Whatcha think #1: Grilled Chicken

[Medwayman]

There was a time when I wouldn't be caught dead in a kitchen without a recipe, laboratory grade measurement gear, obsessive compulsive disorder, and a backup plan. But lately I've been doing a lot more "lets throw some of that in and see what happens". Lamentably, I didn't listen enough to mom when she was trying to teach me. So I bring my experiments to you all at Discuss Cooking to critique or offer suggestions in a series I call "Whatcha think"

Whatcha think #1: Candida Diet Grilled Chicken

So my wife went on a diet similar to candida the other day and I had to come up with something I could grill that would suit her needs.

STUFF:
Half a chicken breast (or 3 or 4 chicken legs)
A tablespoon or so of olive oil
A tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar
A few good shakes of dried rosemary
One chopped up clove of garlic (by clove I mean the individual "wedge"... I hope thats the right term!)

METHOD:
- Just dump it all in a bowl and make sure everything gets a nice covering. Maybe let it sit for a bit. I know the taste can go through it in an hour or two, but we let it sit in the fridge all day once and it was fabulous.
- Throw it on a hot grill and flip it every 5 minutes or so.
- Should be done in about 20 minutes depending on your grill temp.


Whatcha think?

[kitchenelf]

I think it sounds great! If balsamic is allowed that might make another option for you.

[Medwayman]

Originally Posted by kitchenelf

I think it sounds great! If balsamic is allowed that might make another option for you.

Do you mean as a replacement to the apple cider vinegar or in addition to?

I believe balsamic vinegar is on her "no-no" list. :( She's not strictly candida, but she's got to stay away from sugars, gluttens, and yiest.

[kitchenelf]

I meant that as a replacement. I don't know the ins and outs of this diet - so I apologize up front if I suggest an alternative that doesn't work.

You mentioned BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and honey in your other recipe - are those not considered a bit sugary?

[Medwayman]

Originally Posted by kitchenelf

You mentioned BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and honey in your other recipe - are those not considered a bit sugary?

Definitely, but that recipe is for me and my buddies. :)

No need to apologize either. I'm here to learn, and have little enough training or experience in this whole cooking thing.

[Andy M.]

Sunds good MM. Feel free to sub other herbs and spices for variations in flavor. Also consider spice mixes such as currys and chili powder, etc. There are also a host of spice mixes on the supermarket shelves.

BTW, clove is the right term. The whole bunch of cloves together is the bud or head.

[ironchef]

I think you need salt. Also, if you're going to let the chicken sit in a marinade all day, why not brine it?

[Medwayman]

Originally Posted by ironchef

I think you need salt. Also, if you're going to let the chicken sit in a marinade all day, why not brine it?

Ok... STOOPIT rookie question: How much salt? Like 1/4 teaspoonish? A few good shakes of the shaker?

As for brining, I guess thats where my inexperience comes in. I figured brining was to keep the meat juicy and tender where as marinade was to soak in flavor. I'm totally up for a quick education though!

[ironchef]

Originally Posted by Medwayman

Ok... STOOPIT rookie question: How much salt? Like 1/4 teaspoonish? A few good shakes of the shaker?

As for brining, I guess thats where my inexperience comes in. I figured brining was to keep the meat juicy and tender where as marinade was to soak in flavor. I'm totally up for a quick education though!

For the salt, liberally sprinkle the chicken with salt just before you grill it.

A brine does that, but you can also flavor your brine with the herbs and such. Or brine and then marinate the chicken. Just don't add as much salt (or any at all) if you brine it. Typically, a basic brine is:

1 gallon water
1 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar

You can then add whatever: garlic, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, etc. Make sure you completely melt the salt and sugar in the water, but that the water is cold before you add the chicken (hint: melt the salt/sugar in a few cups of hot water, then add cold water to temper). I know the diet says to minimize sugar and yeast products, but the amount of sugar that will actually be consumed will be minimal.

[PeterAtwood]

I must confess I find this rage for brining to result in meat that is way too salty for my tastes. I prefer lemon, black pepper, garlic, ginger and other spices. Good old fashioned marinades such as Italian dressing are quite delicious. It may be low brow but it was once very popular for a reason...it tastes great. :-)

Another really great marinade is Indian Tandoori. You can find these in ethnic sections of a good grocery or specialty foods stores. They are fantastic and are fairly low carb.

[GB]

Peter if you find your brined birds too salty tasting then there are two reasons for that.

1. You made your brine with too much salt

and/or

2. You left the meat in the brine for too long.

If you have not given up on brining yet (and I hope you have not) then try it again, but with less salt and/or for less time.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

GB and IronChef are excellent cooks, and know their stuff. I pretty much accept what they say as fact.

A brine is a solution made with sugar and water. It works from a process called asmosis. That is, all things in nature try to distribute themselves equally within a given space. So, the liquid found in the various cells of the meat, skin, etc., have a specific concentration of sugars and salts, along with other substances naturally. If you place the chicken pieces into a brine solution that has a higher concentration of those substances and compounds, over time, the molecules will migrate from the greater concentration into the areas with a lesser concentration until all elements are distributed equally. This is called movement or migration due to osmotic pressure.

Water is another element in a brine. If the chciken meat is somewhat dried out, water molecules will migrate into the chicken at the cellular level until equilibreum is reached, hence, jucier chicken. However, if the chicken is already saturated with water (which it usually is, so as to make it heavier and fetch more money at the cash register), then brining won't add additional liquid to the chicken.

marinating liquids often contain acidic agents such as vinager, wine, or citrus. When long, straight strands of protien fiber contact acidic ingredients, they snarl up into tight, waterproof strands that inhibit the marinade from penetrating beyond the outermost layer of the meat. This happens in a relatively short time, about 20 minutes. So, acidic marinades don't do anything to add flavor or moisture after 20 minutes, even if you leave the chicken in them for a week. Marinades are used to flavor the exterior of meats, not to tenderize or add flavor deep into the meat. In fact, acidic marinades acutally toughen the meat.

The other two ways to add flavor to chicken, or any other meat, are either to inject the meat with flavor-rich broths or liquids, again allowing them to distribute the various flavors, salts, sugars, herbs and spices, etc. through the meat by osmosis over time, or to coat the meat is some form of dry rub, which again allows the various componants to distribute some of their molecular componants through the meat, again by osmotic pressure.

Whic is perfect for what you are trying to do? That depends on how you will cook the chicken, and the end result you are trying to achieve. When you conceptualize the processes involved with each technique, you will develop an intuitive knowledge of what to add, and why.

I know this was lengthy, but I hope it helps you to better understand the differences between marinades, brines, rubs, and injection techniques.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Quint]

Excellent info GotN Thanks for sharing.........

[David Cottrell]

A lot of good suggestions. Back to your original recipe - looks like a keeper - how did your wife like it? That's the real answer.

[Medwayman]

Originally Posted by David Cottrell

A lot of good suggestions. Back to your original recipe - looks like a keeper - how did your wife like it? That's the real answer.

She and the neighbors like it, but I'm always looking to improve. "Hey you know what would go well with that? _________" That kinda thing. :)

[GrillingFool]

Delete the vinegar. It is a "no no" on Candida diets.
Replace it with some citrus instead... lemon, lime, orange juice....

Be careful with packaged spice mixes. Many of them will have yeast extracts,
sugars and other yeast friendly things in them.

We did a 4 month Candida diet a while back; if you want some recipes, PM me.
They are mostly fish and chicken.

Hang in there! It is a great excuse/opportunity to play in the kitchen.... in fact,
it somehow turned me into the nightly cook AND dishwasher... but I am loving
it still, LOL!