Hen marylands. It’s like roast rooster – with out the mess of carving up an entire rooster! Slather in herb & garlic butter then bake till golden. Serve with potato gratin or creamy mash with garlic sautéed inexperienced beans for the right meal!
Hen marylands (aka rooster leg quarters)
Hen maryland is a massively underrated economical reduce of rooster. I inform folks it’s like having roast rooster – with out the mess of carving up an entire rooster! A considerable piece of meat with loads of golden pores and skin, juicier* than drumsticks and thighs, and tremendous flavourful.
It’s almost inconceivable to mess up because you don’t have to fret about exact roasting time to stop dry, bland breast. As a result of this reduce doesn’t embrace rooster breast! Why aren’t we cooking rooster marylands on a regular basis??!!
* Why it’s juicier – as a result of it’s a bigger single piece of bone-in meat. Which implies much less juice-escaping-crevices by meat weight = juicier meat.
What’s a rooster maryland – to you?
Because it seems, rooster marylands means various things in numerous nations. Right here in Australia, it refers to a reduce which is a rooster leg with the thigh hooked up, pictured beneath. It’s referred to as complete rooster leg quarters within the States and simply rooster legs within the UK. I do know it’s complicated, however at the very least the reduce is definitely identifiable!
Within the States, “Hen Maryland” or “Maryland Hen” refers to a dish originating from the state of Maryland comprised of fried rooster with creamy gravy. This instantly received added to my ever-growing Checklist of Issues To Make.
Within the UK, “Hen Maryland” refers to a retro Chinese language fried rooster dish served with a banana fritter, corn fritter and bacon.
This didn’t get added to my Checklist of Issues To Make! 😂
PS I put this little desk collectively simply to clear up the confusion in my head. Although it may be helpful to you too. 🙂
| Hen reduce names | Australia | US | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hen maryland (leg + thigh hooked up – as we speak’s recipe) |
Hen maryland | Hen leg quarters | Hen legs |
| Hen drumsticks (ie no thigh hooked up) |
Hen leg or drumsticks | Hen leg or drumsticks | Hen drumsticks |
Elements you want
At the moment, we’re roasting this rooster slathered in a herb and garlic butter. Right here’s what you want for the butter – see above for the photograph and speak concerning the rooster marylands!
Herb & garlic butter
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Thyme and rosemary – Recent is greatest, for max flavour influence. Nevertheless, dried will work instead.
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Garlic – Recent and solely recent! Jarred stuff simply doesn’t evaluate – it’s bitter and doesn’t have actual garlic flavour.
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Unsalted butter – I want utilizing unsalted so I can management the quantity of salt. Nevertheless, in the event you solely have salted it is going to work too, simply halve the salt.
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White wine – Serves a triple function: retains the underside of the rooster moist because it roasts, infuses flavour into the flesh, and makes the juices within the roasting pan so tasty it’s like liquid gold. All that flavour from the herb & garlic butter mingling with the rooster juices plus the white wine = sauce perfection!
Substitute with rooster inventory/broth, low sodium or only a splash of water (you’ll find yourself with much less sauce however don’t fear, there’s loads of flavour within the rooster itself!).
The best way to make Herb & Garlic Butter Hen Marylands
This recipe requires the herb & garlic butter to be slathered below the pores and skin. Don’t fear, it’s not laborious – entry is simple with this reduce of rooster! Additionally, whereas I’ve used marylands right here, this recipe could be terrific made with bone-in thighs (use 8).
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Combine softened butter with garlic, herbs and salt. Use a garlic press or microplane to finely grate the garlic and make it “juicy” so it mixes by way of the butter, for higher garlic flavour. (When you don’t have one, very finely chop it).
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Loosen the pores and skin utilizing a tablespoon. The spoon hugs the curves of the rooster flesh so it received’t pierce the pores and skin. Entry the pores and skin from the straight fringe of the thigh, as pictured above, and transfer the spoon round to create butter pockets (together with on the drumstick).
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Slather butter below the pores and skin. It’s simple, I promise – carry pores and skin, stuff butter below then unfold by urgent/pushing on the pores and skin. No have to be actual right here, the butter melts and runs in all places anyway. Even in the event you unfold a wad within the center that’ll do the trick.
How a lot butter the place – Put about 75% of the butter below the pores and skin. Then solely a small quantity (~5% ) on the flesh (underside), then the rest on the pores and skin. Why? As a result of the flesh aspect goes to get tons of flavour from roasting within the wine and the butter/rooster juices run-off. It doesn’t want further butter assist!
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Roast for 50 minutes – Put the rooster in a baking dish pores and skin aspect up. Pour the wine round then roast for 50 minutes.
Begin off excessive at 220°C/425°F (200°C fan) for 10 minutes to get the pores and skin browning, then on a barely decrease 200°C /400°F (180°C fan) for 40 minutes or till the pores and skin is golden and the rooster is cooked.
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Baste twice on the 30 minute and 40 minute mark (ie spoon pan juices over the rooster pores and skin).
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Relaxation for five minutes earlier than serving, utilizing the juices within the roasting pan because the sauce. That stuff is pure gold!!
Shut up of mentioned golden roasting juices:
What to serve on the aspect
I served this with roasted greens and a rocket/arugula tossed with my On a regular basis Dressing. If I used to be making for firm, I might go for a potato gratin (make it prematurely then reheat it whereas the rooster is roasting – enable an additional 10 minutes for the rooster roasting time) or Lemon Potato Salad (served heat) for one thing a little bit more energizing.
I can even see a pile of Sautéed Inexperienced Beans with Garlic with Creamy Buttery Mashed Potato on the aspect. Or for a easy choice, simply steam greens of selection (peas, carrots, broccoli) then toss with French Dressing and serve with a hunk of bread on the aspect (for plate mopping).
Like to know what you’d serve this with for firm. I’m having a cocktail party this weekend – I used to be going to do a Mexican Fiesta however I’m anticipating some not-so-subtle requests for as we speak’s dish as an alternative! – Nagi x
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Herb & Garlic Butter Hen Marylands (rooster leg quarters)
Prep: 10 minutes
Prepare dinner: 50 minutes
Mains
Western
Servings4 marylands
Faucet or hover to scale
Directions
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Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan).
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Combine Herb & Garlic Butter substances till mixed.
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Butter rooster – Use an the wrong way up tablespoon to loosen the rooster pores and skin from the flesh on the thigh and a lot of the leg (Notice 4). Smear 80% of the butter below the pores and skin, only a small quantity (~5%) on the underside (flesh aspect) then the rest on prime of the pores and skin. (The flesh aspect will get a lot of flavour from the pan juices).
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Put rooster in roasting pan, pores and skin aspect up. Sprinkle pores and skin with the 1/2 tsp salt. Pour wine round rooster.
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Roast 50 minutes – Roast 10 minutes to get the pores and skin going. Then scale back the warmth to 200°C /400°F (180°C fan) and roast for an extra 40 minutes, basting each 10 minutes from the 20 minute mark onwards.
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Relaxation & serve – Take away from oven. Relaxation 10 minutes then serve with the garlic-herb-butter pan juices because the sauce!
Recipe Notes:
Various – 8 x pores and skin on, bone in thighs.
2. Garlic – Or finely grated utilizing microplane or very finely minced utilizing knife. We would like the juicy minced garlic to combine seamlessly into the butter for max garlic flavour.
3. Recent herbs actually ship within the flavour division however each might be substituted with 1 1/2 tsp dried herbs (every). Nonetheless chop them, to launch flavour.
4. Spoon is good for this job as the form of the spoon hugs the curves of the rooster so the spoon received’t pierce the pores and skin. See video and step images of assist to do that step.
Leftovers will hold for 3 – 4 days within the fridge.
Diet per Maryland. 1 Maryland is a beneficiant serving for somebody with a hearty urge for food.
Diet Data:
Energy: 659cal (33%)Carbohydrates: 2g (1%)Protein: 35g (70%)Fats: 54g (83%)Saturated Fats: 22g (138%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 8gMonounsaturated Fats: 19gTrans Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 253mg (84%)Sodium: 911mg (40%)Potassium: 474mg (14%)Fiber: 0.2g (1%)Sugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 871IU (17%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 38mg (4%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
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