Store-bought chicken is often questionable. Often, when cooking, a strange smell appears, white foam is released, and the meat loses its taste.
All this is a consequence of the peculiarities of industrial poultry farming. To increase the shelf life and weight of the product, meat often contains excess water, phosphates and traces of antibiotics.
But to get rid of everything unnecessary, you don’t need special tools or extra trouble. Nutrition experts recommend not just rinsing the chicken before cooking, but soaking it properly.
By washing the chicken under water, we remove only surface contaminants. The bulk of the “chemistry” remains inside the fibers. Phosphates retain moisture, and antibiotics and salts can remain in the fabric even after heat treatment.
To remove these substances, you need to start the process of osmosis, when water and salt molecules “pull” excess compounds out of the meat.
How to soak chicken properly
For the procedure you will need a deep bowl, cold water and one of 3 proven compositions.
1. Salt bath
- Mix 1-2 tbsp. salt and 1 liter of cold water.
- Soak for 1.5–2 hours in the refrigerator.
Salt creates osmotic pressure, which helps cells release excess moisture and substances dissolved in it.
2. Lemon-salt bath
- Mix 1.5 tbsp. l. salt, juice of half a lemon and 1 liter of water.
- Soak for about 1 hour.
Citric acid gently loosens fibers, removes odor and gives meat a fresh taste.
3. Apple cider vinegar bath
- Dissolve 1-2 tbsp. l. natural apple cider vinegar in 1 liter of water.
- Vinegar neutralizes surface contaminants and antibiotic residues, and eliminates specific odors.
- Soak the chicken for 30-40 minutes, but do not over-soak it to avoid drying it out.
After the procedure, the water in the bowl becomes cloudy, sometimes with whitish foam – this is the release of phosphates and proteins that retained moisture. The meat becomes denser, slightly decreases in size, but at the same time retains juiciness and acquires a natural taste.
After soaking, the chicken should be thoroughly rinsed under running water and dried with paper towels. This will ensure a beautiful golden crust when frying.
The result is true flavor release, excess water and unwanted compounds are removed, and the risk of bacterial contamination is reduced.
