What is the liquid that forms after chicken goes through the freeze-thaw cycle, and how can I extract it more efficiently?

What is the liquid that forms after chicken goes through the freeze-thaw cycle, and how can I extract it more efficiently? - From above of red metal can with refreshing fizzing coke placed on table in cafe

When I vacuum seal chicken pieces, freeze them, and then thaw them again, there is always a small amount of liquid in the bag after the thaw. When this liquid hits hot oil, it forms a crispy, airy puff that is absolutely delicious. I'm trying to figure out what the liquid is, and how I can extract more of it, so that I can make crispy fried chicken liquid for garnishes.



Best Answer

When you freeze meat the water in the cells crystallizes into ice, and in some case ruptures the cell walls. When you thaw the chicken again, the contents of the ruptured cells' are free. These are mostly the water, and the cells proteins.

Additionally, processed meats often have some water and additives added to the at the factory.

The "juice" you are seeing is probably a combination of these things.




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Why is my chicken slimy after defrosting?

When cooking you may see this as a white gunge forming in the pan. It can feel quite slimy once defrosted, but this is just the raw "juices" coming out. I buy chicken in bulk and vacuum seal/freeze it into portion sizes. Good quality meat and drying the chicken before freezing can help.

How do you get the absorbent pad off frozen chicken?

In Cold Water: This is a faster thawing method compared to thawing in the refrigerator.

What type of water is used for faster thawing of frozen chicken meat?

Use cold water
  • Place the chicken in a leakproof plastic bag. This will stop the water from damaging the meat tissue as well as any bacteria from infecting the food.
  • Fill a large bowl or your kitchen sink with cold water. Submerge the bagged chicken.
  • Change out the water every 30 minutes.





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