Recipe Manuscript

Pollo En La Parrilla (Á La Inglesa)

Name: Pollo En La Parrilla (Á La Inglesa)
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 1.2–1.5 kg), cleaned and trussed; 30–50 g unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Juice of 1 lemon (about 30 ml); Mayonnaise, to serve (store-bought or homemade, as desired)

"Grilled Chicken (English Style)"

1904

From the treasured pages of Recetas de Cocina por Mi Profesor Sr. H. Winder

Written by Paulina Morante

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American European Beginner Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1904

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Pollo En La Parrilla (Á La Inglesa)

"Limpio el Pollo y armado se coloca en una budinera se le pone encima un trozo de mantequilla incorporado con sal, sal pimienta y limón; se mete a la estufa y se voltea hasta que este bien dorado. Se sirve con Mayonesa ú otra salsa."

English Translation

"Clean the chicken and, once assembled, place it in a baking dish. Put a piece of butter mixed with salt, pepper, and lemon on top; put it in the oven and turn it over until it is well browned. Serve with mayonnaise or another sauce."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is delivered in a brisk, narrative style typical of early 20th-century cookbooks. Ingredients aren’t listed separately and quantities are estimated by experience ('un trozo de mantequilla'). The punctuation is minimal, and spelling aligns with early 1900s Spanish usage; 'Mayonesa ú otra salsa', for instance, uses the accented 'ú' for clarity between vowels—a convention not common today. Directions assume the reader has basic kitchen knowledge; explicit oven temperatures or precise times are omitted.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Recetas de Cocina por Mi Profesor Sr. H. Winder - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Recetas de Cocina por Mi Profesor Sr. H. Winder (1904)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Paulina Morante

Era

1904

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the flavorful world of early 20th-century cooking with Paulina Morante's delightful manuscript! This elegant collection features handwritten recipes and charming newspaper clippings, including specialties like pescado huachinango fresco and turrón de ciruela pasa. A true treasure for culinary adventurers.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an early 20th-century Mexican manuscript cookbook ('Recetas de Cocina por Mi Profesor Sr. H. Winder', 1904) penned by Paulina Morante. The presence of English culinary influence ('á la Inglesa') reflects the cosmopolitan currents in Mexican bourgeois kitchens of the Porfiriato era, when French and English-inspired dishes mingled with local fare. Simple, home kitchen preparations like this roast chicken were meant to balance continental flair with practicality, embracing modern appliances—like the gas or wood-fueled stove—emerging at the time.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks in 1904 would have used a 'budinera', a kind of ovenproof dish, similar to a baking or roasting pan. Heat was provided by a kitchen stove, likely fueled by wood, coal, or early gas. Tongs or large forks were used for turning the bird. Butter was softened and mixed by hand in a bowl, and everything was spread with simple kitchen utensils—no electric mixers or digital thermometers required.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 2.5–3.3 lb), cleaned and trussed
1–1.75 oz unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
Mayonnaise, to serve (store-bought or homemade, as desired)

Instructions

Begin by thoroughly cleaning and preparing a whole chicken, keeping it trussed or neatly jointed.
Set it in a roasting or baking pan.
On top, place a generous piece (about 1–1.75 ounces) of unsalted butter, which should be mixed beforehand with salt, black pepper, and the juice of one lemon.
Rub this buttery mixture all over the chicken, making sure it gets into every nook and cranny.
Place the chicken in a preheated oven at 400°F.
Roast, turning the bird over occasionally to ensure an even golden color and crisp skin, for approximately 60–75 minutes, depending on the bird’s size.
Once deeply golden and cooked through, serve immediately, accompanied by mayonnaise or your favorite sauce.

Estimated Calories

450 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 10 minutes to prepare the chicken and season it, then about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes to roast. Each serving has an estimated 450 calories, and the recipe makes about 4 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.