- Jan 2, 2006
- 10,455
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I just did a sous vide of some chicken thighs at the recommended 66C for a few hours for "tender and very juicy." 74C is supposed to make it "fall off the bone tender" but I assume less juicy, which is why I went for 66C.
I'm sure the results are perfectly safe since pasteurisation at 66C degrees requires only 5 minutes, but there are a couple things that aren't appealing, especially to my Chinese parents whom I'm cooking for.
- The juice doesn't run clear and parts of the meat looks bloody inside. The myoglobin responsible for the red color doesn't denature until between 70-80C.
- The cartilage and tendons were still hard and kind of crunchy. Connective tissue collagen doesn't start to denature until after 70C, but the process takes a long time after that temperature has been reached.
For a whole chicken, what temperature(s) and times would you recommend for a result that is still juicy, eliminates redness, and makes the collagen soft? I would like the texture to be like a really juicy and tender Hainanese chicken. 74C seems too high because I still want it to be juicy, so the correct temp should be somewhere between 66C and 74C.
Anyone done this before and can post recommendations?
I'm sure the results are perfectly safe since pasteurisation at 66C degrees requires only 5 minutes, but there are a couple things that aren't appealing, especially to my Chinese parents whom I'm cooking for.
- The juice doesn't run clear and parts of the meat looks bloody inside. The myoglobin responsible for the red color doesn't denature until between 70-80C.
- The cartilage and tendons were still hard and kind of crunchy. Connective tissue collagen doesn't start to denature until after 70C, but the process takes a long time after that temperature has been reached.
For a whole chicken, what temperature(s) and times would you recommend for a result that is still juicy, eliminates redness, and makes the collagen soft? I would like the texture to be like a really juicy and tender Hainanese chicken. 74C seems too high because I still want it to be juicy, so the correct temp should be somewhere between 66C and 74C.
Anyone done this before and can post recommendations?