Meat is a product, which can be used to prepare very tasty dishes, but in order for them to be juicy and aromatic, you need to follow some basic rules. For example, many people overlook the importance of properly freezing and defrosting chicken meat. These seemingly simple manipulations can seriously change the structure and taste of the meat, as well as make it dry and tough or even spoil it.
Subtleties in freezing and defrosting chicken meat
The main mistake when freezing meat at home is the size of the piece. Many inexperienced cooks put large pieces of meat in the freezer, ie do not cut it into pieces before. This way, the edges are frozen first, then the middle and the center at the very end.
Uneven freezing has a destructive effect on the structure of the product as well as the taste. That is why, even if you prepare your dish as a masterchef, the meat will remain dry and tasteless.
It is important to remember that microtissue tears, which occur during meat freezing lead to a loss of its juiciness. To prevent this from happening, the product must be divided into small parts.
To prevent white spots from defrosting the meat to appear, you can grease it with olive oil in advance. Keep in mind, however, that its shelf life is no more than 3 months.
Shock defrosting of chicken is also strictly forbidden, ie with the help of hot water. This will lead to loss of taste and juices of the meat when cooked afterwards. To prevent this, it is recommended to defrost chicken legs, wings or fillets slowly and gradually.
To do this, transfer the chicken into the refrigerator on the top shelf (this is the most appropriate temperature). It should be left on it from 8 to 12 hours (it all depends on the size of the piece). Then place the product on the middle shelf, and when the chicken becomes soft, you can take it out of the fridge and place it on the table. This is the only way to preserve the structure and taste of the meat.
By following these easy and simple chicken defrosting subtleties, your chicken will always be juicy, soft and tender. These defrosting principles are also relevant for other types of meat, especially for pork and beef, as improper defrosting will make them hard, tough and tasteless.
If you love chicken, we recommend trying one of our recipes for:
- or chicken soup;
