CHICKEN BASICS

THIS CHAPTER COVERS A NUMBERS OF BASIC issues concerning the purchase and preparation of chicken, including the differences between cutlets and breasts, the purpose of brining, and the importance of proper, safe handling.

BREASTS OR CUTLETS?

If you like white meat, you have two basic choices: breasts with the bone in and skin on, or cutlets, breasts from which the bones and skin have been removed. If you buy breasts, you can purchase them whole or split. The former is the entire breast taken from a single chicken. Split breasts are basically whole breasts that have been halved along the breastbone.

Cutlets are split breasts that are taken off the bone and skinned. Most cutlets contain the main portion of the breast plus a long, skinny piece of meat that runs along the side of the bird. This flap of meat, which is attached to the underside of the cutlet, is called the tenderloin. If you see packages of cutlets marked "thinly sliced" or "trimmed," the tenderloins may have been removed. Except in the case of grilling, when the added thickness of the tenderloin slows down the cooking process too much, we prefer to buy regular cutlets, with the tenderloins still attached. These cutlets are thicker, so it's easier to retain their juices during cooking.

When purchasing a package of breasts, you will find a wide variation in size. In shopping to develop the recipes for this book, we found bone-in split breasts that weighed from 7 to 14 ounces. If you try to roast or grill small and large breasts at the same time, you will need to make some adjustments in the cooking time, removing smaller pieces from the heat first. We find it easier to buy breasts that are all the same size, preferably 10 to 12 ounces.

Cutlets can range in size from 4 to 10 ounces. Again, you will make your work much easier if you try to buy mediumsized cutlets, each weighing about 6 ounces. Excess fat should be removed, as should the tough, white tendon that runs through the tenderloin (see figures 1 and 2 for details).

THE PURPOSE OF BRINING

Because breasts and cutlets are so lean, we find that they can often dry out. This can be especially problematic when cooking cutlets by dry heat methods such as grilling, broiling, or roasting. (Cutlets cooked in plenty of fat or liquid are less likely to dry out.) In these cases, we like to brine chicken breasts and cutlets.

We find that soaking chicken parts in a saltwater solution before cooking keeps the meat juicier. Brining also gives delicate (and sometimes mushy) chicken a meatier, firmer consistency and seasons the meat right to the center of the cut.

How does brining work? Brining actually promotes a change in the structure of the proteins that make up a muscle. The salt causes protein strands to unwind, in a process called denaturing, just as they do when exposed to heat, acid, or alcohol. When protein strands unwind, they get tangled in one another and trap water in the matrix that forms. Salt is commonly used to give processed meats a better texture. For example, hot dogs made without salt would be limp.

Brining time is varied depending on the size of the chicken parts. For instance, we found that bone-in, skin-on breasts should be brined for 1¹/₂ hours but that boneless, skinless cutlets become nicely plumped and seasoned after just 45 minutes.

We often add sugar to the brine. The sugar does not affect the texture of the meat, but it does add flavor. For instance, we find that brining chicken breasts in a sugar-salt solution enhances the caramelization (or browning) that occurs when the parts are grilled, thereby also enhancing flavor. Because brined chicken browns more quickly than nonbrined chicken, it is important to watch it carefully as it cooks.

Note that we have listed kosher or regular table salt in recipes that call for brining. Because of the difference in the size of the crystals, cup for cup, table salt is about twice as strong as kosher salt.

SAFE HANDLING

Given the prevalence of bacteria in the poultry supply in this country, it's probably best to assume that the chicken you buy is contaminated. That means you need to follow some simple rules to minimize the danger to you and your family.

Keep chicken refrigerated until just before cooking. Bacteria thrive at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees. This means leftovers should also be promptly refrigerated.

When handling poultry, make sure to wash hands, knives, cutting boards, and counters (or anything else that has come into contact with the raw chicken, its juices, or your hands) with hot, soapy water. Be especially careful not to let the chicken, its juices, or your hands touch foods (like salad ingredients) that will be eaten raw.

Finally, cook chicken breasts and cutlets to an internal temperature of 160 degrees to ensure that any bacteria have been killed. Use an instant-read thermometer to gauge when chicken is done. Note that cooking white meat chicken to temperatures much above 160 degrees will cause juices to be lost and will result in drier, less appealing meat.