Dai Due, Austin

Chef Jesse Griffiths is also a butcher but unlike most of his pork-obsessed brethren, his favorite meat to work with is also America's favorite to eat: chicken. #BAhot10
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Christopher Testani

t started with a biscuit topped with pepper-flecked white gravy, venison sausage, and a fried egg. That first mouthwatering encounter with Dai Due in 2010—when it was part farmers’ market butcher stand, part pop-up supper club—made a lasting impression. The cooking was honest and resourceful—just like its red-bearded hunter-gatherer chef, Jesse Griffiths.

Five years later, the bricks-and-mortar version includes a white-tiled butcher shop in front and an all-day restaurant in the back centered around a blazing wood grill. It’s a meat lover’s delight, built for those who want to take home a slab of wild boar confit or devour a giant grilled beef rib on the spot. Even the tomato-avocado salad arrives with a dusting of dried beef and dried crickets (more protein!). Griffiths has created a place and a cuisine that are uniquely Texan—almost every ingredient, from olive oil to meat to wine, comes from within 200 miles—without any Lone Star State clichés. And even with a real kitchen to play in, the chef is still resourceful, to the point where the feathers of the (impressive) chickens he serves are used to tie fishing flies. Anglers take note: They’re for sale in the butcher shop.

Here's how to make the best chicken ever:

Buy the Right Bird

Start with a super-fresh, humanely raised chicken and you set yourself up for success. Here is Griffiths’ shopping punch list:

Buy small
Smaller birds cook faster and more evenly. For Griffiths, two-and-a-half to three pounds is the sweet spot. Sort through the whole birds in the butcher’s case to find the lightweights.

Buy fresh
Dai Due gets its chickens a day after they've been dispatched. Even if you don't have that hookup, your meat should look and smell good.

Buy standard
Heirloom breeds can be tricky to cook. The ubiquitous Cornish Cross, however, has been bred to taste good, cook easily, and have plenty of fat. Buy it whenever you find it.

Buy whole
Why pay someone to cut up your chicken when you can D.I.Y. and have the bones (stock!) and the offal (liver pâté!) to boot?

Winner winner chicken dinner:

You Should Marinate in Acidulated Dairy

Acidu-what??? Think yogurt. Or buttermilk. Dai Due even uses whey. “It’s an Indian technique that adds flavor, acidity, and tenderness,” Griffiths says. The recipe below is his go-to marinade for grilling and frying; add hot sauce, maybe some fresh herbs (oregano is good), garlic, and a bit of oil to round it out. Marinate the bird—in pieces or spatchcocked—for eight hours, or up to a day. “Any longer and the marinade will start to break down the meat,” Griffiths says. Not what you want.


Breast Is Not a Dirty Word

Contrary to butcher stereotypes, Griffiths loves chicken breasts, but he always, always leaves the skin on. “Skin adds texture and flavor, and it protects the meat from drying out,” he says. Here’s how to cook a breast the Dai Due way: Sear the skin side until crisp, then flip and braise in stock on the stovetop or in a 350° oven (for extra-crisp skin) until a thermometer registers 165°. “It’ll give you a great pan sauce,” Griffiths says, “and it’s so easy.” For more on this technique, see No. 7.



A.B.B.: Always Be Brining

“We brine all of our birds for 24 hours,” says Griffiths. The exact recipe changes, but it always contains a measured amount of salt (for seasoning), sugar (for depth and to help with caramelizing), black pepper (for balance), and citrus (for acidity). The brine adds both moisture and flavor.


But Once You Brine, You Gotta Dry!

It’s the key to a great sear and tasty roasted skin. Air-dry whole, uncovered birds in the fridge overnight.


Sear the Skin, Braise the Meat

Never sear the flesh, or “it will dry out and take on a weird texture,” Griffiths says. First, get your pan ripping hot, then sear your chicken pieces skin side down. When they are done, the skin will start to pull away from the pan. (“That’s how it tells you it’s ready.”) Then turn and braise in liquid (stock, wine, or a combination) with the skin side up. The flesh side will cook up moist and tender, while the skin roasts to a crackling finish. Best of both worlds!

Get the recipe: Chicken Paprikash

All About That Rack

Everyone should be roasting chicken directly on their oven rack set above a pan filled with vegetables (potatoes, shallots, carrots—seriously, whatever veg you have will work). As the bird roasts, surrounded on all sides by dry heat, the delicious rendered juices will drip onto the vegetables. The whole thing takes five minutes of prep and 45 minutes in a 425° oven. Griffiths doesn’t even season the bird. “You don’t need to if you’ve brined.”

Get the recipe: Rack-Roasted Chicken

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