How do you infuse the flavor of a sauce into chicken?
I have cooked some chicken in a pot with honey sauce. The sauce was very flavorful, and while the chicken had a great texture none of the sauce's flavor was in the chicken! It was almost flavorless.
I have seared the chicken and put it in a covered pot with some wine and honey as sauce (sauce covered about eighth of the chicken?). What can I do next time to infuse the flavors of a flavor base together with chicken when it is pot cooked?
Best Answer
You can't do it, it's physically not possible. Your meat will always taste of meat, not of sauce. Meat is not some kind of sponge which can soak up sauce, it's a dense muscle.
If you want more flavorful meat, you can buy more flavorful meat. Most meat you can get in the supermarket is tasteless, because 1) people don't really like meat flavor if they are not accustomed to it (see the recent mutton question), 2) it's cheaper to raise tasteless meat (young chicken vs. soup hen) and 3) you need a fattier meat to have more flavor, but people prefer lean meats nowadays. Still, the meat will then taste of meat, not of sauce.
If you find your food way too tasteless, you can also consider preparations such as a meatloaf, where you can physically mix spices into the protein.
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Quick Answer about "How do you infuse the flavor of a sauce into chicken?"
Mix maple syrup, garlic, soy sauce and lime juice with chicken stock then cook it on a low heat and let it thicken until it becomes a beautiful, glossy glaze. Once reduced, rub the glaze over your chicken breast and let it infuse.How do you infuse chicken flavour?
Whether brined, rubbed with spices, basted or marinated, there are endless ways to add more flavour to your chicken.How do you make chicken taste more flavorful?
Flavor Trick #1: Marinate Whole or Sliced Chicken Breasts for 30 to 90 Minutes Before CookingHow do you infuse meat with flavor?
Intensify the flavors of meat, poultry and fish with high-heat cooking techniques such as pan-searing, grilling or broiling, which help to brown meat and add flavor. Just don't overcook, burn or char meat. Roast veggies in a very hot (450\xb0F) oven or grill for a sweet, smoky flavor.What gives chicken its flavor?
The reaction of cysteine and sugar can lead to characteristic meat flavour specially for chicken and pork. Volatile compounds including 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 2-furfurylthiol, methionol, 2,4,5-trimethyl-thiazole, nonanol, 2-trans-nonenal, and other compounds have been identified as important for the flavour of chicken.Super Quick Video Tips: Infuse Chicken with Maximum Herb Flavor
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Answer 2
There are a couple of ways to flavor your chicken prior to cooking. Three that come to mind are dry brining, wet brining, and marinating.
A dry brine is basically a rub. After rinsing and drying chicken, rub with a mixture of salt (usually heavy on the salt), spices, herbs, etc...what ever flavor combo you are going for. If you are going for crispy skin, leave uncovered in fridge for up to 3 days before cooking.
In a wet brine, the chicken is submerged in a brine for up to two days. The brine is usually salt based and can include herbs and spices. For larger birds (and turkey) you could take this a step further and inject the brine into the flesh with a syringe...thus "injection brining."
Marinating is coating the meat in a mixture of oil, herbs and spices (though using yogurt as a base ingredient is popular in many cultures and delicious). Marinating is usually done for a few hours to overnight.
Combine these flavoring techniques with careful cooking, and it should improve your results.
Answer 3
These days most grocery stores carry a flavor injector, which is essentially a giant hypodermic needle. If your sauce is too thick, dilute with water or any liquid beverage. Best to do before cooking, but should still work afterwards, too. But can't say how that would affect the meat.
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