Go “Naked” and Try These 3 Drool-Inducing Recipes from Joyce Farms

Clearly we’re not talking about shedding clothes. We’re talking about Joyce Farms from Winston Salem, NC, and their Old World approach on how to do things not only the traditional way, but the right way. Today we’ll let you in on what puts Joyce Farms in a class of their own in the farming industry and highlight a few of their noteworthy poultry recipes just in time for the Easter holiday.

Established in 1962, Joyce Farms is a third-generation family owned and operated poultry, beef, and game enterprise. They raise and maintain a wide range of livestock on many of their farms across the South. You can visit their site and order anything from Heritage Black Turkey to Premium Steaks and Naked Duck, just to name a few.

They believe in an Old World grazing method called the “Naked” philosophy. This basically means that their livestock are raised free of antibiotics, steroids, hormones, growth stimulants, animal by-products, and pesticides. This type of farming is so rare to witness these days because everyone wants everything quick, fast, and easy, but Joyce Farms refuses to compromise on quality. They’re sticking with their philosophy because they take great pride in being the only authentic Label Rouge Poultry producer in the United States. Now that’s something to be proud of.

Related: How to Roast your own Rotisserie Chicken

So with spring right around the corner, we’ve got the all-important Easter dinner to prepare for and Joyce Farms’ executive chef Dennis Drone has some killer recipes that even your in-laws will love. Chef Drone was born in the Loire Valley region of France and was exposed to wild game at an early age. He’s a highly skilled chef with a multicultural background and experience at all levels of the restaurant industry. Bottom line is that this guy knows his way around a kitchen. For the upcoming holiday, he’s serving up a Roasted Pintade (Guinea Hen) with Spring Onions, Roast Duck, and Rosemary Garlic Roasted Heritage Chicken. Now do you understand what we meant by drool-inducing? Check out his recipes and give Joyce Farms some love on their Facebook and Instagram.

1. Roasted Pintade (Guinea Hen) with Spring Onions:

Serving Size: 4 people

Prep Time: 20 min.

Cook Time: 1 hr.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Joyce Farms Pintade
• 10 pcs spring white or purple onions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 laurel bay leaf
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 6 rounds ground black pepperfrom mill
• 3 oz butter
• 6 oz dry white wine

1. Remove the Pintade from the refrigerator 10 minutes before preparation
2. Heat oven to 425°F
3. Wash the spring onions. Cut the green part, finely chop it and reserve
4. Cut the root of the spring onions and halve the white part lengthwise. Reserve
5. Take the Pintade out of its bag, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Brush the skin of the Pintade with half of the oil and place the Thyme, Bay leaf and garlic inside the cavity of the Pintade. Season with salt and pepper inside and out of the Pintade.
6. Place an oven-proof dish a bit larger than the Pintade in the oven for 5 minutes
7. Remove dish from oven and place the Pintade sideways on a thigh. Place in oven for 15 minutes.
8. Remove the dish from the oven, flip the Pintade on the other thigh. Place the onions and the butter in the dish around the Pintade and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
9. Remove the dish from the oven, place the Pintade on its back, taking care to arrange the onions around, and add the white wine. Baste the bird and return to the oven. Cook for another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F.
10. Add the chopped green part of the onion to the dish and baste the bird with the cooking juices.
11. Let the Pintade rest for 10 minutes, cut in serving pieces and serve immediately with cooking juices and onions.

2. Roast Duck:

Serving Size: 4 people

Prep Time: 35 min.

Cook Time: 1 hr.

Ingredients

• 2 Joyce Farms Naked Ducks (5 to 5 1/2 lbs each)innards and wing tips removed
• 6 qts. chicken broth
• Kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground

1. Unwrap the ducks and allow them to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. With a fork, prick the skin without piercing the meat. This will allow the fat to drain off while the ducks cook.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large stock pot which can hold the 2 ducks, heat the chicken broth with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt until it boils. Add the ducks very carefully and bring the stock back to a boil. If there isn’t enough stock to cover the ducks, add the hottest tap water to cover. If the ducks float to the top, place a plate on top to keep them immersed. When the stock comes back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the ducks in the stock for 45 minutes.
3. When the ducks are finished simmering, skim off enough duck fat from the top of the stock to pour a film on the bottom of a 14 by 18 by 3-inch roasting pan. This will keep the ducks from sticking when they roast. Carefully take the ducks out of the stock, holding them over the pot to drain. Place them in the roasting pan, pat the skin dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. If you have time, allow the ducks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the skin to dry.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Be sure your oven is very clean or it will smoke!) Roast the ducks for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

3. Rosemary Garlic Roasted Heritage Chicken:

Serving Size: 4 people

Ingredients

• 4 large cloves garlic
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. white wine
• 2 oz. unsalted butter
• 13 1/2 lb to 4 lb Joyce Farms Poulet Rouge Chicken
• 1 leaf sage

1. Soften butter to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Mince the garlic and place in a small mixing bowl.
4. Mince one sprig of the rosemary and add to the garlic.
5. Add the softened butter and stir to combine. Season with the salt and black pepper. Add the white wine and incorporate thoroughly. (You can use a small food processor to make this step easier.)
6. Remove the chicken from its packaging, and lightly rinse with cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel.
7. Slide your fingers between the skin and the breast meat to create a pocket on both lobes of the breast. Stuff this space with as much of the Rosemary-Garlic butter as possible. Be careful not to tear the skin.
8. Place the second Rosemary sprig in the cavity, and if there is still room, add any remaining Rosemary-Garlic Butter.
9. Tuck the wing tips under the bird and tie the legs together using butchers’ twine to create a tight package (this is called Trussing the bird).
10. Roast in the oven until minimum internal temperature reaches 165°F, measured in the thickest part of the thigh using a probe thermometer.
11. Allow the bird to rest for 10 minutes before untying and carving. Serve with Natural Jus.