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Whole roasted guinea fowl with crisp golden skin on a wooden board next to a bowl of bread sauce and thyme

Golden-Roasted Guinea Fowl with Buttery Bread Sauce

A whole guinea fowl roasted until the skin crisps and the thigh hits 165F/74C, served with a clove-scented bread sauce thickened with fresh breadcrumbs.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Calories: 480
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Guinea Fowl
  • 1.4 kg whole guinea fowl about 3 lb
  • 40 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 garlic head, halved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 200 ml chicken stock optional, for pan juices
For the Bread Sauce
  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 1 small onion, halved studded with cloves
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
  • 100 g fresh white breadcrumbs crusts removed
  • 30 g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp double cream optional
  • salt and white pepper to taste

Method
 

Roast the Guinea Fowl
  1. Heat the oven to 200C/400F.
  2. Pat the guinea fowl dry inside and out with paper towels.
  3. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff with lemon halves, garlic, and thyme sprigs.
  4. Rub softened butter over the skin and season generously with salt and pepper.
  5. Place breast-side up in a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes at 200C/400F.
  6. Reduce the oven to 180C/350F and roast for a further 40 to 45 minutes, basting once, until the internal temperature reaches 165F/74C in the thickest part of the thigh and juices run clear.
  7. Rest the bird tented loosely with foil for 15 minutes before carving.
Make the Bread Sauce
  1. Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the clove-studded onion, bay leaf, and nutmeg.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat, cover, and let infuse for 20 to 30 minutes.
  3. Strain the milk through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the onion and bay leaf, and return it to the pan.
  4. Add the breadcrumbs and stir over low heat for 5 to 6 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  5. Stir in the butter and cream, then season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Notes

  • Choose a guinea fowl close to 1.4 kg so the roasting times below apply as written.
  • Strain the milk fully before adding breadcrumbs or bits of onion end up in the sauce.
  • Baste the bird once halfway through roasting for even browning on the skin.
  • Carve the guinea fowl the same way as a small chicken, thighs and breast separately.