I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 680 - 310: The Festival Arrives, Netizens from Out of Town Group Up to Visit Beijing! An Encounter on the Great Prairie! [Subscribe Please]_3

Chapter 680: Chapter 310: The Festival Arrives, Netizens from Out of Town Group Up to Visit Beijing! An Encounter on the Great Prairie! [Subscribe Please]_3

"Xu Bao, what are you planning to do?"

"I’m planning to make some Roasted Chicken. Master Xu has already cleared the steam-jacketed pot for me. I’ll give it a try first, and if it’s tasty, we’ll start selling it in the shop."

It’s definitely going to be delicious; after all, it’s a Perfect Level Technique.

I’m making it today for two main reasons. Firstly, I promised the fans. Secondly, I want to test how many Roasted Chickens the large steam-jacketed pot can handle at once. That way, I’ll have a better idea for future preparations.

"Roasted Chicken? Is it the kind of Roasted Chicken that you tear up to eat?"

"Yes. If you want some, it’ll probably be ready by the afternoon. It won’t be ready for lunch because the Roasted Chicken needs to be stewed for several hours in the braising liquid until the skin is crispy and the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender."

Hearing that Lin Xu was making Roasted Chicken, Shen Baobao, who had initially decided against sleeping, felt drowsiness wash over her again upon learning it wouldn’t be ready until the afternoon.

"Then what are we eating for lunch?"

"Spicy Chicken!"

Today, the temperature had risen, and the sun felt intensely hot again. Coupled with having eaten too many chestnuts over the past two days, it was the perfect time for some refreshing Spicy Chicken to reset their appetites.

Hmm? Spicy Chicken?

A certain sleepy Baobao perked up instantly.

"Is it the Northwest style of Spicy Chicken, where the chicken is shredded?"

"Correct. However, Spicy Chicken isn’t technically a cold dish; it should be called a ’warm-mixed’ dish. This is because the sauce for Spicy Chicken shouldn’t be too cold; it tastes best when warm."

This dish is quite interesting. The chicken must be thoroughly chilled to make its texture firmer and chewier.

But the sauce can’t be too cold; warm is best, as it makes the numbing flavor more intense and the dish more aromatic.

"I remember you liked Spicy Chicken when we were in school, right?"

"Yeah, I was a regular at our school’s Northwest cuisine window. After eating Spicy Chicken, I’d add some belt noodles. So satisfying."

"Then I want to eat it that way too, with you."

"Alright."

Back at the shop, Shen Baobao yawned and returned to their apartment in the back to get some sleep. Lin Xu entered the shop, placed the car keys on the front desk, gave Dundun’s head a quick rub, and then strode into the Braising Department.

The worktable in the Braising Department was covered with numerous prepared whole chickens—the ingredients for today’s Roasted Chicken.

"Two hundred in total, all cleaned, with their toenails clipped."

Xu Xinhua wiped the sweat from his forehead. Although he found the boss’s decision to make Roasted Chicken somewhat abrupt, he was pleased with anything that could increase the Braising Department’s revenue.

Lin Xu said, "Then I’ll start preparing the Maltose Water."

Roasted Chicken is a dish that is first fried and then braised.

To achieve a reddish-brown skin, the chicken must first be soaked in Maltose Water. This coats the surface with Maltose, ensuring the fried chicken develops a richer color and making the final Roasted Chicken more appealing.

Maltose Water is easy to prepare: take a basin of warm water, add Maltose, stir until dissolved, and then mix in a tiny bit of baking soda.

Baking soda helps make the chicken skin crispier. After frying, when the Roasted Chicken is soaked in the braising liquid, its skin will look even more beautiful.

Once the Maltose Water was ready, the chickens couldn’t be soaked immediately. First, they needed to be prepped: the chicken feet were tucked into the abdominal cavity, and the wings were folded with the tips tucked into the neck cavity.

This method effectively saves space in the braising pot.

It also prevents less meaty parts like wingtips and chicken feet from overcooking and falling apart, which would affect the final product’s appearance.

Furthermore, when the chicken legs and wings are folded this way, the whole chicken resembles an ingot. This is not only visually appealing but also considered a good omen.

Lin Xu quickly trussed a chicken and said to Xu Xinhua, "You guys can start trussing them. Once they’re properly trussed, soak them in the Maltose Water for a while. After soaking, take them out and deep-fry them. I’ll get the braising liquid ready."

The braising liquid for Roasted Chicken and the one for Tiger Skin Chicken Feet are very similar. The only difference is that Roasted Chicken uses less sugar.

Roasted Chicken should be savory with a hint of sweet aftertaste. Tiger Skin Chicken Feet, on the other hand, can be quite sweet. Therefore, the amount of sugar needs to be reduced for the chicken. Additionally, the quantities of seasonings like Star Anise and Angelica dahurica should be increased to give the Roasted Chicken a distinct Star Anise aroma.

Besides these adjustments, the base still needs to be Pork Bone Broth. Using Pork Bone Broth as a base makes the Roasted Chicken juicier and more fragrant.

If plain water were used instead, the meat’s texture would be much drier.

When making a braising liquid for the first time, the amount of spices should be two to three times the usual quantity.

Lin Xu gathered all the spices; there was easily a basinful.

After rinsing the spices with water and soaking them briefly, he added them to the steam-jacketed pot, which was already more than half-full of fragrant Pork Bone Broth.

After adding the spices, he put in a small basket of dried chilies and two bags of salt.

Then, he began to simmer it.

To create a good braising liquid, one must first simmer it to fully develop its fragrance. While simmering, lard, Scallion Oil, and ginger juice are added to enhance the aroma.

Because this type of braising liquid is simmered for a long time, it’s not suitable to add fresh ginger and scallions directly. They can develop an unpleasant ’stale scallion’ odor over time.

However, the aroma of scallions is essential, so Scallion Oil is used as a substitute.

Besides lard and Scallion Oil, chicken fat is also an indispensable ingredient for making Roasted Chicken.

After simmering the braising liquid for an hour, a large handful of Crystal Sugar and a small basin of caramel coloring are added. With that, the braising liquid is essentially ready.

Just as he finished preparing the braising liquid, Xu Xinhua and several helpers from the Braising Department also finished processing the chickens and had soaked them in Maltose Water.

They set up a large wok for deep-frying and began to fry the chickens.

While they were bustling about in the Braising Department, far away on the Hulun Grasslands, thousands of miles from Beijing, Chen Yan and her group finally arrived after a night of travel.

"Wuhu! What a beautiful place!"

"After being cooped up in Beijing, where every nook and cranny is packed with people, seeing such vast, open land instantly lifts my spirits."

"This is a place that can heal your inner turmoil."

"I can’t wait to get to the camp, put on a Mongolian robe, and ride a horse!"

"Youth demands bright clothes and spirited horses!"

As everyone gazed out the windows of the tour bus, they noticed a few RVs parked on the nearby grassland. The largest RV, converted from a coach bus, looked like a mobile palace.

Of the two smaller RVs, one was a common C-class RV with an over-cab bunk, and the other was an off-road RV converted from a truck.

As they watched, the door of the large RV opened, and an elderly man in a Mongolian robe stepped out.

Chen Yan looked closer. Good heavens, isn’t that Grandpa Gao?

Back when I was in school, I could eat a whole Roasted Chicken by myself, along with a large bowl of stewed noodles. Times have changed, and I no longer have such a good appetite... This Chapter is 5,100 words. Brothers, I’m asking for your Monthly Tickets!