Strongbow Chicken?

August 12, 2007 1:18 PM

Ever tried cooking with Strongbow?

While enjoying a nice cold Strongbow last night I was wondering what it might be like to try incorporating it into a chicken dish. Does anyone have any experience doing this? What was it like? Even if you've never actually done it, do you think it could work in theory? If it would work, how would you go about it? Reduced as part of a sauce? As a marinade? Just pour it into a frying pan and start cooking everything in it?

It seems to me that it would work and potentially even taste good but I want some more opinions before I risk wasting a chicken breast and precious, precious cider. All attempts at Google have failed me so far.

posted by saraswati to food & drink (16 comments total)

i think you're more likely to have some success with a Scrumpy cider that has more substance. Nigella Lawson does something with Coca-Cola and Chicken, but I think Pork and Cider would be a better combo.
posted by takeyourmedicine at 1:20 PM on August 12, 2007

Cider beef stew with dumplings! (I'd use something better than Strongbow though. Urghh!)
posted by popcassady at 1:34 PM on August 12, 2007

I've used cider reduced in gravy, with pork sausages. I'd rather use something nicer than Strongbow, though.
posted by Lebannen at 1:38 PM on August 12, 2007

a google search turns up a pile of recipes. sounds like a good idea to me (and i would ignore the snobbery above - especially if you like that cider and/or you're cooking with it)
posted by andrew cooke at 1:43 PM on August 12, 2007

When we make pork ribs in the slow cooker, we use BBQ sauce and cider. Just add enough of the two to cover the ribs, cook until they fall off the bone. Never goes wrong.
posted by youngergirl44 at 1:57 PM on August 12, 2007 [3 favorites]

An aside: in the UK Strongbow is sort of looked down upon as the drink of teenagers and winos- it's sold very cheaply in the supermarket in multi-pack cans and 2L bottles. Myself (Cdn in UK) I enjoy it too, but English friends heer have always found this an odd thing to do - ' you're drinking that stuff?'. So I was surprised, and heartened, to see this article in the Globe and Mail a few days ago that, I suppose oblivious to British snobbery against the brand, rated imported Strongbow very highly against Canadian ciders like Growers and Okanagan.
posted by Flashman at 2:09 PM on August 12, 2007 [1 favorite]

And yeah, I think I'll try this - pork ribs in cider e.g. sounds kick-ass.
posted by Flashman at 2:11 PM on August 12, 2007

I've used homebrewed cider extensively in my cooking. (What that says about the drinkability of my cider is, unfortunately, implicit.) Strongbow is tasty and should be a good cooking cider, too.

I have poached chicken in cider, with garlic (4 cloves, crushed), sage (1/2 tsp) and a pinch of black pepper (this also works magnificently for trout, by the way). Use a deep-sided frying pan, preferably w/a lid. Don't cover your chicken with the cider use ~8 oz. or just enough to get it halfway up sides of the breasts (or whatever piece(s) you decide to use). Pour the rest of the cider into a nice glass and place in fridge. Using a stovetop burner, cook the chicken on medium-low heat for ~25 minutes.

After the chicken is cooked through, remove it, then make a reduction by adding a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt (and, very optionally, a pinch of mustard powder) to the cooking liquid, turning your heat on high and stirring fairly regularly. Once virtually all of the cider is boiled off -- this'll take 7-10 minutes but will seem like an eternity -- remove the sauce from the heat and pour it over the chicken. Remove nice glass full of cider from fridge and eat.
posted by cog_nate at 2:14 PM on August 12, 2007 [1 favorite]

Ahem. Eat the sauce-covered chicken, drink the nice glass full of cider.
posted by cog_nate at 2:15 PM on August 12, 2007

Flashman: Strongbow (which, don't get me wrong, I quite enjoy) rates highly against Growers/etc because Growers/etc are crap shite.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 2:50 PM on August 12, 2007 [1 favorite]

I've used Strongbow to brine pork and as the liquid component of my home smoker setup.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:02 PM on August 12, 2007

I baked my Christmas turkey with Strongbow and it kept it very moist and made the best gravy known to man. Strongbow isn't strongly flavoured so at the end of it all, you'll end up with a delicious fruity flavour that might be vaguely apple-like. All I did was keep a half-inch of strongbow in the bottom of the baking pan at all times. Then, when the turkey was cooked and resting, I strained off any fat, reduced the liquid slightly and turned it into gravy. Bonus, bake your vegetables in the juices for extra deliciousness.

Roast loin of pork in cider is more traditional but equally lush.
posted by ninazer0 at 3:16 PM on August 12, 2007 [1 favorite]

Chuckle - just had some "strongbow-up-the-butt" chicken on the BBQ tonight - very nice, better than beer as the sweetness adds something extra.
posted by jkaczor at 12:27 AM on August 13, 2007

One of my favorites foods here in Spain has been chorizo cooked in cider. Absolutely gorgeous. I've seen more complicated recipies, but just chorizo and cider will do the trick.
posted by slimepuppy at 3:37 AM on August 13, 2007

I often make a cider and marmalade glaze to pour over sausages - put half a can of cider and a big tablespoon of marmalade in a pan, simmer for a while until it's reduced, then pour over a tray of sausages, potatoes and red onion that you've had baking in the oven for an hour or so. Return to the oven for 5 mins to turn the glaze all sticky.
posted by primer_dimer at 4:20 AM on August 13, 2007

Sausage casserole was a childhood favourite cooked just like a "normal" casserole, but with pre-cooked sausages, chunked apples, and a large glug of cider... yum!
posted by Chunder at 6:12 AM on August 13, 2007