Christmas Roast Capon with Garlic & Herb Butter

Christmas Roast Capon with Garlic Butter, Pancetta Sprouts & Goose-Fat Roasties

Make Christmas dinner extra special with our Extra Large Christmas Chicken (Capon), roasted with garlic, sage and thyme butter until beautifully golden. Serve with crisp goose-fat roast potatoes, buttery Brussels sprouts with pancetta, sausage stuffing balls and rich chicken gravy. Add our Large Christmas Pigs in Blankets for the full festive feast- a generous alternative to turkey with familiar flavours and straightforward preparation.

Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 235 mins

Medium

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 Extra Large Christmas Chicken (Capon), approximately 4kg, fully defrosted if previously frozen
125g butter from a Christmas Pack of Butter, softened and divided
2 tsp Garlic Granules
1 tsp dried Thyme
½ tsp dried Sage
½ tsp Coarse Ground Pepper, plus extra to taste
Fine salt, to taste
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
300ml Christmas Chicken Stock, divided
1.5kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, peeled and cut into roughly 4cm chunks
4 tbsp Christmas Goose Fat, plus a little extra for greasing
500g Traditional Sausage Meat (Stuffing Mix)
600g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
200g Christmas Pancetta, cut into small pieces
600ml Christmas Chicken Gravy
16 Large Christmas Pigs in Blankets, optional

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Remove the chicken’s packaging and any giblet bag from the cavity. Weigh the bird so you can calculate its cooking time, then pat the skin dry with kitchen paper. Do not wash raw poultry.
Mix 100g of the softened butter with the Garlic Granules, Thyme, Sage, pepper and a little salt. Gently loosen the skin over the chicken breasts with your fingers, keeping it attached. Spread some butter underneath the skin and rub the remainder over the outside. Leave the cavity unstuffed.
Arrange the quartered onions in a large roasting tin and pour in 150ml Chicken Stock. Place the chicken breast-side up on a rack above the onions. Follow the cooking instructions supplied with your bird; as a general guide, allow 45 minutes per kilogram plus 20 minutes at this oven temperature—approximately 3 hours 20 minutes for a 4kg chicken. Cover the breast loosely with foil if it browns too quickly, and add a splash of water to the tin if it starts to dry out.
About an hour before the chicken is expected to be ready, put the potatoes into a pan of cold, lightly salted water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 8–10 minutes until the edges begin to soften. Drain, leave to steam-dry for 5 minutes, then shake gently in the pan to roughen the edges.
Heat the Goose Fat in a separate metal roasting tin in the oven for 5 minutes. Carefully add the potatoes, turn them in the hot fat and season lightly. Roast on a shelf below the chicken for approximately 40 minutes. Meanwhile, shape the Sausage Meat Stuffing Mix into 16 small balls and arrange on a lightly greased baking tray. Refrigerate until needed.
Check the chicken with a clean food thermometer in the thickest part of each thigh and breast, avoiding the bones. Each area should reach at least 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue roasting if necessary. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter, cover loosely with foil and rest for 30–35 minutes.
Increase the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Turn the potatoes and roast for another 30–35 minutes until crisp and golden. Add the tray of stuffing balls and, if using, a separate tray of Pigs in Blankets. Roast for approximately 30–35 minutes, turning the pigs in blankets once. Check that the centre of the largest stuffing ball and thickest sausage reaches 75°C for 30 seconds before serving.
While the trimmings cook, boil the halved Brussels sprouts for 3–4 minutes, then drain thoroughly. Fry the pancetta in a large frying pan over a medium heat for 6–8 minutes until golden and cooked through. Add the remaining 25g butter and the drained sprouts. Cook for another 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender with lightly browned edges. Taste before adding salt, as the pancetta already provides seasoning.
Spoon the excess fat from the chicken roasting tin, leaving the cooking juices and onions. Add the remaining 150ml Chicken Stock and scrape up the browned juices with a wooden spoon. Strain into a saucepan, add the Chicken Gravy and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until piping hot.
Carve the chicken and serve with the goose-fat roast potatoes, pancetta sprouts, stuffing balls and pigs in blankets, if using. Pour the hot gravy into a warmed gravy boat and bring everything to the table together.