Quick question

[pocofan]

Baked chicken breasts last night. Chicken was fresh, no odors. Baked it and it was cooked fine. But the meat was tough. Didn’t overcook it. Talking with a friend today and he recently had the same issue. Anybody else run into that.

 

[caseydog]

I rarely cook breasts, for that reason. Some are okay, and others are shoe leather, even if I cook it right. Thighs just always seem to come out moist and tender.

CD

 

[mjd]

I won't buy a particular brand of chicken because of that problem. Sometimes it helps to use a mallet to even the breast out and break up some of the fibrous areas. I also use a tent of foil to prevent drying out. Sorry it didn't turn out well for you this time.

 

[pocofan]

I won't buy a particular brand of chicken because of that problem. Sometimes it helps to use a mallet to even the breast out and break up some of the fibrous areas. I also use a tent of foil to prevent drying out. Sorry it didn't turn out well for you this time.

I did that. Made stuffed breasts. I know chicken breasts need some aging. Buy them too fresh they are tough. But a grocery chain will buy. It will be shipped to a distribution center. Transferred to different truck for store delivery. Stores early take it off the truck and straight to store shelf.

 

[mjd]

I did that. Made stuffed breasts. I know chicken breasts need some aging. Buy them too fresh they are tough. But a grocery chain will buy. It will be shipped to a distribution center. Transferred to different truck for store delivery. Stores early take it off the truck and straight to store shelf.

Have you checked your oven temperature lately? It might be running hotter than it should.

Test Your Oven Temperature Using Sugar | Science Buddies Blog

 

[Burt Blank]

Baked chicken breasts last night. Chicken was fresh, no odors. Baked it and it was cooked fine. But the meat was tough. Didn’t overcook it. Talking with a friend today and he recently had the same issue. Anybody else run into that.

No mate, when we spent time in Florida we stopped buying any raw chicken products in Supermarkets. The taste and texture were alien to us.The nearest we got to a quality UK chicken was Wholefoods. This article is an interesting insight into an Americans view on French chickens. "The first time I ate it, I was stunned into happy silence, too intoxicated by the experience to process why it felt so new. The second time, I was delighted again –and then, afterward, sulky and sad." Read this and you may never eat chicken again

 

[Morning Glory]

No mate, when we spent time in Florida we stopped buying any raw chicken products in Supermarkets. The taste and texture were alien to us.The nearest we got to a quality UK chicken was Wholefoods. This article is an interesting insight into an Americans view on French chickens. "The first time I ate it, I was stunned into happy silence, too intoxicated by the experience to process why it felt so new. The second time, I was delighted again –and then, afterward, sulky and sad." Read this and you may never eat chicken again

I think we are lucky in the UK - most chicken sold here is reasonable quality. Welfare standards are higher than in the US and free range is easily available. French chicken is divine and very expensive. Poulet Bresse is the best (it is said).I've never had any problems with tough chicken breasts. It could be they were overcooked but that would be more likely to make them dry than tough.

Poulet Bresse (not so high in welfare standards!)

After a minimum of four months outdoors, poulets de Bresse are "finished" for one or two weeks in large wooden cages, four or five to a cage, in a darkened shed - something that would be anathema to British organic poultry farmers.

 

[caseydog]

I think we are lucky in the UK - most chicken sold here is reasonable quality. Welfare standards are higher than in the US and free range is easily available. French chicken is divine and very expensive. I've never had any problems with tough chicken breasts. It could be they were overcooked but that would be more likely to make them dry than tough.

Good chicken, raised properly is readily available in the US, in any supermarket, and more and more people are buying it. Even Walmart has free range and organic chicken and eggs.

CD

 

[Morning Glory]

Good chicken, raised properly is readily available in the US, in any supermarket, and more and more people are buying it. Even Walmart has free range and organic chicken and eggs.

CD

That's good - although I'm aware that the welfare standards for non free range are much lower in the US than the UK. How much more expensive is fee range chicken?

 

[caseydog]

That's good - although I'm aware that the welfare standards for non free range are much lower in the US than the UK. How much more expensive is fee range chicken?

It costs more, but it is not too much more for most Americans to afford. Money is tight right now for me, but I'm fine with the price difference.

CD

 

[Morning Glory]

A number of posts have been moved to form a new thread: The quality and price of chicken in your country

 

[Burt Blank]

Poulet Bresse (not so high in welfare standards!)

After a minimum of four months outdoors, poulets de Bresse are "finished" for one or two weeks in large wooden cages, four or five to a cage, in a darkened shed - something that would be anathema to British organic poultry farmers.

Still to the majority of French people it is the flavor of the end product that counts. Their traditional methods of animal husbandry are generally not brought into question as long as their childhood flavor memories are the same in adulthood.