angelica dahurica, 20 g sand ginger, 20 g star anise, 20 g cassia bark

Production method

1. Material selection: For Shijiazhuang Braised Chicken, healthy live chickens must be selected, and the "four no-use" principle must be adhered to: do not use sick chickens, do not use dying chickens (chickens about to die), do not use spoiled chickens, and do not use peeled chickens.

2. Slaughtering and cutting open: Slaughtering is also carried out according to Islamic customs, that is, chicks or hens within 2 years of age and weighing 1-1.5 kg are slaughtered by an imam. Let the slaughtered chicken bleed out completely, soak it in hot water, remove all feathers, rinse it clean, then cut open the breast and take out the internal organs. Then tuck the chicken legs into the abdomen, cross the wings and insert them into the mouth, and make the shape symmetrical.

3. Deep-frying: For the dressed white chicken, air-dry the surface moisture, spread on a layer of maltose, put it into a heated pot of clear oil, and turn and fry for about 3-5 minutes until the chicken skin turns golden yellow, then take it out of the pot.

4. Braising and simmering: Put the fried chickens into the pot in the order of old chickens, large chickens, and small chickens (that is, from the bottom upward and from the middle to the surroundings), add the old braising broth for chicken, dissolve salt in water and pour it in, put the other seasonings into a gauze bag and place it in the pot (if there is no aged old broth, increase each of the above ingredients by 1/3, then add clear water, bring to a boil for 20 minutes, and then pour it in together with the ingredients and broth), press it down with stones on top, bring the broth to a boil over high heat, change to medium heat and simmer for about 1.5 hours, then change to low heat and simmer for about 2-4 hours.

5. Taking out of the pot: Before taking out of the pot, special tools must be prepared, and the movements are required to be steady, accurate, and quick so as to keep the chicken shape intact.

Product characteristics: flat in shape, beautiful and complete, bright and glossy in color, tender and soft in meat, mellow in aroma, palatable and not greasy. It can be summarized in eighteen characters: "fried evenly, cooked for a long time, simmered until tender, easy to debone, beautiful in color and shape, rich in aroma."