Why tough chicken

Oh, how selfish — birds going and getting diseases that make them harder to eat. Poor widdle humans. According to a review , woody breasts occur when the chicken has a tougher consistency due to bulging muscles. These are harder to chew than non-woody chicken in the same way The Rock is tricky to eat without at least mayo.

White striping is a condition that creates white fatty stripes that run parallel to the chicken muscle fibers on the breast, thigh, and tender muscles. Just like overcooked chicken, its undercooked counterpart can turn out rubbery. Undercooked chicken usually has a shiny appearance and a jiggly consistency.

Eating undercooked chicken is more than just a texture issue — it can make you very sick. According to the CDC , bacteria that can lead to food poisoning may contaminate chicken if you undercook it. As long as the rubbery texture comes from overcooking and not undercooking, the chicken is still edible although not the best eating experience.

To compensate for the dry, rubbery texture, make a sauce that you can serve on your chicken to add moisture and flavor. We know that certain conditions can cause probs with the consistency of chicken, but why?

Why do these conditions mess with the meat? Now we blame the chicken. Woody Chicken Breast is a condition where the muscle fibers are tight and knotted. Retailers still sell chickens with moderate cases of woody chicken despite various inspections. Another issue affecting chicken is called White Striping, which is precisely what the name implies. White stripes looking similar to wood grain seen across chicken breasts running parallel to the muscle. The website, Wide Open Eats has a great picture of white striping.

A report by Compassion in World Farming CIWF , an animal welfare group, links these conditions to breeding chickens that grow too fast. So to grow bigger, faster chickens, these issues have come about. The breeds of chickens that grow the best are selected to be bred more often. These quick-growing, giant chickens are developing woody breasts and white striping. The breeds the grow the fastest are selected to breed the mostSo to grow bigger, faster chickens; these issues have come about.

Recent studies have found that only a small percentage of people eat kosher meat due to religious reasons. The production of Kosher foods follows strict religious dietary laws at specialized facilities under rabbinical supervision. The process includes heavily salting the meat to draw out the blood.

Many believe that woody breast and white striping are avoidable because the salt kills any bacteria present. This article provides further detail about whether Kosher Foods are safer. What about organic chicken? There are certainly benefits to eating organic foods, but will that prevent these issues?

Sign Up Login. Save to Recipe Box. Add Private Note. Saved Add to List Add to List. Add Recipe Note. Most Popular. Classic Tomato Soup Recipe. Potato Gnocchi Recipe. Osso Buco Recipe. Given consumer reluctance to eat tough chicken breasts, that could lead some producers to sell the meat at a lower price or even to breed smaller chickens in an effort to eliminate the problem.

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