Do you rinse chicken after soaking in milk? You may have this question when you are seriously looking for ways to make the fried chicken extra delicious.
The truth is that soaking chicken in milk is a fascinating culinary trick that can take your dishes to the next level.
Without question, knowing how to prepare chicken is among the most crucial skills for any home cook.
And when your goal is to whip up golden, delicious, and perfectly juicy chicken, using milk is the way to go.
But, it is also natural to have questions like, “what does soaking chicken in milk do” and of course, “do you rinse it once you have soaked it for long enough?”
No, there is no need to rinse chicken after you have soaked it in milk for some time, as it works like any other good marinade used before cooking.
Soaking Chicken in Milk for Exceptional Tenderness
Those who love chicken would definitely agree to the fact that one of the greatest culinary discoveries of all time is marinated chicken.
An excellent marinade may add additional dimensions of flavor to your chicken while also keeping it exceptionally juicy.
So many people try different ways when it comes to marination, but one of the lesser-known tricks is to use milk marinade.
No doubt the combo of chicken and milk may sound weird at first, but if you do it properly, you will definitely love the outcome.
Tip: Be sure to marinate chicken long enough to improve its flavor, tenderness, and shelf-life.
What Does Soaking Chicken in Milk Do?
You may have already tried marinating chicken in various flavorful sauces.
Really, how many have you tried BBQ sauce to make it better? Or, have you been limiting yourself to honey-glazed chicken only?
Well, this time you should be ready to try something different, which is sure to change how you have been devouring chicken in the past.
Marinating chicken in milk is a well-kept secret. Also, once you learn about this secret ingredient, you will never cook chicken any other way!
Chicken marinated in milk is so delicate that it practically dissolves in your mouth.
This is because lactic acid, found in milk, causes protein strands in meat to disintegrate. It seems that the calcium present in the milk also has a role to play here.
Experts believe that calcium stimulates the chicken's tenderizing enzyme, albeit the exact mechanism by which this occurs is still poorly known.
Nevertheless, it is definitely a delicious way to cook your chicken. And it also works because soaking in milk does not have a significant effect on the flavor of the chicken.
An Important Consideration
You can always try other acidic marinades to tenderize chicken but they are not always suitable.
Vinegar, for instance, can be used because it can impart a strong flavor to your chicken. And you may not like it if you are not in favor of a chicken with a lemony taste.
Do You Rinse Chicken After Soaking in Milk or Not?
It is true that soaking in milk can definitely help you cook flavorful chicken. But, you still need to understand how to accomplish it properly.
One of the mistakes people make is that they try to rinse chicken after they have soaked it in milk.
There is really no need to do that and you can simply proceed with the cooking process after soaking.
Also, you need to know how long to soak chicken in milk before frying. Again, there is no need to do it for hours.
In fact, you can get it done within 10 minutes. But sometimes, many people soak it longer, but in most cases, you should not exceed 24 hours.
Tip: You can marinate chicken in buttermilk but do not soak for more than 24 hours.
What to Consider When Soaking Chicken in Milk?
Knowing the best and safest practices for soaking chicken is crucial because raw chicken is among the most dangerous foods in terms of food-borne illnesses.
Keep Everything Clean and Well-Covered
Because of the risk of contamination with bacteria that can cause illness, it is important to follow a few simple rules when preparing raw chicken.
For starters, use a clean chopping board, bowls, and utensils. Moreover, your raw chicken should always be stored under a lid.
It is also important to remember that you should not leave the chicken out for longer than an hour before cooking.
Use Spices
It is also important to de-skin the chicken and cut into pieces before marinating.
Then you can add the skinless chicken pieces to the bowl and season them with salt and pepper.
It is also okay to use some lime juice, lemon juice, or other spices, such as olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Finally, you can add the milk to your prepped chicken pieces like thighs, breasts, or whatever else you would like to marinate.
Then, cover it using some plastic wrap, and chill it for at least 4 hours.
Tip: When you are ready to grill your marinated chicken, be sure to remove any extra marinade to make it easier to cook.
How to Soak Chicken in Milk and Cook Properly?
Once you have decided to use milk as a marinade, you can try many different variations.
Here is how to soak it quickly and still get great results.
- Piece the chicken up for the pan.
- Take a shallow bowl and add milk, eggs, salt, and pepper to it.
- Combine well and place your chicken pieces in it.
- Let those pieces soak in the milk mixture for about 10 minutes.
- Take the chicken out of the mixture and roll it in flour.
That is all you have to do when soaking your chicken for frying. And, you can then simply proceed by cooking.
Here is what to do:
- Simply melt the lard in a cast-iron skillet.
- Add the thighs and legs to the fat when it is very hot.
- Then, cook for several minutes and add the remaining pieces to the pan.
- Cook for about five minutes until the chicken becomes brown.
- Now flip it and cook again from the other side.
- Turn down the heat to medium-low.
- Keep the lid on the pan and let it cook for another 15 minutes.
- For the next 15 minutes, uncover the pieces, turn them over, and cook.
- Turn the heat up to broil for the last 5-10 minutes.
Marinating Chicken in Buttermilk or Yogurt
You undoubtedly get great results when you use milk marinade to fry your chicken.
But, you can also make use of some other alternatives, such as buttermilk or yogurt.
Because of the acids and enzymes included in buttermilk and yogurt, you can use either as a marinade for chicken.
Tender chicken is the result of a combination of these acids and enzymes that work together to denature the meat’s structural proteins.
To get good results, it is a good idea to soak the chicken in buttermilk for at least 24 hours.
Doing so will yield more impressive results, especially when you are going to fry the chicken.
An Important Consideration
While plain yogurt might mask the chicken’s natural flavor, flavored yogurt might help bring out its greatest attributes.
If you wish to flavor the chicken, you can use other citrus fruits or coconut milk instead of salt.
To complement the mild yogurt flavor, you can also experiment with different spices.
However, going with buttermilk is a better idea if you do not want to change the taste of the chicken. Using buttermilk is also a lot easier.
All you have to do is combine a tbsp of white vinegar with either whole or low-fat milk in a measuring cup and stir until combined.
For best results, give the mixture 5-10 minutes to rest before stirring.
Tip: You can tenderize meat better if you flatten it in a container before adding milk marinade to it.
Takeaway
Do you rinse chicken after soaking in milk? Mostly, there is no need to rinse it and you can go ahead with cooking it.
The idea of using milk marinade is still quite weird for most people, but it works amazingly well when done right.
Just remember to use the right quantity of spices, and do not soak your chicken for too long in milk marinade.