Roast Capon with Challah Bread Stuffing
Yield
serves 8
RECIPE Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, divided use
- 2 medium shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, smashed and finely chopped
- ½ rib celery, finely chopped
- 1 2-inch piece leek, white and light green part only, halved and thinly sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 fresh sage leaves, chiffonade
- 4 cups day-old challah bread cubes
- 1-2 cups chicken stock
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Capon, Whole (about 8 lbs), thawed in the refrigerator, giblets removed
Recipe notes
This easy recipe for golden brown roasted capon with buttery challah bread stuffing is a sure-fire crowd-pleaser whether for Sunday dinner or your holiday table.
RECIPE Preparation
- Remove capon from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, celery, and leek; season with salt and pepper. Sauté the vegetables until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Pour vegetable mixture into a large bowl, including all of the butter. Add sage and bread cubes and toss until evenly combined. Add enough chicken stock to moisten well. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Add egg yolk and mix until evenly incorporated. Set stuffing aside.
- Pat the capon dry with paper towels. Season inside the cavity with salt and pepper. Spoon stuffing loosely into the cavity. If the cavity isn’t large enough to fit all of the stuffing loosely, stuff the remaining mixture under the neck skin and secure with a toothpick. Truss the legs with butcher’s string and tuck the wings under. Rub the rest of the softened butter evenly all over the outside of the bird and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Place the capon breast-side up on a rack set inside a shallow roasting pan and add about ½ of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast until capon is golden brown and thigh juices run clear, about 1½ hours. Finished temp: an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, thigh, and stuffing should register 165 degrees F. (Account for about 10 degrees of carry-over cooking after you remove the bird from the oven.)
- Rest the capon, tented with foil, for 20 minutes before removing the string and carving. Serve with the stuffing on the side.
Recipe tips: Feel free to dress up our basic stuffing with add-ins, if you desire. Some good additions are cooked sausage, sautéed mushrooms, chopped nuts, or even sautéed or dried fruit. While your bird is resting, make a simple jus or gravy using the flavorful pan-drippings.
