Fricassee is a dish of sautéed and stewed meat served in a thick white sauce. It is traditionally made with chicken and is associated with the American South. The meat is cooked on the bone and the sauce is made separately before the meat is added. It is served with sides like greens, mashed potatoes, and biscuits.
Fricassee is both a noun and a verb. When used as a noun, it refers to a dish of sautéed and stewed meat that is served in a thick white sauce that resembles gravy. In a verbal sense, the word describes the act of making a fricassee. The dish is particularly associated with the American South, although it is also produced in other regions of the world. Most commonly, fricassees are made in-house, although some old-fashioned restaurants may offer a fricassee on the menu.
The basis of the fricassee is, of course, meat. Chicken is a traditional meat for fricasing, although other types of poultry and white meats can also be used. Typically, the meat is cooked on the bone, which will allow it to develop a particularly rich and intense flavor. The meat is first lightly browned in a pan, before being stewed in broth for about an hour so that it cooks through, becoming very tender and falling off the bone.
Once the meat is essentially cooked, the sauce is made in a separate pan. A base like mushrooms is usually gently fried before adding the flour and then following it with cream to make a very thick and rich sauce. Several cups of beef broth are rolled into the pot to dilute it, and herbs such as thyme may also be added. Once the sauce is properly seasoned, the meat is added to it. Finishing the meat in the sauce, rather than making the sauce in the same pan with the meat, will produce a fricassee with a milder flavor and will also reduce the amount of fat in the finished dish.
A whole chicken is a common choice for a fricassee, since the chicken can be cut into about eight pieces, which will be left boneless. As the meat simmers, it’s important to skim the fat and impurities off the top of the pan, as they can alter the flavor of the finished dish. It’s also important to make sure the meat is cooked through completely before adding the sauce. A meat thermometer can be used to test the meat, or the cook can simply cut a large portion open with a knife to check for doneness.
Sides like greens, mashed potatoes, and biscuits aren’t unusual with fricassee. At the very least, an absorbent starch side is recommended to soak up the gravy, so the flavor isn’t wasted.
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