People often mistakenly believe that light meat is healthier than dark meat. However, both are good sources of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, so the choice really comes down to your preference for taste and texture.
Chicken meat comes from animal muscle tissue. The difference in color and nutrients between dark and white chicken is due to the location of the muscles within the body. More specifically, they are the result of the purpose those muscles serve for the animal.
White muscle fibers are intended to produce quick bursts of movement, such as flapping wings, while red muscle fibers support standing and sustained activity, such as walking. Because they serve different purposes, they are made of different materials with different energy requirements. Those differences affect the color, texture, and flavor of the meat.
All about dark meat
Meat birds spend a lot of time on their feet, pecking and looking for food. To maintain that long stride, their leg and thigh muscles are primarily slow-twitch muscles, or fat-powered type 1 muscle fibers.
Fat is a slow-burning form of energy. Fat takes time for the body to convert for use in muscle, but it’s a dense fuel that allows slow-twitch fibers to work longer.
The leg and thigh muscles of chicken or turkey contain a protein called myoglobin, which allows muscle fibers to use oxygen to convert fat into energy. High levels of oxygen and iron in myoglobin give meat its dark red color.
Because slow-twitch muscles rely on fat for fuel, this type of muscle stores more fat. That’s why dark meat contains more calories and more than double the amount of saturated fat found in white meat. However, dark meat also contains iron, zinc, and vitamin C.
Cooking dark meat
The high fat in dark meat chicken and turkey gives it two benefits. First, the cooking process melts the fat in the muscles, which cuts the dark meat that many people think is tastier. Second, because the fat melts slowly as the meat cooks, it remains more flavorful and juicy than white meat.
Another advantage of dark meat is that it is more difficult to overcook. Leg and thigh muscles are tough because the fibers are surrounded by connective tissue. This means that darker meats can cook longer and withstand higher temperatures. Grilling, searing and grilling are great options for making mouth-watering dark meat.
Generally speaking, dark meat is done when it registers around 175 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer.
All about white meat
Chickens and turkeys don’t fly much. Instead, they flap their wings to jump to perches and protect their position in the environment. In other words, they mostly use their wing and breast muscles in short, powerful bursts. That speed requires another type of muscle tissue called fast twitch or type two muscles.
Fast-twitch muscle tissue is fueled by carbohydrates, which are more easily converted than fat, but don’t provide as much energy. Such energy is more like fireworks than a flame, requiring no oxygen or myoglobin. Because of this, white meat lacks the red pigment found in dark meat.
Because the wings and pectoral muscles do not require fat for energy production, not much fat is stored in or near those muscles. This is why white turkey meat and white chicken meat contain less saturated fat and calories than dark meat. However, the lack of fat means that white meat dries out easily when cooked.
Cook the white meat
White meat is slightly higher in protein than dark meat and much lower in fat, making it a great option for weight loss or limiting fat intake. Breast meat is best when cooked for a short time, such as roasting, roasting, pan-roasting or grilling.
The high temperature and quick cut will ensure that your meat gets a nice crispy crust while remaining juicy and tender inside. Here are some other tips for moist and tender white meat:
Skin and bones: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are popular in the meat market, but your meat will be juicier if you cook it with skin and bones. They take a little longer to cook, but time well spent.
Bones help distribute heat more evenly when cooking meat. They also add extra flavor to the meat..
There is more fat in the skin. As those fats melt into the cooking meat, they moisten it. The skin also acts as a barrier that keeps the juices inside the meat as it cooks. If you’re watching your fat intake, remove the skin before eating the chicken.
Uniform shape: Boneless, skinless breasts are often thicker at the top and then taper to a thinner point at the bottom. Because of this variation in thickness, the thin end often dries out before the thick end is fully cooked. To prevent this, slice the breast lengthwise, right down the middle, making a front and back slice that is more uniform in thickness.
Alternatively, you can place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, or in a resealable plastic bag, and pound it with a kitchen mallet until it’s evenly distributed.
Fat and juices: Another way to prevent drying is to add the juices to your chicken before cooking. Meat can be marinated, brined or sprayed with stock or oil while cooking.
To make the chicken breast brine, pour 1 liter of warm water into a large pot. Add ¼ cup salt. Keep stirring until most of the salt is dissolved in the water. Place the breasts in the water and let sit for at least half an hour. You can place the pot in the refrigerator and continue to simmer the chicken for up to six hours.
COVERING: If your chicken has been cooked or grilled for a few minutes on each side but not in the center, remove it from the heat before it loses all of its natural juices. Place the meat in a pan and cover with aluminum foil. After that, cook the chicken in the oven. Covering the dish will trap moisture and prevent it from drying out.
Let it rest Finally, always let your chicken rest after cooking. If you cut right away, all the juices will run onto your plate or cutting board. Allowing the meat to rest for a few minutes will give the meatballs time to redistribute the juices and absorb them.
White meat chicken is done when it reaches about 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Always use a thermometer to ensure the safety of your food.
Cooking the whole bird
Now that you understand the differences between white and dark meat, how these differences affect the flavor and cooking methods of each, you can see why cooking a whole bird can be difficult. As anyone who has ever made a Thanksgiving turkey knows, if you overcook the bird enough to make the dark meat tender, you run the risk of drying out the white meat. What should the cook do?
The best way to deal with this dilemma, and the way restaurants often do it, is to rebuild the bird. Cut into pieces and place the dark meat in the oven first to bake or roast. Then put the breasts and wings a little later so that they are fully cooked at the same time.
Another popular way to even things out is to spatchcock the bird. Basically, this means splitting it down the middle and then spreading it open to cook. This exposes the thighs to more heat, so they cook a little faster.
How to spatchcock poultry
Follow these steps to poach a whole chicken or turkey:
- Remove the backbone: Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, make a cut on one side of the chicken, close to the backbone. Then repeat on the other side. Leave the backbone.
- Crack the rib bones.Flip the chicken over, breast side up. Place your palm on the breastbone and push down sharply. Hear the crunch of bones. If not, try again until you do.
- Flatten the chicken: Spread the chicken so that all the outer sides of the bird are facing up. Gently press and massage the flesh until it flattens. After that, tuck the ends of the wings under the breasts.Now your bird is ready to bake, roast or gril.
Now your bird is ready to bake, roast or grill!
How to select Poultry
Whether you’re buying a whole bird, or special white or dark cuts, there are some important things to keep in mind when buying poultry:
- Appearance – White meat should have a light pink color and dark meat should have a more pink color. There should be no signs of injury, discolored spots, or blood.
- Aroma – Raw chicken should not smell. If it survives. It’s starting to get worse and it can make you sick.
- Freshness – For the best flavor and texture, look for meat that has never been frozen. Most meat in the grocery store, even fresh-looking meat, is frozen for shipping. The freezing and thawing process breaks down the proteins and tenderizes the meat. If it’s labeled “fresh,” it hasn’t been frozen before.
- Labels – Speaking of labels, they can be really confusing when it comes to chicken because labels like “pasture-raised” and “farm-raised” aren’t actually regulated, meaning producers have to verify those claims. No need to prove. Also, the US government does not allow the use of hormones in any poultry intended for human consumption, so your meat is “hormone-free” whether it’s labeled or not. However, labels that say “free range,” “organic” or “antibiotic free” are regulated.
White Meat vs Dark Meat Nutrition Comparison
Despite rumors, there is no nutritional difference between white and dark meat. When comparing 100 grams of chicken breast to the same amount of chicken thigh, the differences are marginal.
Chicken breast contains half a gram of saturated fat, while thigh meat has just one gram. There are about 115 calories in 100 grams of breast meat, and only 10 calories in the same amount of thigh meat. Chicken breast contains 0.44 grams of saturated fat and 114 calories. A chicken thigh contains 1.1 grams of fat and 125 calories. Dark meat is slightly higher in nutrients, while white meat is slightly higher in protein.
The decision? To get a balanced helping of all the good ingredients in chicken, eat a little of both, or just one you like. The differences are so small that it doesn’t really matter.
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