Everyone absolutely agrees with the statement that "cooking is an art." It can appeal to all senses, in contrast to other artistic forms. There are several methods to prepare a meal that has distinct flavours. One error, though, can render the entire dish bland and unappealing. Therefore, mastering a method is essential to creating a delicacy.
Chicken is one of the most popular foods and cooking methods can make all the difference. You wouldn't want your grilled or tandoori chicken to be dry and parched because you didn't follow the right preparation instructions. A chicken dish's luscious texture and softness are what make it ideal.
Now that we're talking about chicken, allow us to share with you some really easy and practical methods for maintaining the moisture and taste of your chicken. Don't worry; all you need to do is practice these simple approaches. It's not rocket science.
Marinate Properly
It is crucial to keep chicken moist while cooking it by marinating it beforehand. It is best to let the chicken soak in the flavour overnight, especially for grilled or Tandoori chicken, but when marinating, make sure to keep the marinade wet and seal the chicken for at least three to four hours. Using yoghurt, egg white, or even buttermilk makes for an ideal marinade alternative.
Don't Forget To Brine
Brining is fairly similar to marination. It involves soaking chicken in a combination of salt water and a small amount of sugar. To keep the chicken moist when cooking, try to extend the brining time.
Pound The Chicken
Pounding involves beating the chicken pieces to flatten them. When grilling, frying, or roasting the chicken, this method is recommended. It maintains moisture, speeds up cooking, and aids in the breakdown of fibres.
Don't Forget Basting
The main goals of basting chicken are to maintain its moisture content and help distribute its fluids evenly. Usually, basting takes place when the chicken is frying or cooking. As a result, baste the chicken and bake or grill it for 20 to 30 minutes. After that, remove it and give it another round of basting. This procedure can be continued until the chicken is done.
Cook At The Right Temperature
It is advised to bring a thermometer to precisely set the temperature while cooking a chicken if you are unsure of the appropriate cooking temperature. This will prevent you from overcooking the chicken. If you are grilling a chicken, roast it for 1.5 minutes on each side, and then bake it for six minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. The chicken dries out and loses flavour if it is overdone.
Foil The Chicken
When cooking chicken, you can cover the pieces with foil towards the end. This will help keep a large portion of the chicken's residual moisture in the meat by preventing it from drying out. To make your chicken pieces particularly soft, you may even pair this method with brining or basting.
Using The Right Pot
For cooking, use the appropriate kind of pot. Your chances of keeping the meat immersed and retaining moisture increase with pot depth. Even the cooking of the chicken is another benefit of using larger pots.