Stop Ruining Your Leftover Chicken With This One Trick
Flash Cool It for Juicier Leftovers
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Introduction
Flash-Cooled Chicken, Reheated Head to Head
What's up BBQ fans! I've got two chicken breasts here. Same grill, same seasoning, reheated the next day in the same oven to the same temperature, but one is juicier than the other. I'll show you why.
About six or eight months ago, I saw a tip on Instagram (I think it was Cosmo's Q) that stuck in the back of my brain. Recently I made a batch of chicken to freeze so my wife could warm it up later, and I wanted it juicy, so I gave it a try. She said it was ridiculously juicy and asked what I did. So today we're testing it head to head on the Yoder YS640s.
The Chicken
Boneless, skinless, organic, air-chilled chicken breasts
Fresh cracked pepper from the Pepper Cannon (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%)
Garlic powder and onion powder
Salt, pepper, garlic and onion is a great base for any meat that isn't BBQ. Season both sides and let it sit a minute or two.
The Cook
Yoder at 465°F with Bear Mountain Hickory pellets, preheated about 25 minutes.
Presentation side down, right over the firebox, with the plate in place. On my Yoder, the right side of the firebox runs hotter, so the thickest part of the breast goes over the hottest spot at the edge of the plate. The radiant heat gives you a nice crust without babysitting.
About 10 minutes on the first side, then flip and go 4 to 8 more minutes.
My mistake: I forgot to put any oil on the chicken. Normally I'd use a marinade or at least a little oil, especially on boneless, skinless breasts. At 10 minutes, there was no color. So I opened the diffuser door and flipped them back and forth right over the fire. That's just appearance, and it doesn't affect the experiment.
The Test
Breast #1 (control): pulled at 150°F, rested on the counter, cooled and refrigerated like normal. Carryover takes it the rest of the way.
Breast #2 (flash cooled): taken to 155°F and held for 3 minutes, so I knew the bacteria were killed. Then I vacuum-sealed it right away in my chamber vac and dropped it in ice-cold water.
The secret is cooling it fast. It's a bit like the ice bath that gives sausages a snappy casing. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, a zip-top bag works.
After the ice bath, one went in the fridge for this test. For the batch I made my wife, they went in the freezer. She thaws them in cold water and warms them in the oven, and she's had three or four now. Every one was amazingly juicy.
Reheat
The next day, I put both breasts side by side in a 400°F oven for 28 minutes. They both came up to about 156°F to 157°F.
The Results
You could tell the difference right out of the gate. When I cut into the flash-cooled breast, I could see moisture coming up from the top, and it pooled on the board.
It's not dramatic, but it's definitely noticeable. The flash-cooled one had more moisture and a nicer bite overall. The control is pretty good, since I pulled it at 150°F. But even though I pushed the flash-cooled breast to 155°F, it still had the edge on texture and moisture. The flash-cooled chicken is the winner.
Final Thoughts
If you cook chicken ahead for the week or the freezer, this is an easy upgrade. Get it to a safe temp, seal it right away and drop it in ice water before it goes in the fridge. And don't forget the oil if you want color.
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Thanks For Watching
Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let's together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
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