Do NOT add salt to chicken AFTER cooking (here’s why)

#foodscience #chicken #brining
Chicken breast is, in my experience, one of the hardest cuts of meat to get right. It easily dries out as it cooks, turning leathery, chewy and bland. But by understanding one ingredient, and when and how to use it, you can make fool-proof chicken every time.
That ingredient is salt. In video we’ll explain why salt is so important to making delicious chicken breast, and I’ll show you 3 ways to use it.
This video is also available as a blog post: adamcantcook.c...
Don't forget to subscribe: / @adamcantcook
🍗 BRINED CHICKEN BREAST RECIPE
- Add chicken breast to a container
- Set the container on a scale and turn the scale on. It should be at 0g.
- Fill the container with water until the chicken breast is fully submerged.
- Whatever weight is on your scale - that’s your reference point. Mine is about 300g here.
- That means I need to add 18g of salt to make a 6% brine. Remove the chicken breast, add the salt to the water and stir it.
- Re-add the chicken breast and leave to brine for 1 hour for every 1lb (454g) of meat.
- Remove the breast from the brine after the appropriate time. Roast in the oven at 190C until it is 63C inside.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
🍗 DRY-BRINED CHICKEN BREAST RECIPE
- Cover the chicken breast in salt and leave for at least 1 hour
- Cook as per above recipe
🍗 MARINATED CHICKEN BREAST RECIPE
- Dry-brine the chicken as per the above recipe
- Mix together 6 tbsp EVOO, 2 tbsp lemon juice and some minced coriander and minced garlic
- Add chicken and leave to marinate for 30 minutes
💻 VARIA
- Filmed with a Sony A6000
- Audio recorded with a Shure SM7B
- Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro

[@adamcantcook]

Who else is tired of dry chicken? 👇

[@uiru_idnp]

If I had a nickel for every food science youtuber named "Adam", I'd have two nickels

[@PremiumHillBilly]

I will try this for sure, i get it a bit more now about salt enabling taste instead of making it more 'salty' if i'm on the right track (?). I use frozen chicken breast a lot so I'll try dry brining when i defrost some next as i can't get fresh, hopefully it should work the same though (?) 🙂

[@adamcantcook]

Yeah, you've described it perfectly: salt enables taste, it doesn't add a "salty" flavour (unless you use too much salt, of course). Yeah, if you defrost the chicken, you can absolutely dry-brine it, too. Good luck!

[@theguynextdoor4978]

It's also about internal temperature. Most recipes tell you "cook the chicken in the oven for 25 minutes". No! Cook a whole chicken breast until about 62C inside, take it out and allow it to rest and carry over cooking until 70C. I always use my meater Bluetooth thermometer.

[@Lucky-sq3ky]

So this guy is basically Adam Ragusea except... well... I don't even know

[@adamcantcook]

Except I actually AM Adam Ragusea

[@lilybrookemusic]

This is so much more intricate than salt bae taught me

[@jamesdoeqqq]

you said it's gonna be dry and leathery on the inside , just because you sprinkle some salt on it, that doesn't make sense. the dry and leathery is a result of overcooking

[@adamcantcook]

It makes total sense. The salt penetrates and seasons the meat thorough and helps the meat cells retain moisture when cooked.

[@dustyschwartz1576]

Have you ever marinated with acidic whey?

[@adamcantcook]

I haven’t. That sounds like a great idea, though

[@johnnydeleon7154]

do not cook salt

[@adamcantcook]

Why?