Cookingfoodreport

Report: Billy Boil Thermal Cooker: Chicken Chasseur

I’m a big fan of practical solutions to existing problems and those that make processes more efficient. The byproducts are that it not only saves you money in terms of energy consumption.
The Billy Boil is simple, it is quite simply a huge thermal flask that can contain a cooking pot. Here is a video of the unboxing by Just One More Spoon.

As you can see above, the Billy Boil can take care of prep tasks such as boiling vegetables and cooking rice, to delicious one pot slow cooked dishes with no problems.
This is recipe I have used to test up the Billy Boil: Chicken Chasseur adapted from BBC.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 25g butter
  • 4 drumsticks
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 200g mushrooms
  • 225ml red wine
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 500ml chicken stock

Steps:

1. Heat the oil and half the butter pot. Season the chicken, then fry for about 5 mins on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

2. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan. Add the onion, then fry for about 5 mins until soft.

3. Add garlic, cook for about 1 min
4. Add the mushrooms, cook for 2 mins,
5. Add the tomato purée cooked through 30 sec
6. Add the wine. let the liquid bubble and reduce for about 5 mins, then stir in the thyme
7. Add the stock. Slip the chicken back into the pan, bring the boil,  wait 5 minutes. (Just to make sure the Billy Boil will have enough residual heat).
8. Remove from the stove and insert into Billy Boil and close lid.
9. Leave for about 4 hours to 7 hours depending on the size of chicken pieces.

Last step, reducing the sauce
10. Remove the pot from the Billy Boil and remove the chicken from the pot and keep warm.
11. With the pot back on the stove, rapidly boil down the sauce for 10 mins or so until it is syrupy and the flavour has concentrated.
12. Put the chicken legs back into the sauce and serve.

Rice, mash, baguette or sourdough slices of bread would compliment this dish well. I did not leave the chicken in too long, the chicken was very succulent but still had body.

Likes:

  • Easy to use
  • Good quality pot with thick base
  • Practical – cook and forget, no burned crust at bottom of pot possible
  • Easy to wash
  • More flavour compared to a slow-cooker appliance as chicken is fried in the same pot as the simmering proces
  • Portable

Wishlist:

  • Thermometer for temperature in the pot
  • Bigger version

The Billy Boil allows you to save time and energy in the kitchen by cooking with retained heat. You can read more about the Billyboil or buy online here.