Lacquered Cockerel with Eight-Spice Salt by Victor Liong

Serves

4-6

Prep

24 hours

Cooking

45 mins

Perfect for any family gathering or a friendly get-together, this whole cockerel recipe will surely impress and bring everyone a little closer.

Ingredients

  • 1 x Whole Fook Wong cockerel SHOP NOW
  • Lemon, cut into wedges
  • Japanese Worcestershire sauce
  • Spring onion, julienned
  • Coriander leaves
Black vinegar gastrique
  • 200 gm black vinegar
  • 200 gm caster sugar
Eight-spice salt
  • 280 gm Murray River pink salt
  • 40 gm caster sugar
  • 10 gm star anise
  • 15 gm black pepper
  • 10 gm Sichuan pepper
  • 1 gm chilli flakes
  • 15 gm white pepper
  • 12 gm coriander seeds
  • 10 gm fennel seeds
  • 5 gm cinnamon

Method

Step 1: Prepare Eight-Spice Salt

  • Preheat the oven to 150˚C. Toast spices for 15 minutes.
  • Cool slightly and blend into a fine powder.
  • Sift and blend with salt and sugar. Store in an airtight jar.

Step 2: Make Black Vinegar Gastrique

  • Mix together the vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer for 15 minutes until a syrup forms.
  • Allow to cool to room temperature.

Step 3: Prepare the Cockerel

  • Cut the cockerel in half, lengthways from the back and debone
  • Boil water in a kettle, place cockerel on a cooling rack and pour hot water over the skin, which will shrink back
  • Season the flesh side of the cockerel with spice salt and leave uncovered in the refrigerator overnight
  • Set up a steamer and steam the chicken on low heat, until the internal temperature has reached 65’C
  • Allow to cool to room temperature or chill overnight in the refrigerator

Step 4: Lacquered Cockerel

  • Brush cockerel skin side with the black vinegar gastrique and allow to dry out for an hour
  • Heat oil in a deep fryer until it reaches 165˚C
  • Deep fry cockerel for 4-5 minutes, or until the skin has turned into a burnished brown
  • Rest for 10 minutes
  • Carve and serve with more spiced salt, lemon and Worcestershire sauce

Enjoy your delicious Lacquered Cockerel with Eight-Spice Salt.

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