A Classic “Unrecipe” for Weeknight Chicken
Plus, a giveaway for the best knife sharpener for home cooks!
Hi, hello, how are you? I’m excited to announce an awesome giveaway this week! I’ve talked about my admiration for Tormek T-1 Knife Sharpener, but I also readily admit that this piece is a serious investment. One might think of it as a community investment, because many friends have borrowed or stopped by to sharpen their knives with mine. So, lucky for all of us, Tormek has generously offered to giveaway one of their sharpeners to one lucky Grain of Salt subscriber! Read all about the Tormek T-1 on their website, then leave a comment below to enter the giveaway. (Comments will be open to paid subscribers only for this giveaway.) We’ll pick a winner next Wednesday, October 8th. 🎉 🔪 🎉
On a more personal note, I’ve been thinking about the unique experience of being interviewed for magazine profiles lately. Typically, I spend a few hours with the writer while they ask me their well-thought out questions, and I try to answer them with an appropriate blend of honesty and clarity. Later, the writer will draft their story of our time together, and then this draft will pass through so many more hands before it is finally published for people to read. I really have very little control over what gets printed, but ultimately I will be accountable for it, which—to be honest—feels like a tremendous responsibility. So it’s been a real gift to have had so much warm, insightful coverage come out around the launch of GOOD THINGS, including (but certainly not limited to) this New Yorker piece by Dan Kois. At least, that’s what my loved ones have told me, since I never read these things. I can’t handle the idea of it! But I’ve been told that this is a sweet and accurate story, and that it includes a lot of notes on Fava Bean! In his article, Dan also mentions his appreciation for my Conveyor Belt Chicken recipe, so this seemed like a good time to share it here.
As folks who’ve read Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will know, this recipe got it’s name from a friend who once declared it so delicious he wanted to build a conveyor belt of this chicken straight to his mouth. The execution is simple, with results that are always really good. And once you’ve learned this technique, you’ve got it—no future recipe needed. Then you can have perfectly cooked chicken thighs with whatever your heart desires, like yogurt, rice, salsa, salad, or a sandwich wrap.
Conveyor Belt Chicken
2 thighs per serving
2 (or more) skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
+ 2 cast iron or carbon steel pans, one slightly smaller than the other
+ aluminum foil
+ olive oil
+ kosher salt, for seasoning
Prep thighs & pans
If remove the bones from the thighs them by sliding a sharp knife along each side of the bone, then running it underneath the bone to free it from the meat. Season thighs well with salt, salting the skin side last. Please don’t skimp on the salt. (Have I said this before? I’ll say it again.)
Wrap the smaller of the 2 pans in foil. (This makes for easier clean up.) You’ll get the best results if steam can escape while the thighs are cooking. The ideal smaller pan will be large enough to anchor the chicken while it’s cooking, leaving an inch or two of breathing room between its edge and the edge of the cooking pan. (And if you have only one cast iron pan to your name, wrap any pan that’s smaller than your cast iron with foil, then set a can of tomatoes on top to help weigh it down.)
Cook thighs under weight
Preheat the larger, unwrapped cast iron pan over medium-low heat.
Once heated, swirl in a little olive oil and place thighs, skin-side down, into the pan. The fat from the skin will render, so use a light touch with the olive oil.
Place the foil wrapped pan on thighs, weighing them down. Cooking this way—over moderate heat with the weight from the second pan—encourages fat from the skin to render, leaving behind crisp skin and tender meat.
Flip & finish thighs
After ten minutes, once the chicken is no longer raw around the edges, flip the thighs, remove the weight, and let the meat cook through for two minutes more. (Do not replace the pan on top! You want to allow steam to escape to preserve the crispness of the skin.)
Serve & enjoy
Serve immediately, or store extras in the fridge to enjoy—cold or at room temp—throughout the week! The skin won’t stay crisp, but the meat will still taste great. I don’t recommend reheating these. For whatever reason, it never turns out great. So if you want to eat them warm, cook them fresh—it takes just a few minutes.
I don’t even remember what it’s like to use a sharpened knife…
Thank you for the love and grace of your new book.