Out of the Water and Enjoying the Breeze: The Delights of the Air-Chilled Chicken

Americans love their chicken. According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, in 2006, the average person consumed 88.2 pounds of chicken. To keep our appetites sated, there are some 200 chicken processing plants in the U.S. slaughtering and prepping chicken for consumption.

But, are we enjoying it? There’s a reason why so often you hear a comparison between the flavor of most every out-of-the-ordinary animal and chicken. Rattlesnake? Tastes like chicken. Rabbit? Tastes like chicken. Frog legs? The same. How can that be? Well, unfortunately, most mass-produced chicken has no flavor. It’s often just a bland delivery vehicle for the gorgeous, rich marinade or the barbecue sauce it carries. When something tastes like nothing, it apparently tastes like everything.

I’ve been trying to remedy that in my own household by buying organic chicken. Trying because I still haven’t felt the love. I’ll do a simple roasted chicken with salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil and… nothing. It tastes fine, but it’s nothing special. However, on Monday afternoon I was on my way back to my parents’ house with my mom and niece and my mom wanted us to make a quick stop at Bristol Farms to pick up some lemon sorbet. I decided as long as I was there to buy chicken for myself for dinner and got a couple of air-chilled whole legs.

I finally felt the love. All I did was thin a couple of tablespoons of Majestic Garlic’s sun-dried tomato/jalapeño blend with a little olive oil and spread it over the legs and thighs. Then I roasted them at 375 degrees for about an hour. What came out of the oven was a gorgeous red-toned chicken with crispy skin and tender, juicy, FLAVORFUL meat. It tasted like something. It tasted like chicken.

So, I thought I’d find out a little more about air-chilled processing compared to conventional processing.

Since the mid-1990’s after some major E.coli and salmonella scares, the USDA required that the carcass temperature of chickens be lowered within four hours after slaughtering to at least 40 degrees to retard bacteria growth. Processors have preferred to do this through immersion chilling, soaking the chickens en masse in a communal vat of chlorinated ice water for about an hour.

Now, the problem with this is that, depending on which study you read, the chickens may absorb anywhere from two to 12 percent of their body weight in added water which weeps out of the meat. That’s the liquid you find in fresh chicken packaging at the grocery store. And, you’re paying for that extra weight.

Air-chilling is done by only a handful of plants in the U.S., although it’s a technique that’s been around for about 20 years in Europe. Air chilling involves spraying the chickens inside and out after slaughtering with chlorinated water, and then moving them one by one along a track through chambers where they’re misted with cold air. It takes about two-and-a-half to three hours before they’re fully chilled.

MBA Smart Chicken of Nebraska was the first in the U.S. to air chill chickens, and that was 10 years ago. Two years ago, Pitman Farms of Fresno became the first on the West Coast. Another processor, Bell & Evans, claims it has an air chill system with a single chilling line that prevents cross contamination from birds on higher racks dripping on those underneath.

So, what are the benefits to air chilling chickens? Supporters claim that the slow chill process, which gets their birds to under 35 degrees, tenderizes the meat and that the chickens’ natural juices are not diluted in or replaced by the water in a conventional water chiller.

Food scientist Harold McGee has said that it makes the chicken taste more “chickeny” because the bird absorbs less liquid, leaving the real flavor of the chicken undiluted. Based on my Monday night experience, I agree.

It also produces a higher cooked-meat yield than immersed chickens because the immersed meat absorbs more water, which then cooks out. And, air chilling contributes to crispier cooked skin.

Air chilling also saves tens of thousands of gallons of water a day. USDA researchers say it takes an average of seven gallons of water to process a chicken through immersion processing and estimate that air chilling would save a minimum of half a gallon of water for each bird processed—not bad in drought areas. They estimate that processors could save about 4.5 billion gallons of water a year if all nine million birds processed annually in the U.S. were air chilled. (However, air chilling takes longer than immersion chilling so more energy is expended on air chilling.) Another sustainable benefit is being promoted by Bell & Evans. They says that since chickens aren’t weeping liquid, the company can use recyclable and reusable shipping containers.

As for the chlorine, the fact of the matter is that chemical disinfectants are have long been popular way to disinfect food products, and chlorine is used about 80 percent of the time. But the amount is limited to 50 ounces per 7,800 gallons of water. So, it shouldn’t be detectable to consumers, particularly after cooking. Chlorine is also used in treatment of other food products like seafood and produce.

Locally, air-chilled chickens are sold at Jonathans, Harvest Ranch, Whole Foods and Bristol Farms. Chickens sold by the latter are also anti-biotic and hormone free and free-ranging. Robert Whitley tells me he buys air-chilled chickens at Costco.

And, a note to Lou, The Gourmet Club’s wonderful engineer and rabid foodie, who asked me about Blue Foot chickens. Lou, these are an American variety of the French chicken breed, Poulet de Bresse, which is the only chicken to receive its own AOC, or Appellation d’origine contrôlée, which translates as “controlled term of origin.” It’s the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications (GI) for wines, cheeses, butters and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government's Institut National des Appellations d'Origine.

This is an elite chicken, selling at about 10 times the usual price of most other chicken. And it’s almost always sold—and served—with the head and feet still attached. That’s because it has a gorgeous red comb and white feathers, and it has unique steel-blue feet. It’s slaughtered later than usual chicken and it, too, is air-chilled, both of which apparently give it a stronger flavor and texture.

You can buy Blue Foot chicken through D’Artagnan.com and at Exotic Meats. And, yes, you’re right if you think you saw these chickens featured as the secret ingredient on Iron Chef America. There was a Battle Blue Foot Chicken on Iron Chef America in 2007 with Bobby Flay going against Jeffrey Ford.

And, here’s a link to a delicious sounding recipe at Food & Wine.com for Roasted Blue Foot Chickens with Glazed Parsnips and Carrots. And, if you are just mad about chickens, check out chickencrossing.org.

Have some thoughts about air-chilled chickens, Blue Foot chickens or markets in San Diego? Do you have a favorite neighborhood market or shop that carries unique or unusual foodstuff? Let me know or add to the conversation by clicking on comments below:

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The Gourmet Club Takes It Slow

In one month, Labor Day weekend (that's August 29 to Sept. 1), Slow Food Nation will be foodie central in San Francisco. With a farmers market and urban "Victory" garden, Taste Pavilions showcasing the wares of producers across the nation, lectures, guided slow hikes, special slow dinners and even a Slow Food Rocks concert, Slow Food Nation will be an incomparable experience.


So, we're bringing in Anya Fernald, Slow Food Nation's executive director, to talk about what we can expect. Should San Diegans make the trek up to celebrate? You bet! I'll be among them and can't wait to share the experience.

We'll also be talking about summer puddings and the pros and cons of air-chilled chicken. Does it really taste better than the usual poultry found in the stores? I did a taste test and will let you know if it's worth the extra price.

The Gourmet Club is the tastiest meeting in town. Join Robert Whitley, Maureen Clancy and me for our regular Wednesday morning gathering on signonradio.com from 11 a.m. to noon Pacific. You can also podcast the show and listen at your convenience.


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Scripps Ranch Farmers Market: The 'Burbs Go Organic

I give the market manager for Scripps Ranch Farmers Market credit. She often sends me interesting press releases detailing what's happening at their Saturday morning food fest. It's about 10 miles north of me but I hadn't been over there and was feeling guilty about it, so I met my friend Gayle there yesterday.

This is a locals market. Not that big. Not the swinging event that is OB, La Jolla or Hillcrest. It has a kids zone but there's not a ton of food or farmers. In short, it's kind of modest -- very much like my local Tierrasanta Farmers Market.

But, even with the heat and humidity, Gayle and I had a good time seeing what the vendors had, which included some wonderful jewelry and bags. I loved the produce--the sweet and juicy peaches, plums and nectarines, the creamy avocados and the pile of enormous heads of garlic. I picked up some beautiful green beans, tomatoes and fat Japanese eggplant. Gayle bought some flowers.


Baba Foods was there selling their tempting Middle Eastern products like flavored pita chips, hummus and baba ganoush. Belen Artisan Bakers of Escondido was there with breads and croissants. And, one of my favorite vendors, Majestic Garlic, was there. I've been enjoying their products for about a year. They make a vegan garlic paste in a variety of flavors and I've been working my way through them as I discover new ways to use it. This time, I replenished my "original" stock (just the garlic) and picked up the cayenne and the cumin. (In the past I've enjoyed the jalapeno and the sun-dried tomato/jalapeno.)


The original is obviously the most versatile and makes a tasty substitute for mayo on a sandwich and is great for layering flavors in a sauce for fish or chicken or even spread on a bagel. (I know, Nana, heresy!) The other flavors are equally wonderful for these but can also be used mixed in pasta, as a veggie dip or added to soup. In fact, the company's website has a host of ideas and some recipes.

Yesterday, Vinnie Abden--the owner--was encouraging me to melt a teaspoon or so of the cayenne flavor in a skillet (it does contain both flaxseed and canola oil) and then scramble eggs in it. That's what I did this morning with the addition of diced red onion that I sauteed in it first. The spread gave this lovely heat and garlic flavor but wasn't over the top. Vinnie also had me try the cumin, insisting that it tasted like hummus. I'd just had a sample of the cayenne and so I didn't get it, although Gayle did. But I took some home and sure enough, on a neutral palate, the cumin tastes remarkably like hummus. So, try it on pita or as a dip with raw veggies.

There was one very intriguing new vendor--at least, new to me. This is an outfit called Wildtree, which sells grapeseed oil and other related products like seasoning blends to be added to the oil, as well as natural soups and stew mixes, salsas, dressings, marinades and sauces, and bread, pancake and crepe mixes.


Their hook is that the founder--Leslie Montie--wanted to create nutritious, delicious, unprocessed food products because her kids had dietary restrictions. I tried the basil pesto blend, the garlic and herb blend and natural butter flavor grapeseed oil, as well as the Asian Ginger Plum dressing. And, yes, all were delicious, but I did find them very pricey.

While I wouldn't recommend the market as a real destination for people outside of the area since it still has some growing to do, it's a lovely place for folks in the neighborhood to bring the kids and the dogs and pick up some nice produce, flowers and other items, as well as fun crafts and jewelry. Indeed, the more people in the community support these markets, the larger and more diverse they'll grow as other vendors decide it's worth participating. So, Scripps Ranch and Poway residents, get on over there!

The Scripps Ranch Farmers Market is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at E.B. Scripps Elementary School on 10380 Spring Canyon Road at Scripps Poway Parkway.


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The Gourmet Club Goes for Elegance (With Caviar)

This week on The Gourmet Club we bring you caviar. Dafne Engstrom, co-founder of boutique caviar house Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, will be joining us by phone to talk about the sturgeon they raise and harvest. The sustainable caviar they produce is served in restaurants such as The French Laundry, Charlie Trotter's, Le Cirque and Wolfgang Puck, and can be found at Williams-Sonoma and Dean & Deluca. They also have a cafe at the San Francisco Ferry Building.


And tune in for another tippling tasting. This time it's Maureen who's bringing in the good stuff. She's loving the new liqueur VeeV, a vodka-like drink infused with açaí berries and acerola cherry that's filled with antioxidants.


She served it to great acclaim at a recent dinner party and thinks it's something we should all know about.

Sans alcohol but on the trend meter as well is Vivanno, the new 16-ounce fruit smoothie Starbucks introduced last week. Made with banana, milk, and an orange-mango-blend juice, along with whey protein and fiber powder, it will set back customers 350 calories and $3.75. We'll talk about whether this was a smart move for the struggling coffee megachain.
The Gourmet Club is the tastiest meeting in town. Join Robert Whitley, Maureen Clancy and me for our regular Wednesday morning gathering on signonradio.com from 11 a.m. to noon Pacific. You can also podcast the show and listen at your convenience.


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Cool Finds at First Korean Market

I sometimes find I miss the old Woo Chee Chong market near Jasmine in Kearny Mesa. I was so disheartened years ago when the owners gave it up and a Korean market moved in that I rarely went inside. But recently I was out having lunch with a friend next door at Dumpling Inn and we decided to poke around inside. I've since been back a few times and have found a few marvelous items I think are worth the trip.

Garlic Scapes: These are now out of season, but I bought a bunch when I saw them. They are the essence of garlic and perfect for pestos and dips and anything else you need garlic flavor for. However, my experience was that when I cooked them, for instance, in a stir fry, they lost most of their powerful punch. Look forward to spring when they return.


Extra soft tofu in a squeeze tube: Yes, it sounds strange but this is great for smoothies. Kind of a yogurt substitute.


Chum-Churum: My friend Kim tells me this is a hugely popular drink. It's distilled potato with corn syrup. I found it kind of strange but... There's also Saan Soju, which I bought. This is a little different; it's distilled sweet potato with green tea extract. Straight from Seoul, South Korea with love. Too potent for me at 21 percent alcohol, but I'm sure someone out there will love it!


Choco Boy mushroom cookies: Oh, this is so much more my style than potato spirits. These are darling little mushroom cookies. No worries; they aren't actually made of mushrooms, it's only the shape. They are petite English-biscuit style cookies with chocolate on the "cap." They are favorites of little kids and adults would be amused to see them included as part of dessert (unless they're in your pantry and you lay waste to them before they see company).


Ice Bars: There are some interesting flavors here, including red bean, melon and honey. I loved the red bean and the melon. The flavors are unusual but really refreshing and delicious. The red bean bar has little tiny pieces of bean in a slightly sweet milky body. The melon tastes just like you'd imagine melon as ice cream would. It's creamy and not overly sweet. Just something fun to have on hand for a hot day.


Samanco Red Bean Ice Sandwich: I saved the best for last. I love this! It looked so bizarre in the package that I had to try it. I unwrapped it and here was this cute little ice fish sandwich. The ice cream inside is vanilla but topped with a thin layer of red bean paste that looks more like raspberry jam. It's enclosed in a crunchy cookie, similar in texture to a cake cone, in the shape of a fish, scales, fins, big lips and all. It would be a hoot to serve even if it didn't taste good, but I've gone back to buy more.


First Korean Market is certainly not limited to these wonderfully odd products. They have a full meat department, a petite but interesting produce department, lots of kimchi, fish (fresh and frozen) and all the typical Asian products you'd expect to find. Parking can be kind of challenging mid-day when everyone's trying to find a place for dim sum at Jasmine or lunch at Dumpling Inn, but they do have specially marked parking stalls so take advantage of them.

First Korean Market is located at 6425 Convoy St. in Kearny Mesa.



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What San Diego Foodstuff Has Been Reading Online

Do you know what to do with garlic scapes? Where do the curious names of Chinese dishes like “bean curd made by a pockmarked woman” come from? Should you really refrigerate chocolate chip cookie dough for 36 hours?

Lately, there have been some particularly interesting stories on food, or perhaps I just have found some extra time for reading. Regardless, if you haven’t come across these already, check them out:

• “What’s Up With Chinese Menus: The stories behind ‘chicken with sexual life” and “bean curd made by a pockmarked woman” by Brian Palmer in Slate
• “A Good Appetite: A Garlic Festival Without a Single Clove” by Melissa Clark in The New York Times
• “Perfection? Hint: It’s Warm and Has a Secret” by David Leite in The New York Times
• “Politics of the Plate: Food Safety Lapses” by Barry Estabrook in gourmet.com
• “Lynne Rossetto Kasper: The Radio Journalist” by Miriam Wolf in culinate.com
• “Think Chocolate Can’t Get Any Better? These Willy Wonkas Beg to Differ” by Betty Hallock in the Los Angeles Times
• "Are You Getting Ripped Off at the Grocery Store?" by Charlotte Dy in myrecipes.com
  

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Unpelted Wheat? Mystery Solved

Recently, I stopped by North Park Produce and was noodling around the packaged foods when I found a bag of unpelted wheat packaged by Sadaf. Looked interesting so I brought it home. I couldn't find any reference to it except that it is used in Iranian cooking to celebrate the New Year.

Well, it was inexpensive and I figured how wrong could I go if I just cooked it up like other grains? So after a week or so of procrastination, I pulled out the bag and experimented. I put a cup of the wheat into a pot with two cups of water, brought it to a low boil and then reduced the heat and let it simmer uncovered for about an hour. While it was cooking, I sauteed half of a medium-sized diced red onion and two cloves of minced garlic. Once the water was completely absorbed and the wheat was cooked (chewy with a little bite), I emptied it into a bowl, added the sauteed onion and garlic and mixed it with a little red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper, and chopped chives and thyme from my garden. I then let it sit for about an hour for the flavors to take.



It turned out great. In fact, it was suspiciously familiar. So I opened the pantry door, pulled out my jar of wheat berries and, well, wouldn't you know. That's what unpelted wheat is.




You can, of course, find wheat berries at Henry's, Whole Foods and well, North Park Produce -- as unpelted wheat.

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