Mirin Stout Glazed Roast Chicken with Maple Sweet Potatoes topped with Caramelized Shallots and Balsamic Glaze
Jackie Dodd-Mallory
(Senior Editor)
When I first got into food blogging I had this idea that I would just take pictures of my dinner and post the recipe online. Somewhere between installing Google Analytics and starting an LLC, I realized that I was cooking in order to develop content rather than just posting what I was eating.
I guess that’s inevitable when I started to earn an income and see my website as a small business. I also realized that although I often stray from who I am as a cook in order to cultivate blog hits, I love cooking, I love food and I got in this business because of those things. When the recipes you love get ignored and the ones you don’t have strong feelings about go viral, it’s hard not to just continue to post those Pandering to the Masses recipes that go viral, but I know that I am the most happy when I cook the food I want to cook and hope that you love it, too.
I loved the way this came out, even though I know it wont go viral. It’s how I like to eat, and how I like to spend my time in the kitchen, hope you don’t mind too much.
Mirin Stout Glazed Roast Chicken with Maple Sweet Potatoes topped with Caramelized Shallots and Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
For the Brine:
- 2 cups water
- 3 tbs kosher salt
- 12 ounces brown ale
- 2 cups ice
- 4 chicken leg quarters or 1 whole roasting chicken, cut into quarters
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup stout
- 2/3 cup mirin
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- 3 tbs honey
For the Sweet Potatoes:
- 2 large shallots sliced (2/3 cup)
- 2 tbs butter plus 4 tbs divided
- 1 tbs oil
- 3 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced
- 2 tbs real maple syrup
- 2 tbs heavy cream
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ salt
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 3 tbs balsamic gaze
Instructions
- In a pot over medium high heat, add the water and the salt. Stir until salt has dissolved, remove from heat, add the beer and ice. Stir until ice has dissolved and brine is at room temperature or below.
- Add the chicken quarters to a large bowl. Pour the brine over the chicken, cover loosely with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Add the stout, mirin, soy, chili powder, cornstarch and honey, whisk to combine. Add sauce pan to high heat, allow to boil until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place a wire rack over the foil lined baking sheet.
- Remove chicken from brine, discard the brine. Rinse the chicken well and pat dry. Place chicken on the wire rack.
- Brush liberally with the glaze.
- Roast at 425F for 45 to 55 minutes, brush with glaze every 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven when the internal temperature reaches 175F.
- While the chicken is cooking make the sweet potatoes. In a saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook over medium-low heat until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
- Boil the potatoes in a pot of lightly salted water until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain, return sweet potatoes to the dry pot. Add 4 tbs butter, cream, maple syrup, salt, and nutmeg, mash with a potato masher until well combined and potatoes are well mashed, transfer to a serving dish. Top with caramelized shallots, chopped pecans and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Notes
Comments
Tieghan April 26, 2013 um 5:55 am
This looks and sounds so good! Wow!! I want this for dinner!
Alayna @ Thyme Bombe April 26, 2013 um 6:48 am
Wow. Anything with mirin is right up my alley. I definitely see myself making this for dinner soon.
No harm in remembering your audience, we all do it. I never make anything for the blog that I wouldn’t love to eat myself, but of course I think about what readers will appreciate. I would not normally make so many sweets if i didn’t write a blog, that’s for sure!
Happy Valley Chow April 26, 2013 um 8:46 am
I should definitely not be looking at this at lunch time, it is making me crazy hungry! Looks fantastic 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Ali | Gimme Some Oven April 26, 2013 um 10:59 am
If it were up to me, this one would go crazy viral. 🙂 This truly looks incredible, Jackie! Love the photography, and the chicken and sweet potatoes look absolutely mouthwatering.
steph@stephsbitebybite April 26, 2013 um 2:11 pm
This is making my mouth water! Look at that big hunk-a-chicken!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist April 26, 2013 um 6:49 pm
Longest title in the history of ever. And girl, who cares about viral hits 🙂 This is why we do what we do, why care about anything else?
Belinda @themoonblushbaker April 27, 2013 um 9:11 am
Blacken burnish chicken? who doesn’t love a bit of burnt meat on their dash;). Lovely recipe
Victoria April 27, 2013 um 9:24 am
Good for you for cooking the way you like to cook. It looks delicious 🙂
dishing up the dirt April 28, 2013 um 9:22 pm
I’m coming over for dinner!!! Man, this looks good lady!
Jen @ Savory Simple April 29, 2013 um 4:54 am
The color of the chicken looks so rich and perfect. I love the sound of this!
Cassie | Bake Your Day April 29, 2013 um 6:47 am
I love this…you are so right. I love the idea of getting back to posting just what I want to post and not worrying about who will like it, pin it, etc. I love the sound of this!
Bree {Skinny Mommy} April 29, 2013 um 9:46 am
Well it should go viral-it’s creative and looks amazing too!
Ashley – baker by nature April 29, 2013 um 2:01 pm
Oh dear lord… This meal looks magical, Jackie! Total hit!!!
carrian April 30, 2013 um 10:14 am
I think it’s time to retire. No more blogging for you. The rest of us cannot compete with this!;) jk, love this more than I loved last weekend, which was a lot.
Aviva April 30, 2013 um 11:46 am
Well, i found you over at Aunt B’s Kitchen! Salivating! Pinned! This chicken looks sooo amazing it took me so long to decide which photo to pin!! Just looking at it i can almost taste it which means i really need to make this, and let’s not shove the sweet potatoes under the carpet! Beautiful job 🙂 (y)
katie May 9, 2013 um 7:04 am
Oh Jackie… so true in so many ways. Must say that this roast chicken looks great even if it isn’t "viral" worthy!
Megan {Country Cleaver} May 9, 2013 um 9:44 am
Preachin' to the choir there sister!! I have been feeling those pressures and constantly struggle to remind myself that I do this because I love it and that’s got to remain my focus. Thanks for saying it all OUTLOUD. XOXO
Julie @ Table for Two May 9, 2013 um 6:44 pm
So completely agree with you. Sometimes you just lose track of why you really started a blog and you get sucked into the numbers and the audience you want to please. It’s nice to just take a step back and be like, "i love cooking, this is what i’ve always loved, this is my passion, and THIS is what i typically eat..like it or not!" 🙂 xoxo
Julie May 16, 2013 um 5:38 pm
Well, even if this doesn’t go viral, I think it looks amazing!! And I totally hear you…it is tough to find the appropriate balance of content!
Danielle @ The Growimg Foodie May 24, 2013 um 5:21 pm
This is how I love to eat…thanks for inspiring the little, non-paid food bloggers, like me, to keep doing what I’m doing. Your flavors are incredible and every dish we eat of yours sings.