A historical main dish from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Young chickens need about an hour of stewing, but old chickens will require long, slow boiling, often from three to four hours. Be sure to add the egg to a little cooled gravy before mixing with the hot gravy to prevent curdling.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Cut up two young chickens, put them in a stewpan with just enough cold water to cover them
Cover closely and let them heat very slowly; then stew them over an hour, or until tender
If they are old chickens they will require long, slow boiling, often from three to four hours
When tender, season with salt and pepper, a piece of butter as large as an egg, and a little celery, if liked
Stir up two tablespoonfuls of flour in a little water or milk and add to the stew
Also add two well-beaten yolks of eggs
Let all boil up one minute
Arrange the chicken on a warm platter, pour some of the gravy over it and send the rest to the table in a boat
The egg should be added to a little of the cooled gravy before putting with the hot gravy
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Starting the chicken in cold water and heating slowly allows collagen in the connective tissue to gradually convert to gelatin, creating a silky, rich gravy while keeping the meat moist. The flour-thickened sauce becomes a stable emulsion when the egg yolks are tempered with cooled gravy first—this prevents the proteins from coagulating too quickly and curdling. Covering the pot tightly traps steam, maintaining consistent low temperature that gently breaks down tough muscle fibers without drying out the meat.
The chicken can be stewed up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in its cooking liquid in an airtight container. Skim any solidified fat from the surface before reheating. Reheat gently over low heat until warmed through, then proceed with adding the flour slurry and tempered egg yolks just before serving.
Store leftover fricassee in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The egg-enriched gravy may separate slightly upon reheating; whisk gently over low heat to re-emulsify. Do not freeze, as the egg-thickened sauce will break and become grainy when thawed.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The chicken can be stewed up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in its cooking liquid in an airtight container. Skim any solidified fat from the surface before reheating. Reheat gently over low heat until warmed through, then proceed with adding the flour slurry and tempered egg yolks just before serving.
Store leftover fricassee in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The egg-enriched gravy may separate slightly upon reheating; whisk gently over low heat to re-emulsify. Do not freeze, as the egg-thickened sauce will break and become grainy when thawed.
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