Soggy skin on braised chicken
I think I've only made a braised chicken dish once and I have a question about the skin. I could make a meal out of crispy chicken skin, but of course after braising, the skin is anything but. I remember eating the skin and it was kind of flabby and gross. So my question is, are you supposed to eat the skin or remove it from the chicken? On the cooking show I'm watching now, the cook is eating the skin. I know there is no rule on how to eat, just want to know the general consensus. Thanks.
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If you braise in a dutch oven or keep the chicken covered in some way while braising, take the lid/cover off one half hour before finishing time. I braised a chicken in milk last night and uncovering the chicken 30 mins short of its hour and a half cooking time give me crispy skin and moist chicken.
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re: kariya66
greygarious
Dec 14, 2010 01:19 PM
IMO, referring to the skin that has been browned by sitting atop the rest of the braise as CRISP is a stretch. You don't hear it crunch when you bite into it. It is not rubbery, and it's well rendered, but it is not the crispness of roast or fried chicken. I add an extra step to Chicken Marbella by searing the skin side in a pan before assembling the ingredients in the baking dish, and make sure the olives, etc, are not atop the skin as it bakes. This skin is delicious, but I would not call it crisp.
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mariacarmen
Dec 14, 2010 07:36 AM
i actually like it both ways - the skin was crispy to begin with, from the initial searing, so it still has a lot of good flavor, even though it's softened up from the braise. it's when skin has just been allowed to boil or cook without any initial caramelization that it feels soggy and gross in your mouth. but yes, i do prefer crispy, so really love the idea of broiling afterward.
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paulj
Dec 13, 2010 08:40 PM
Often in Indian and Chinese cooking, the skin is removed before marinating or cooking. One reason is to flavor the meat better.
A variation is to remove the skin, but then include in the braise. That way it can contribute flavor and gelatin to the cooking liquid, but does not get in the way of eating the chicken meat. Or simmer it with scraps (neck, backs, wing tips) an hour or two before, use the resulting broth in the braise.
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re: dmjordan
todao
Dec 13, 2010 06:31 PM
Poultry skin is favored crispy by some, others like it soft and chewy and some won't even touch in in any case. Can't tell you why. Just what I've found over the years that there are different strokes for different folks. While I typically serve it boned and without skin, I've served it "bone in" and had some complain about that too. Looks like you only win if you're lucky.
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Cheesemonger -- sounds like your method works great. Another idea is to broil the chicken for just a short bit at the very end to crisp the skin. Thomas Keller does this in his Ad Hoc book with a recipe for braised chicken thighes. He says broil for 1 - 2 minutes. We've adapted this idea to finish asian braised chicken thighes from the All About Braising book.
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re: karykat
eight_inch_pestle
Dec 11, 2010 04:43 PM
+1. Broiling for just a few minutes will crisp and re-brown the skin without further cooking the meat.
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re: karykat
goodhealthgourmet
Dec 13, 2010 09:30 PM
+2 for broiling (or a quick sear in a clean pan) at the end.
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Here's what I do to avoid this problem- I pan fry the chicken, skin down until mostly cooked and skin is crispy. Remove, prepare the rest of the dish, depending on whether you have other vegetables, etc. Let it braise in the oven, etc.
Later...., place the chicken, skin side up atop the other items in the braise, and let chicken cook the rest of the way through, while the skin isn't in the liquid. I do the same with chicken thighs in dishes like Paella. Works fine, and the chick picks up the flavors of the braise, and the skin stays crisp.
But I digress. My general rule is- don't eat things that you don't enjoy. If you end up with soggy skin and you dont' like it- don't eat it :D
