Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Meat after frying is plunged into water: does it really get tender?
Some housewives briefly dip hot meat into water after frying, hoping to make it more tender and juicier. A culinary experiment showed that the result can indeed be decent, but the water itself has a significant drawback.
This is written by Kertvar.
Using this method, the cooked meat should be taken off the pan, briefly submerged in cold water, and then allowed to drain. After that it is transferred to a sealed container and kept there until serving.
Proponents of this technique explain it by saying that the surface of the meat gains additional moisture, and the lid prevents it from evaporating quickly. As a result, the piece should remain soft.
Chef Koshy Kolosh decided to test this method in practice. He fried the meat, dipped it in water, let the liquid drain, and then left the dish in a closed container for half an hour.
After that, the meat really stayed tender. However, the experiment did not prove that this result was achieved specifically thanks to cold water.
The temperature of the water in this case does not play a decisive role in the ability of the meat’s surface to gain additional moisture. Therefore, plunging into cold water should not be considered the main secret of tenderness.
Moreover, this method has a notable drawback. Water can wash some fat and spices off the surface, causing the meat to lose some flavor and aroma. The fried crust may also suffer.
A more reliable way to get juicy meat is to watch the cooking time. If you leave it on the pan too long, it will gradually lose moisture and become tougher.
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