1 four-pound (1.8 kg) whole fowl (roasting chicken)
2 slices fat salt pork, cut 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
5 slices carrot, cut in small cubes
0.5 medium onion, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
2 cups (480 ml) boiling water or chicken stock
Instructions
1. Dress, clean, and truss the four-pound (1.8 kg) fowl: tie the legs together and tuck the wings close to the body so it holds its shape during braising.
2. In a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, render (try out) the two slices of fat salt pork over medium heat, 6-8 minutes, until the fat is liquid and the scraps are golden and crisp. Remove and discard the pork scraps, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
3. Add the carrot cubes, sliced onion, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf to the rendered fat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to color at the edges.
4. Add the 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter to the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the trussed fowl. Brown on all sides, turning often, 10-15 minutes total, until the entire surface is deep golden brown with no pale patches remaining.
5. Set a trivet or small rack in the bottom of a deep roasting pan or Dutch oven, at least 10 x 14 inches (25 x 36 cm). Place the browned fowl on the trivet. Pour the rendered fat and vegetable mixture over and around the bird. Add 2 cups (480 ml) boiling water or chicken stock — the liquid should come roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) up the sides of the pan.
6. Cover tightly and braise in a slow oven at 300°F (150°C) for 2 to 2.5 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices and adding additional water in 1/2-cup (120 ml) increments if the liquid drops below 1/2 inch (1.3 cm). The fowl is done when the thigh joint moves freely, the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (away from bone) reads 165°F (74°C).
7. Transfer the fowl to a carving board and tent loosely with foil. Strain the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, pressing the vegetables lightly to extract flavor; discard solids. Skim the fat from the surface of the strained liquid using a spoon or fat separator. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve the defatted pan sauce alongside the carved bird.
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