WineLovers Discussion Group

slow cooker. I also want something Asian, that gets sort of caramelized, and gooey, maybe with hoisen sauce????? Don't know why I am craving that but I am, and since I am making an Asian Brown Basmati Rice tonight I will have this left over to go with the chicken tomorrow night. Any recipes?

How often do you use hoisin sauce, Karen? Me? Rarely. I like it but in my memory it's always very strong, like molasses strong, so I tend not to reach for it.

Hoisen is pungent, but I like it paired with Sriracha sauce. A little goes a long way. Most Asian condiments that I have are on the strong side. They keep forever in the fridge and I rarely have to buy. I seem to run out of Oyster, and Hoisen sauce the most.....maybe every other year or so. I don't keep track.

A local Chinese place makes dishes in a style called "red cooked" that may fulfill your yen for something dark and stewy. I always get it made with pork: the plate comes as nothing more than 3/4" cubes of pork shoulder and halved chestnuts simmered in a rich dark sauce. I don't have any recipe but perhaps Google can oblige?

I just posted a recipe for red-cooked chicken. It calls for skin-on pieces, but you can use skinless chicken thighs as well. You could do this also with pork shoulder (the traditional Chinese recipe uses fresh bacon) or with beef or lamb. Throw in a clove or two of garlic if using beef or lamb. You can add halved chestnuts; add them along with the soy sauce.

-Paul W.

Thanks, Paul. Now that you say it, those pork pieces are fattier than shoulder would be... must be some kind of belly.

Bill Spohn wrote:http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=hoisin+chicken

Hey, thanks, exactly what I was looking for...I still have that package of thighs,, have the recipe picked out too.

Yeah, Epicurious is a great resource as you can search on ingredients. The notes people post also give you an idea if it is a good recipe or a loser, as well as how some have turned a loser into a good one with a change in ingredients.

CHERYL KEERY’S CHICKEN FOR A CROWD: Crock pot recipe.

16 Skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut in half
1 8 oz Can tomato sauce
½ C Soy sauce
¼ C Packed brown sugar
1 tsp Minced garlic
1 tsp Cumin
½ tsp Jabola pepper sauce or cayenne
1 tsp Adobo seasoning
3 T Cornstarch
¼ C Water

In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, seasonings. Put chicken pieces in crock pot and cover with sauce. Cook on low for 5 hours. Remove chicken and strain cooking juices into small sauce pan. Combine cornstarch and water, and add to cooking juices. Bring to boil, stirring until thick. Put chicken back in pot and cover with sauce. Keep warm or refrigerate over night and warm back up.

Think about poaching it in chicken stock first. It really would intensify the chicken flavors. Then proceed on with the saucing.