Brown Stew Chicken – Friar Tuck, Arnold

A hearty stew is probably what first comes to mind when you hear the pub name ‘Friar Tuck’. Most likely a heavy British one too, complete with root vegetables, stodgy dumplings and tough meat. Whatever the case, it won’t be the classic Jamaican stew I found in this otherwise unassuming Nottingham tavern.

Brown Stew Chicken gets its name from the brown sugar in which the chicken is first braised, an essential process in the meal’s preparation. This lends the chicken a delectable deep brown colour, both crucial to the dish’s appearance, and to its deliciously distinctive flavour.

Firstly, a marinade containing an all-important ‘browning sauce’ is used on the chicken, and left to infuse for a number of hours. The sauce’s primary ingredient is brown sugar, caramelised beforehand. Other ingredients in the marinade include salt (see my Bitoque review for more detail on the role this plays in tenderising the chicken), onion powder, and all purpose seasoning – a much-loved Jamaican staple.

So what did I find when I, ahem, Tuck-ed into my stew?

Exactly what I’d hoped for, that’s what. The marinade and braising had clearly done their jobs, giving the chicken thigh its beautiful tanned colour and signature tang. Moreover, the meat was gorgeously tender, indicative of a decent time marinading and careful cooking. It’s fair to say the phrase ‘melt in your mouth’ should have been written on the menu… in bold.

The stew’s sauce delivered ladlefuls of flavour too; sweated onions and peppers so soft that they blended seamlessly into the gravy, each one subtly sweetening the palate with every bite. The sauce itself had the perfect level of spice – indeed the dish is not known for its heat, but instead for its blend of warming aromatics. I’m talking thyme, black peppercorns and allspice, all of which lend the sauce its comforting taste.

So far it’s been all praise, and quite rightly so. Unfortunately though, it was the sides which disappointed the most, only acting to detract from the stew’s impressive merits.

The rice was really quite bland, only offering mild hints of tomato, and the occasional kick of heat. There seemed to be a distinct lack of grilled red onion and courgette too, both of which the menu had promised. Put it this way, I wouldn’t have been surprised if ‘Uncle Ben’ had been involved in its preparation.

Whilst I appreciated the addition of black beans, I was hoping for the red kidney variety instead, as these are more ubiquitous when it comes to Jamaican rice and peas (yep, in Jamaica the beans in the rice are referred to as peas).

The biggest let down of all though was the flatbread, also known as Jamaican Roti. Similar to Indian roti (hence the name), this traditional flatbread only consists of a few ingredients, the main one’s being white flour and salt. Sadly Friar Tuck’s didn’t hit the mark; whilst a traditional roti is kneaded and dry-fried in a pan, I have a feeling this one came straight off a wholesaler’s lorry.

Overall, Friar Tuck’s Brown Stew Chicken proved to be a decent meal, certainly worth the £9.49 I paid. The star of the show was the stew itself, with the dish’s flaws largely attributable to its sides. Honestly though, I’d much prefer it this way around, and I’m sure the man himself, Friar Tuck, would agree. Tribudishional score: 6.5/10.

©The Tribudishional Food Blog