Recipe: Coq au Vin

Name: Coq au Vin
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: For the marinade:2.5 liters (2.6 qt) of good red wine (Côtes du Rhône or Cahors for example); 2 carrots, peeled, cut and sliced; 1 large onion, sliced; 3 garlic cloves, deseeded and crushed; 3 shallots, sliced; 25 g (0.9 oz) of dried porcini mushrooms; 1 pinch of fresh thyme; 3 bay leaves; salt and 1 teaspoon of mignonette (cracked pepper); Ingredients for the dish:1 beautiful rooster, butchered as follows: thighs and wings cut into 3 pieces, neck in 2, breasts in 3 lengthwise and wing tips separately; 100 g (3.5 oz) of butter; 1 dl of sunflower oil or diced fatback; 60 g (2.1 oz) of flour; 500 g (17.75 oz) of button mushrooms; 200 g (7 oz) of bacon, blanched and sautéed in a pan; 16 small pearl onions, peeled; 20 g (0.7 oz) of additional butter; 2 sugar cubes; 1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped; 2 garlic cloves; 3 anchovy fillets; 2 squares of dark chocolate; salt and pepper

By chef patrick Asfaux 4.9/5 (275 reviews) · 🍳 229 made it

Prep 30 min

Cook 120 min

Total 2h30

Servings 6 serv.

Coq au Vin is a traditional French dish consisting of poultry, usually a rooster, slowly cooked in red wine with bacon, onions, mushrooms and herbs. This dish is often prepared in large quantities and can be served at receptions, celebrations or family gatherings.

This classic coq au vin recipe has two schools of thought: the first involves preparing the dish in a single day without marinating the meat. Personally, I think this method only works when you can't find a real rooster and are making the recipe with chicken instead. The other school, which I belong to, believes that rooster is a firm meat that takes wonderfully to marinating.

Ingredients for 6 servings

Adjust for

servings

For the marinade:

2.5 liters (2.6 qt) of good red wine (Côtes du Rhône or Cahors for example)
2 carrots, peeled, cut and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, deseeded and crushed
3 shallots, sliced
25 g (0.9 oz) of dried porcini mushrooms
1 pinch of fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
salt and 1 teaspoon of mignonette (cracked pepper)

Ingredients for the dish:

1 beautiful rooster, butchered as follows: thighs and wings cut into 3 pieces, neck in 2, breasts in 3 lengthwise and wing tips separately
100 g (3.5 oz) of butter
1 dl of sunflower oil or diced fatback
60 g (2.1 oz) of flour
500 g (17.75 oz) of button mushrooms
200 g (7 oz) of bacon, blanched and sautéed in a pan
16 small pearl onions, peeled
20 g (0.7 oz) of additional butter
2 sugar cubes
1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves
3 anchovy fillets
2 squares of dark chocolate
salt and pepper

Step-by-step directions

1 The night before, place all marinade ingredients over the rooster pieces in a large container, cover and refrigerate overnight.

2 In the morning, preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) (gas mark 6-7).

3 Using a colander set over a bowl, carefully drain the rooster pieces.

4 Drain and reserve the marinade vegetables, keeping the wine aside.

5 In a large Dutch oven style cocotte, heat your butter and oil (or small pieces of fatback) over high heat. Once the mixture reaches a light brown color, brown your rooster pieces well on all sides.

6 Add the drained marinade vegetables, cover and let them stew for eight minutes.

7 Dust with flour while stirring (singer) and cook for another five minutes covered.

8 Add the marinade wine, stir and once it returns to a boil, taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and place in the oven at mid-height for two hours.

9 While the rooster is cooking, prepare the garnish: in a large skillet, add your peeled pearl onions, 20 g (0.7 oz) of butter and 2 sugar cubes, salt them, then cover with water. Cover with parchment paper and cook gently until the water evaporates and the onions are glazed. If you're short on time, you can skip this step, but it would be a shame.

10 Rinse your mushrooms quickly and cut them into quarters. Sauté them in a pan with a butter and oil mixture, salt and pepper, drain and set aside.

11 After two hours, check your rooster's doneness by inserting a knife point into a thigh piece. Using a small ladle, remove as much fat as possible from the surface of the cooking liquid.

12 Using a fork and a skimmer, carefully remove the rooster pieces and arrange them in your serving dish.

13 Add the chopped parsley, 2 garlic cloves, anchovy fillets and chocolate squares to the sauce, then blend for 15 seconds and strain through a fine sieve over the rooster pieces. Return everything to the empty cocotte.

14 Add the pearl onions, sautéed bacon and button mushrooms to your cocotte and bring to a boil.

15 It's ready! Serve for example with buttered tagliatelle or steamed potatoes.

Chef Patrick's Comment

1968, wonderful memories from the « Dim Dam Dom » television show with prominent journalists. My father Gabriel presented our coq au vin to them, which was distinguished at the time as « one of the best in France » in our Michelin-starred restaurant « À Sousceyrac ». The young kitchen apprentice was me, having come especially from Lucas Carton to participate in the show. Enjoy it with a good Cahors wine such as the excellent Clos Triguedina or the exceptional Prince Probus by Jean-Luc Baldès.

Frequently asked questions

Can red wine be replaced with white wine or cider?

Technically yes, but you'll lose the colour and tannic structure. White wine gives a paler result, cider changes the colour entirely. Stick with Côtes du Rhône or Cahors: it's the foundation of the dish.

How long does coq au vin keep in the fridge?

Up to three days, covered. The dish actually tastes better the next day. You can also freeze it for up to two months: let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

Why remove the fat from the surface before finishing the sauce?

After two hours of cooking, the poultry fat rises to the surface. Removing it prevents a greasy, heavy sauce. Use a ladle, it's faster than a skimmer. It really changes how light the final dish tastes.