Chicken delicacy: fresh, pre-frozen or freeze the fresh stuff?

[Handlobraesing]

Fresh chicken cost just as much as the frozen stuff. I buy them in bulk to save. I put what I will use that day and the next, then freeze the rest.

Does this degrade the flavor compared to fresh?

Am I better off buying pre-frozen chicken instead of buying fresh and slow freezing them in a home freezer?

 

[koala]

How long are you going to freeze the chicken in the fridge? Try cooking fresh never frozen chicken then try the thaw chicken. There is slight difference but not much.

If your market is too far away don't buy pre-frozen, they'll melt in transit, never freeze twice. Besides, pre-frozen chicken are hard to tell their quality because they are in block of ice. Also, pre-frozen chicken can be a few hours to a few days old.

 

[savumaki]

Couple of things I have come to believe with experience;

- fresh chicken is always best.
- commercial chicken is 'flash frozen' and is better than slow or home freezer
type.
- if you are freezing at home, separate pieces on a cookie tray and freeze
first prior to wrapping.

You're right, freezing some at home is easier on the pocket book.

 

[James S]

I"ve noticed that the frozen chicken I can buy is more processed and marinated and stuff than the fresh chicken. But it is noticeably cheaper. I generally keep some purchased frozen in the freezer for things like adding meat to soup or for things that aren't that much of a delicacy. I buy fresh if I'm going to grill it or fry it or otherwise make it the main course. At least I do if I have time and energy to do so. If I have to use the frozen it really isn't any problem. Not quite as good perhaps, but perfectly acceptable for a normal meal.

 

[DM51]

It doesn't make any difference. Chicken just tastes of cardboard, whether it has been frozen or not.

 

[cave dave]

They inject the frozen stuff with salt water. So some of the weight you are paying for is water.

 

[chmsam]

I work with food. Here's my two cents worth:

Basic concepts with any meat -- ALWAYS read the label, you do not want any additives (with the exception of ham, especially those that add or retain moisture), you do not have to wash meats (usually you are rinsing off the juices that provide flavor), and if it does not look right or smell right you should pass it by.

Meat (well, beef anyway) is not always best if it is red. That means that air has gotten to it and it should be cooked or frozen within a few days. Vacuum packing can keep beef dark but it will "blossom" to red after a few minutes. Vacuum packed meats can be kept in the refrigerator for as long as two weeks or more.

Now about poultry... HANDLE WITH CARE! Poultry is the meat I use the most precautions with in handling. Keep the utensils, surfaces, and your hands clean. Do not cross contaminate -- don't touch or let anything else touch cooked meat if it has come in contact with raw poultry. Do not serve poultry until it has been cooked and has had a final temperature (after letting the meat rest) of at least 165 degrees F. Fresh is better, but frozen can be OK, too. Again read the labels. The best has no additives, no animal by-products in the feed, no antibiotics, etc. Freezing meat should be done ASAP if you are going to do so. Wrap it tightly to avoid air getting into the package. Air has moisture, and moisture creates freezer burn (and that's always bad). Freezing any meat, even seafood, should not really change the flavor (well ,as long as you do not let it get freezer burn) but it will change the texture. As the water freezes it will expand and that will always change the texture.

How to thaw meats (there are only two ways to do it well -- well, three if you count microwave thawing, but I think it sucks but YMMV):

1). Thaw in the refridgerator on a clean plate or dish so no juices will overflow. The time it takes depends on how much mass there is and how cold it is (duh!).

2). Thaw under continuously running cold water. Not warm water. Not just sitting in a sink or bowl. Cold water that is running continuously. Same as above for how long it takes.

There are no other ways to thaw meat without ruining the texture and flavor of the meat and/or taking a huge risk of food poisoning. Trust me, it is not worth it.

This is long winded, but I treat this stuff seriously. I can't afford to spend money on any meat and then waste it by ruining it.