I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 689 - 313: In the end, it was the kitten who took on everything! The roast chicken is out of the pot, fragrant for miles! [Subscribe please]_3

Chapter 689: Chapter 313: In the end, it was the kitten who took on everything! The roast chicken is out of the pot, fragrant for miles! [Subscribe please]_3

"Okay, Dundun occasionally plays games at night. I’ll shoot a video of it carrying a little blanket in its mouth and picking a cardboard box to sleep in. It’s absolutely going to melt your hearts."

Zeng Xiaoqi, in the company’s equipment room, took out the equipment they might need: a large tripod, a small tripod, a handheld gimbal, a slider, a fill light, a light stand, and various lenses. She organized them, packed them up, and then the group headed downstairs with the equipment.

Zeng Xiaoqi had originally wanted to try the Steadicam, but realizing that such professional equipment was too heavy for her to handle, she wisely chose the handheld gimbal.

I came to be a photographer, not to lift weights.

The group reached downstairs with the equipment. The larger items were placed in the back seat and trunk of the X1, while the smaller pieces were loaded into the BMW 5 Series. Then, driving the two vehicles, they headed straight to the West Fourth Ring Villa.

Upon arriving at the villa’s entrance, Shen Baobao opened the electric garage door, and she and Dou Wenjing drove the cars in, one after the other. They didn’t know how long the shoot would take, so it seemed safer to put the cars in the garage. Moreover, with an elevator in the garage, it would be more convenient to move the equipment.

"Wow, this large garage looks really nice," someone exclaimed.

"This is what I’m striving for!" another added.

"Baobao, what about that red sports car you had?" one of them asked Shen Baobao. "The one you were driving when you charmed Lin Xu at the dealership. I even sneaked over and took a few photos back then."

Shu Yun and the others had come to Lin Ji’s too late; they hadn’t seen Shen Baobao looking so cool and stylish driving a sports car. Seeing a Bentley and a G-Wagon already in the garage, they asked curiously, "You have a sports car too?"

"I didn’t drive it much, so I let my dad trade it in," Shen Baobao replied.

Trade it in? they thought.

"You can trade in a sports car?"

"Yes, you can. You just pay some service fees, and they take care of all the paperwork, so you don’t have to worry about anything."

Shu Yun, carrying Dundun on one shoulder and slinging the camera bag Zeng Xiaoqi handed her over the other, asked, "What car do you plan to trade it in for?"

"A Continental GT. It’s more comfortable to drive than a sports car."

TSK, TSK, TSK. While we’re still endlessly debating whether to drive a domestic car or a joint-venture car, the boss lady is already tired of driving sports cars.

Two minutes after getting out of the car, and the boss lady has already intensified my mental strain.

The group took the equipment up in the elevator to the first-floor living room.

In the living room, the grand piano had been moved to a corner. In its original spot stood a huge Cat Castle made of solid wood.

As soon as Dundun arrived, it jumped down from Shu Yun’s arms and onto the Cat Castle to sharpen its claws.

"Xiaoqi, do you think this place is okay?" Shen Baobao asked. "If you think it’s too open, we can go to the second floor. There’s a small living room there. If that doesn’t work, we could also go to the basement. Dundun likes playing on the pool table in the basement."

The words "too open" made everyone present pause.

It was rare to hear someone from Beijing complain about their home being too spacious.

As they were talking, Aunt Liu came over. The other housekeepers had gone home for the holidays, leaving her to look after the house. Seeing Shen Baobao, she quickly came over to greet her.

"Aunt Liu, could you bring us some Snacks and tea, please?" Shen Baobao requested.

"Of course, I’ll go right away," Aunt Liu replied.

Zeng Xiaoqi, watching Dundun sharpen its claws, hurriedly pulled out her camera, switched to a lens suitable for close-ups, and started filming Dundun.

「Three o’clock in the afternoon.」

Lin Xu arrived at the braised foods department.

The chicken in the pot had been soaking for over three hours and was ready to be removed.

However, before taking it out, he needed to skim off the layer of fat floating on the surface of the braising liquid. This would help the liquid cool faster and also make it easier to see the chicken in the pot.

Even after three hours of cooling, the temperature inside the pot was still above eighty degrees Celsius.

Lin Xu carefully skimmed the oil from the pot into a stainless steel basin using a ladle, scooping up more than half a basinful.

This fat would be saved and added to the braising liquid the next time they made this braised chicken, to continue acting as insulation and maintaining a constant temperature.

Once the fat was skimmed off, the braised chicken in the liquid was fully visible.

To make it easier to remove the chicken, Xu Xinhua and the others had placed a long, rectangular iron basin next to the jacketed pot. A stainless steel rack was set over the basin, ready for cooling the chicken.

Lin Xu, holding a large slotted spoon and a small metal ladle, carefully scooped a braised chicken onto the slotted spoon.

Then, he turned and carefully placed it on the cooling rack.

After more than two hours of braising and over three hours of soaking, the chicken was so tender it seemed boneless. It trembled as it was lifted from the pot, as if any sudden movement might cause it to fall apart.

As the braised chicken was removed from the pot, a rich aroma filled the air, invigorating everyone present.

The fragrance of the braising spices, the chicken itself, and the various ingredients, along with the Pork Bone Broth, all wafted out. These scents mingled together, making it almost irresistible to tear off a Chicken Thigh and taste it.

After several more chickens were lifted out, Lin Xu, so tempted by the aroma that he could barely focus on working, said to Xu Xinhua, "Tear one apart and let’s taste it."

Xu Xinhua brought over a plastic bag and carefully placed one of the braised chickens inside. "I’ve heard," he said, "that with truly delicious braised chicken, you don’t even need to tear it. Just put it in a bag and shake it gently, and the meat will completely fall apart."

After saying this, he held the bag by its handles and gave it a gentle shake up and down. Without much effort, the braised chicken inside completely fell apart, even the leg joints separating.

Clearly, this braised chicken was cooked to perfection.

After being shaken apart, the aroma became even richer.

Xu Xinhua placed the plastic bag containing the deboned chicken into a large bowl, folded the top edges of the bag neatly around the rim of the bowl, and then handed it to Lin Xu. "Boss, you try it first," he said. "This braised chicken is incredibly fragrant. Even the master I had my apprenticeship with couldn’t make it this aromatic."

Lin Xu didn’t hesitate. He picked up a piece of Chicken Thigh and popped it into his mouth. The meat was utterly tender, and the flavor of the braising liquid had thoroughly permeated it.

The saltiness wasn’t overpowering; it was savory, tender, and delicious.

He tasted a piece of Chicken Breast next. It was juicy and extremely flavorful.

In the past, when he’d eaten braised chicken, the breast meat always seemed to lack flavor. But this Chicken Breast had fully absorbed the marinade, and its texture was no longer dry and stringy but moist and enriched with a hint of oiliness.

To make braised dishes truly delicious, they really do need to soak. Lin Xu thought.

"You guys go ahead and eat. I’ll continue taking out the rest of the chicken," Lin Xu said. "Let’s open a window. It’s getting a bit stuffy in the prep room with all this chicken coming out of the pot."

Hearing this, a kitchen assistant hurriedly opened a window in the braised foods department.

This window faced the main street. As soon as it was opened, the fragrance of the braised chicken wafted out.

Next door, at the supermarket entrance, Uncle Yu was sitting on a folding stool, video-calling his daughter and grandchild who were on a trip to Shaolin Temple. He was chatting away when a strong aroma made his eyes glaze over slightly.

"Oh my, where is that braised chicken smell coming from? It’s heavenly!"

Not far down the alley, Old Sun, who was gathering his fishing gear to head out again, also sniffed the air, his eyes wide with surprise.

"It really does smell incredible! Where is it coming from? Could it be..."

He exchanged a glance with Uncle Yu, and then both of them turned their gaze towards Lin Ji’s Food.