Recipe Manuscript

Pollos Al Asador

Name: Pollos Al Asador
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 whole chickens (about 1.5 kg each); 2 chicken livers (from the chickens); 80 g ham, finely shredded (jamón serrano or smoked ham can be used); 10 g parsley, finely chopped; 1 medium onion (about 100 g), finely chopped; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 40 g unsalted butter; 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds; 200 g ham (for wrapping, about 100 g per chicken); Parchment paper (substitute for old-style greased paper); Assorted cooked or sautéed vegetables for serving (carrots, peas, green beans, etc.)

"Grilled Chickens"

1910

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Manuscript de Diario del Hogar

Unknown Author

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1910

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

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

Pollos Al Asador

"Se desplanan los pollos gordos, se limpian y en seguida se rellenan con sus hígados picados y amasados con jamón rayado, sal, pimienta, perejil y cebollas picadas ambas cosas; se les atraviesan las patas, se sancochan en mantequilla, y después de sacarlos de ella, se les cubre la pechuga con ruedas de limón, se envuelven en jamón, luego en un papel engrasado y en seguida se ponen en el asador, á fuego moderado para que queden bien cocidos. Se sirven con algún guisado de legumbres."

English Translation

"Pluck the fat chickens, clean them, and then stuff them with their chopped livers mashed together with grated ham, salt, pepper, parsley, and finely chopped onions. Skewer their legs, sauté them in butter, and after removing them from the butter, cover the breast with lemon slices. Wrap them in ham, then in greased paper, and then place them on the grill over a moderate heat so they cook thoroughly. Serve them with a vegetable stew."

Note on the Original Text

Historical recipes like this were often concise, written for experienced cooks accustomed to improvising quantities and steps. Instructions are sparse and may lack precise measurements or cooking times, assuming the cook knows how to judge doneness and seasoning. Notably, spellings like 'rayado' for 'rallado' (meaning 'grated') reflect common orthographic variation of early 20th-century Mexican Spanish. Terms like 'sancochar' here mean to lightly brown or sauté, not boil, as they do in other contexts. The playful wrapping and layering techniques reflect both practical preservation and a nod to European culinary influences.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Manuscript de Diario del Hogar - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Manuscript de Diario del Hogar (1910)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1910

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful scrapbook of Mexican home cooking, this charming manuscript transforms an English grammar school notebook into a culinary time capsule. Handwritten lessons cozy up to clipped recipes from early 20th-century newspapers, serving up a flavorful blend of educational notes and savory secrets. A true window into the kitchens and tastes of historical Mexico.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from an anonymous Mexican cooking manuscript dated around 1910. The notebook, initially intended for English grammar lessons, became a charming archival treasure with recipes snipped from local newspapers like 'Diario del Hogar' (1881–1912). Such manuscripts reveal how families collected and experimented with recipes, blending handwritten notes with popular published ideas of the era. The recipe for 'Pollos al asador' exemplifies early 20th-century Mexican home cooking influenced by both European and local culinary practices. The use of ham, butter, and the rotisserie, alongside the stuffed chicken, reflects the cosmopolitan tastes of urban households, echoing both French and Spanish traditions embraced in Mexican gastronomy post-porfiriato.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1910, cooks would prepare this dish using a kitchen knife, mortar and pestle for mincing and mixing, heavy iron pans for sautéing, and a hand-cranked rotisserie ('asador') over a wood or coal fire for roasting. The parchment or greased paper wrap provided insulation to keep the meat moist and prevent burning on the open flame. For modern cooks, a roasting pan and oven replace the open asador, while parchment paper stands in for the traditional greased paper wrap. Twine is used today to truss the chickens instead of just 'traversing' their legs as the original describes.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 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

2 whole chickens (about 3 1/3 lbs each)
2 chicken livers (from the chickens)
3 oz ham, finely shredded (jamón serrano or smoked ham can be used)
1/3 oz parsley, finely chopped
1 medium onion (about 3 1/2 oz), finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 1/2 oz unsalted butter
1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
7 oz ham (for wrapping, about 3 1/2 oz per chicken)
Parchment paper (substitute for old-style greased paper)
Assorted cooked or sautéed vegetables for serving (carrots, peas, green beans, etc.)

Instructions

Begin by taking two whole, plump chickens (about 3 1/3 lbs each) and clean them thoroughly.
Prepare a stuffing by finely chopping the chicken livers and mixing them with about 3 oz of shredded ham, 1/3 oz of finely chopped parsley, 1 medium onion finely chopped (around 3 1/2 oz), a pinch of salt, and a good grind of black pepper.
Stuff the chickens with this mixture and truss the legs together with kitchen twine.
In a large pan, melt 1 1/2 oz of unsalted butter and gently brown the stuffed chickens on all sides ('sancochar' is light sautéing or browning).
Once browned, remove from the butter.
Lay slices of fresh lemon (one lemon, sliced) over each chicken breast, wrap in slices of ham (approximately 3 1/2 oz per chicken), and then securely wrap each bird in buttered parchment paper.
Place the wrapped chickens on a rotisserie or in a moderate oven (350°F), and roast for about 1 hour, ensuring the birds cook thoroughly and remain juicy.
Serve the chickens hot, accompanied by a sauté of seasonal vegetables or your favorite vegetable side dish.

Estimated Calories

600 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and stuffing the chickens takes about 30 minutes. Roasting in the oven takes 1 hour. Each serving has an estimated 600 calories, based on dividing two whole stuffed chickens among 8 people.

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.