Chicken Fillets

[tdvit]

would I be right in saying if I am cooking a chicken fillet (frying pan) and there is a lot of excess water coming from it as I cook it that the quality of the chicken fillet is very bad? and would you know of any good websites on this type of thing? thanks

[rinkytink]

I think that excess water gets into Chickens (and Turkeys) during processing, if the bird is eventually going to be frozen. Water is used for cleaning and cooling the bird before freezing and some water gets frozen with the bird and absorbed into it, only to emerge when it is cooked. Not sure if there is a direct correlation between quantity of water and quality though.

[Pinotage]

Have you ever wondered - when you look in the supermarket - that the packs of chicken breasts should all weigh exactly the same? Its no miracle - the processor inject them with water. They're allowed tro do so by the authorities that are supposedly looking after our interests. In general the better the supplier the less cheating, so yes, you're cooking a poorer quality product.

[tracymort]

i think they call it "dutched" when it's been plumped up with water. I remember reading about it in a an issue food magazine by the food commision. There some good info in there. e.g. did you know baby rusks have more sugar than a doughnut (even the reduced sugar ones!!).

[Ericbwa]

Yes, you are right - it's bad. There are loads of horrible things in processed chicken - don't eat it! If you want something just as tasteless, use Quorn; if you want something that tastes like chicken should, then use free range organic.

[Janetex]

Free range is the way to go!!!

[arthurfowler]

Yes, poor quality could cause this. But also if your frying pan is too cold or there is too much in the pan, this will cause the temperature in the pan to drop and more water/juices to come out of the meat, thus creating a boiling effect rather than frying.