How to make "salt-crust-baked" chicken?
A while back I heard mention of a way to bake/roast chicken that supposedly would make it very good and juicy. Unfortunately I didn't get the details, so I haven't dared try it myself. I was wondering if someone here had done this or something similar, and could describe the methode (especially temperature and timing) to me - and confirm that this actually work and give a good result.
The idea was to take a whole (or half would do?) chicken (I assumed plucked, cleaned and ready for cooking), and cover it with salt! You would basically take lots of salt and add a little water, so you got a thick "goo" of salt. Then you would cover the chicken with this salt-goo in a thick layer. Then you would put the salt-goo covered chicken in the oven to bake. In the oven, the salt-goo would become a thick salt-crust, that would trap in the moisture. When finished, you just crack the salt-crust open.
Does this actually work?! I can't help but thinking that the result would be a very salty chicken...
Best Answer
Does it work? Yes, it does.
The idea is to create something akin to an individual "dutch oven" around the chicken or fish you are baking. The meat is "steamed" in his own juices. There are a bunch of different "recipes" for the salt crust, often with some "binding agent" like egg whites. Usually, the skin is removed when serving (go ahead, give it a try, if you like), so rest assured that the meat underneath is not too salty.
An alternative to salt (and arguably more "paleo style") would be baking in clay.
A quick internet search should yield plenty of recipes for both varieties.
(Remenber: asking for recipes is a big no-no here.)
Pictures about "How to make "salt-crust-baked" chicken?"
What does a salt crust do for meat?
A salt crust is a method of cooking by completely covering an ingredient such as fish, chicken or vegetables in salt (sometimes bound together by water or egg white) before baking. The salt layer acts as insulation and helps cook the food in an even and gentle manner.How do you salt a chicken before roasting?
Sprinkle sea or kosher salt evenly over the entire surface of the meat or poultry. For poultry allow it to air dry (for amazingly crisp skin) or, if crispness isn't a concern, loosely wrap in plastic wrap. 3. Remove from the fridge 1 hour or so before cooking to allow it to reach room temperature.What does putting salt on chicken do?
The salt that we use to coat our uncooked chicken draws moisture from the skin. Less moisture, as we mentioned, means quicker crisping. Quicker crisping means tastier, more texturally satisfying chicken.What does baking in a salt crust do?
Baking in salt involves burying food in a sand-like mixture of salt and egg white. The salt insulates the food, cooking it gently and evenly. When the dish comes out of the oven, you crack open the hardened, golden salt shell to unearth a moist, evenly cooked and fragrant buried treasure.Salt-crusted chicken
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