This Christmas Capon Recipe is our holiday favorite. The Capon is tender and juicy and oh so flavorful, sprinkled with Herbes de Provence. Its size is impressive and perfect for feeding 8 guests. Served with a luxurious mushroom, white wine and cream sauce, the Christmas Capon is decadent and deliciously festive - perfect for the most important meal of the year for many French people.
Chapon de Noël, or Christmas Capon
Much like Americans only roast a whole turkey on Thanksgiving, the French primarily enjoy a Roasted Capon at Christmas. Simply saying the word "Chapon" evokes fond childhood memories for many French.
Where to buy a Capon
In France, Capons are sold in every butcher shop leading up to the holidays.
In the US, I highly suggest ordering directly off D'Artagnan, it will be delivered directly to your doorstep.
*I am grateful to D'Artagnan for sponsoring this post. I have used D'Artagnan products for years at home and I am so excited to partner with them - they truly offer an exceptional quality of French meats and products.
What is a Capon?
A capon is the perfect special occasion bird and is the first choice for the holidays in France and Italy. Capon meat is very white and, unlike that of other chickens, marbled with fat. Larger than a hen and smaller than a turkey, a capon is full-breasted with tender, juicy, flavorful meat that is well suited to roasting.
Capon Chicken, Capon Hen or Capon Turkey?
A Capon is a male chicken that is gelded at a young age, and then fed a rich diet of milk or porridge. Larger than a chicken, a bit smaller than a turkey, but more flavorful than either, capons are full breasted with tender, juicy, flavorful meat that is well suited to roasting. They tend to be less gamey than a rooster, and have a higher fat content. Because of its size, the capon is a good choice to feed a dinner party, or even a small Thanksgiving gathering in place of turkey.
The above descriptions are from D'Artagnan.com
Ingredients for Christmas Capon
1 Capon (about 8 lbs) I got mine from D'Artagan delivered to my house. You can order the D'Artagnan Capon here.
1 cup butter at room temperature
2 tbsp Herbes de Provence
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
Ingredients for the White wine, mushroom and shallot cream sauce
1 cup finely diced carrots
4 shallots, sliced and diced into small pieces
13 oz of Shitake Mushrooms, trimmed and sliced into thin slices
1 pint (473 ml) of heavy cream, the kind that is used for whipping cream
1 cup dry white wine
3 tbsps olive oil
I cup of chicken drippings (from the Capon Roasting Pan - this will add so much flavor to the sauce!)
How to Roast a Capon
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
Make a pomade with the butter and Herbes de Provence, blending well in a little bowl.
Chop up half of the garlic into small pieces and add it to the pomade. Mix again.
Remove Capon from the bag and make sure to extract the giblets and the neck from inside the cavity. You can use the neck for soup if you wish or simply discard.
Sprinkle olive oil into the bottom of an oven safe baking dish before setting the bird inside.
Using your fingers, gently lift the skin up off the bird from the tail end and scoop the butter pomade under the skin, over the top of the meat.
Spread all over the breast of the Capon, under the skin.
Disperse the remaining garlic cloves under the skin and in the cavity of the Capon.
You can add an extra head of garlic, split in half width wise in the dish as well for extra flavor.
Spread the remaining butter pomade over the top of the breast and thighs
Using butchers twine, tie the drumsticks together.
Set in the oven on the middle rack.
Baste every 30 minutes, turning the baking dish around in the oven each time so that all sides are evenly baked (this is especially helpful if your oven doesn't heat evenly)
(to baste, if you don't have a turkey baster, simply take a soup spoon and spoon the juices from the bottom of the pan onto the top of the bird several times)
2.5 hours cooking time and your 8 lb Capon should be done!
Remove the Capon from the oven and let it rest (in the baking dish) on the countertop while you make the sauce.
*Letting the Capon rest on for 20 minutes before serving allows the juices to settle back into the meat. A key for a juicy roast Capon (or Chicken!)
How do you know when the Capon is done?
The most reliable way is to check the temperature. Place the needle into the crook between the capon's breast and thigh. The temperature should read 165 F. Don't have a meat thermometer? Check to see if the skin has begun to pull away from the the drumstick - that is a good indication that it is done. I also like to pierce the thigh with a fork - if the juice that runs out is clear and not pink it is a good indicator that it is done.
Instructions for the White Wine, Mushroom, Shallot and Cream Sauce
In a sauce pan over medium high heat, drizzle a little olive oil.
Add in the shallots and add in the 3 tbsps of olive oil.
Allow the shallots to reduce for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the carrots.
Allow to simmer for 2 minutes more then add the white wine.
Simmer for 3 minutes more for the wine to reduce.
Add in the mushrooms, stir frequently for 5 minutes for the mushrooms to soften.
Pour in the cream and stir briskly. Reduce heat to medium.
Using a ladle, scoop out the drippings from the bottom of the Capon to make one cup of drippings. It is ok if you have a little less - this is more for flavor in the sauce.
Slowly pour into the cream sauce stirring frequently so that the cream does not curdle.
Voilà! A delicious cream sauce for your Capon.
What to serve with Capon
A buttery mashed potato, à la Francaise, is my favorite accompaniment to the Christmas Capon. The mashed potatoes soak up the white wine, mushroom and shallot cream sauce beautifully.
The recipe for French Mashed Potatoes can be found here.
About Le Chef's Wife
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (5 and 2) and I have a full time job in hospitality in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
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Le Chef's Wife
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Christmas Capon
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2.5 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6-9 1x
- Category: Mains
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: French
Description
This Christmas Capon is tender, juicy and flavorful. Served with a luxurious mushroom, white wine and cream sauce, perfect for a holiday meal.
Ingredients
- 1 Capon (about 8 lbs) I got mine from D'Artagan delivered to my house. You can order the D'Artagnan Capon here.
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 tbsp Herbes de Provence
- 10 cloves of garlic, peeled
Ingredients for the White wine, mushroom and shallot cream sauce
- 1 cup finely diced carrots
- 4 shallots, sliced and diced into small pieces
- 13 oz of Shitake Mushrooms, trimmed and sliced into thin slices
- 1 pint (473 ml) of heavy cream, the kind that is used for whipping cream
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- I cup of chicken drippings (from the Capon Roasting Pan - this will add so much flavor to the sauce!)
Instructions
How to Roast a Capon
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
- Make a pomade with the butter and Herbes de Provence, blending well in a little bowl.
- Chop up half of the garlic into small pieces and add it to the pomade. Mix again.
- Remove Capon from the bag and make sure to extract the giblets and the neck from inside the cavity. You can use the neck for soup if you wish or simply discard.
- Sprinkle olive oil into the bottom of an oven safe baking dish before setting the bird inside.
- Using your fingers, gently lift the skin up off the bird from the tail end and scoop the butter pomade under the skin, over the top of the meat.
- Spread all over the breast of the Capon, under the skin.
- Disperse the remaining garlic cloves under the skin and in the cavity of the Capon.
- Spread the remaining butter pomade over the top of the breast and thighs
- Using butchers twine, tie the drumsticks together.
- Set in the oven on the middle rack.
- Baste every 30 minutes, turning the baking dish around in the oven each time so that all sides are evenly baked (this is especially helpful if your oven doesn't heat evenly)
- (to baste, if you don't have a turkey baster, simply take a soup spoon and spoon the juices from the bottom of the pan onto the top of the bird several times)
- 2.5 hours cooking time and your 8 lb Capon should be done!
- Remove the Capon from the oven and let it rest (in the baking dish) on the countertop while you make the sauce.
*Letting the Capon rest on for 20 minutes before serving allows the juices to settle back into the meat. A key for a juicy roast Capon (or Chicken!)
Instructions for the White Wine, Mushroom, Shallot and Cream Sauce
- In a sauce pan over medium high heat, drizzle a little olive oil.
- Add in the shallots and add in the 3 tbsps of olive oil.
- Allow the shallots to reduce for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the carrots.
- Allow to simmer for 2 minutes more then add the white wine.
- Simmer for 3 minutes more for the wine to reduce.
- Add in the mushrooms, stir frequently for 5 minutes for the mushrooms to soften.
- Pour in the cream and stir briskly. Reduce heat to medium.
- Using a ladle, scoop out the drippings from the bottom of the Capon to make one cup of drippings. It is ok if you have a little less - this is more for flavor in the sauce.
- Slowly pour into the cream sauce stirring frequently so that the cream does not curdle.
Voilà! A delicious cream sauce for your Capon.
Notes
What to serve with Capon
A buttery mashed potato, à la Francaise, is my favorite accompaniment to the Christmas Capon. The mashed potatoes soak up the white wine, mushroom and shallot cream sauce beautifully.
The recipe for French Mashed Potatoes can be found here.
How do you know when the Capon is done?
The most reliable way is to check the temperature. Place the needle into the crook between the capon's breast and thigh. The temperature should read 165 F. Don't have a meat thermometer? Check to see if the skin has begun to pull away from the the drumstick - that is a good indication that it is done. I also like to pierce the thigh with a fork - if the juice that runs out is clear and not pink it is a good indicator that it is done.
Jennifer Chase says
This sounds amazing. And I learned what a Capon is. Definitely want to try it now.
lechefswife says
Hi Jen! Honestly, the white meat of a Capon is unbelievable - milky, decadent and rich. So yummy!
Carol says
My mother cooked capons when I was growing up in Minnesota & she was 100% Irish!! Lol
lechefswife says
Thank you Carol, You taught me something new! Thank you!