Fricassee Cut

Fricassee cut is a way of jointing poultry (chicken), rabbit, or tender meat (veal) into medium-sized portion pieces intended for the classic dish fricassée — a delicate stew in a light creamy sauce.

Unlike coarse chopping, here the carcass is carefully divided along the joints into natural parts: thighs, drumsticks, wings, and breasts split in half. The aim is to obtain pieces of roughly equal weight that will cook evenly and look attractive on the plate. The bone is usually left in: it lends flavour to the sauce and keeps the meat succulent during braising. The distinctive feature of a fricassée is that the meat is first only lightly cooked (the “white” way, without forming a browned crust), to preserve the pale colour of the dish, and then braised in stock enriched with cream and egg yolks. A correct cut ensures that all the pieces reach doneness at the same time.