I Tried Martha Stewart’s Coq au Vin, and I Let the Sauce Do the Talking
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Martha Stewart Coq au Vin
Leave a Comment on I Tried Martha Stewart’s Coq au Vin, and I Let the Sauce Do the Talking
I made this on a day that started wrong and kept going.
a pot of coffee went cold before I touched it.
the laundry sat damp in the machine.
and the chicken thighs in the fridge were giving me that “now or never” look.
so I poured the wine.
not into a glass.
into a bowl of raw meat.
and I waited.
What the Original Looked Like
Martha’s Coq au Vin is pure ceremony.
you marinate the chicken in red wine overnight—rich, dark, full-bodied.
then you brown everything slow: bacon, thighs, onions, mushrooms, garlic.
the sauce thickens with flour, tomato paste, and Cognac—
yes, Cognac—
then it bakes in the oven until the chicken surrenders.
it’s a dish that tells time through flavor.
and the longer you wait,
the deeper it gets.
What I Did Differently
I didn’t have Cognac.
used red vermouth.
worked fine.
I skipped the liver.
couldn’t bring myself to chop one.
maybe next time.
added a splash more wine than she said.
because the bottle was open.
and I needed the room to smell like it mattered.
The Way It Happened in My Kitchen
the chicken went into the wine the night before—deep bowl, dark pour, thyme pressed between pieces like a lullaby.
I tucked it in the fridge and forgot about it until morning.
the bacon went in first.
low heat. long time.
let it crisp without rushing.
pulled the chicken from the marinade, patted it dry.
seared it hard.
didn’t crowd the pan. didn’t flinch at the splatter.
golden skin, rendered fat.
every side told a story.
onions softened in the drippings. garlic bloomed.
pearl onions went in whole—ten tiny ghosts.
then mushrooms.
they browned and shrank and drank in every flavor left behind.
flour and tomato paste stirred next.
roux-like. fragrant.
vermouth in.
quick sizzle. gone.
chicken back in.
bacon too.
reserved wine poured over.
bay leaves tucked like secrets.
thyme sprigs left whole.
I put the lid on.
slid it into the oven.
walked away.
A Few Things I Learned While It Baked
the smell will fill your hallway before the hour’s up.
chicken skin doesn’t stay crisp in braise—and that’s okay.
and the flavor?
it’s deeper than you think it’ll be.
darker.
richer.
like the inside of a memory.
What I Did With the Extras
mashed potatoes.
crusty bread.
a fork that scraped the plate too hard.
Mae took a bowl home.
texted me,
“you made the wine chicken again?”
I just sent a heart.
Would I Make It Again?
yes.
on a night when the house is too quiet,
and I want to hear something simmering.
That’s As Much As I Remember
I never found the thyme sprigs.
maybe they melted.
maybe they stayed whole and just gave what they could.
this reminded me of the beef bourguignon i ruined in ‘08. this time, i didn’t burn a thing.
FAQs
yes. it’s not optional. the wine needs time to speak to the chicken. and you need time to let the day settle.
use red vermouth, brandy, or even a little bourbon. just don’t skip it entirely—it brings depth.
you can. I did. the sauce was still velvet.
so much better. like a story with a second ending.
mashed potatoes. crusty bread. a spoon. whatever holds sauce best.
Martha Stewart Coq au Vin
Description
Deep, dark, and worth the wait. A chicken dish that tastes like it’s been through something.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken in red wine overnight. cover it. forget it. let the wine do what you can’t.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. pull the chicken out. pat it dry. season it like you mean it.
- Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over low heat. slow is flavor. crisp it up. remove it. leave the fat behind.
- Sear the chicken in batches. don’t rush. golden brown on both sides. remove. set aside. breathe.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in the drippings. add pearl onions. then mushrooms. stir until browned and fragrant. it should smell like something important’s happening.
- Add flour and tomato paste. cook 2 minutes. no raw flour taste here. pour in Cognac. it should hiss. stir until it settles.
- Return the chicken and bacon. pour in the reserved wine. add the chopped liver if you dare. bay leaves. thyme. stir once. just once.
- Cover and bake. 45 minutes to an hour. don’t peek. just wait. you’ll know.
- Remove the bay and thyme. skim the fat. taste the sauce. adjust nothing. it’s perfect.
- Serve warm. over mashed potatoes. next to bread. beneath candlelight. or fridge light. it all works.