To force a large fowl is a traditional British recipe, based on Hannah Glasse's recipe of 1747, for a classic dish of a chicken that's skinned and where the skin is stuffed with a blend of the chicken meat, suet, oysters, anchovies, egg yolks, gravy and herbs before being boiled and served with oysters in gravy. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: To boil a leg of lamb.
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To force a large fowl.
CUT the ſkin down the back, and carefully ſlip it up ſo as to take out all the meat, mix it with one pound of beef-ſuet, cut it ſmall, and beat them together in a marble mortar : take a pint of large oyſters cut ſmall, two anchovies cut ſmall, one ſhalot cut fine, a few ſweet-herbs, a little pepper, a little nutmeg grated, and the yolks of four eggs ; mix all together and lay this on the bones, draw over the ſkin and ſew up the back, put the fowl into the bladder, boil it an hour and a quarter, ſtew ſome oyſters in good gravy thickened with a piece of butter rolled in flour, take the fowl out of the bladder, lay it in your diſh and pour the ſauce over it. Garniſh with lemon.
It eats much better roaſted with the ſame ſauce.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients
1 chicken
400g minced beef suet
350g large oyster meats, finely chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 anchovies, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of sweet herbs, finely chopped
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
2 egg yolks
300ml good gravy
1 tsp butter mixed to a smooth paste with 1 tsp plain flour
12 plump oysters, shucked
1 lemon, sliced, to garnish
Method:
Carefully cut through the skin along the back of the bird. Open the flaps then carefully skin the fowl so that the skin comes away cleanly. Take the carcass and strip as much of the meat off the bones as you can.
Chop the meat finely then combine in a food processor with the beef suet (you may need to do thin in batches. Pulse to chop and combine. Turn the meat mixture into a bowl then work in the oyster meats, shallot, anchovies, and herbs. Season to taste with nutmeg and black pepper then work in the egg yolks to bind.
Take this meat mixture and use to stuff inside the bird as well as building it up over the bones. Now place the bird back in the skin and sew closed. Place the bird in a cloth and sew this closed. Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the chicken, ensuring it is completely immersed and boil for 75 minutes. If you prefer the chicken coloured, remove from the water after 60 minutes, take off the cloth covering, arrange on a rack in a roasting tin and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 220°C and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned.
In the meantime, heat the gravy in a pan. Whisk in the butter and flour mix, a small piece at a time, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until thickened. Add the oysters for the final 5 minutes of cooking.
When done, arrange the chicken on a serving dish and pour over the oyster sauce. Garnish with the sliced lemon and serve.
