No more dry, lifeless meat!!
This method is a no-brainer, all the way down to a glazed sauce..
For this recipe we used bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts.
This method also works with other cuts of meat, like pork chops, steak, etc.
Pre-heat oven to 400.
On the stove top, heat cast iron pan to medium-high. Make sure the pan is glazed with oil- I use bacon drippings, homemade ghee, lard or tallow.
First season the skin side of your chicken breast- we use a homemade spice mixture, sea salt and ground pepper.
Once the pan is hot, place meat on the pan, seasoned-side down to sear the breast. Press the meat evenly into the pan to ensure the entire surface is seared. The goal is to lightly crust/golden the meat to lock in moisture. This only takes a minute or so.
Season the remaining side, and then flip.
This golden crust is called a 'sear' - on the BBQ it shows with charred grill marks.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the cut
Flip meat and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or longer depending of the type and thickness of the meat.
Is it done? Slice a piece to make sure it is cooked all the way through. For fowl it is important to cook all the way through- no such thing as rare! 165F is what you are looking for, if you are unsure get a meat thermometer. More tips to decide if it is cooked: press the surface and it will bounce back. Use your nose too, it should smell like cooked meat in the air.
Remove pan from oven. Place the meat on a plate to rest.
Time to make the sauce!
*CAUTION: now that the pan is out of the oven, don't grab the handle forgetting the whole pan is hot!!! It will singe your skin immediately!! Super hot!!! Sometimes I forget!!!*
Drain the excess oil from the pan into a ramekin. I keep this close to the stove and use for frying eggs or glazing the pan, like in the second step of this recipe.
Bring the pan back to medium-high heat and add a little bit of water. This will deglaze the pan and extract the flavour juices. The pan will bubble. As it does this, scrape the surface with a wooden spoon to get all the delicious flavour out.
Reduce to simmer. Add your sauce ingredients. We usually choose ghee & beer + sea salt and pepper. Other options are butter, milk, cream, wine, whiskey, hot sauce, maple syrup, spices...etc.
The water will evaporate and it will reduce and thicken. Simmer until the ingredients are well-combined.
Our fav brand for sauce-making is Muskoka Brewery, it is packed with flavour!
Pour on top of your meal & enjoy!!
-Samantha