In Too Afraid to Ask, we’re answering food-related questions which will or could not provide you with goosebumps. At this time: What’s that white stuff oozing out of my rooster?
I do know I’m not alone on this: Once I cook dinner rooster for a recipe like schmaltzy purple pepper rooster or tangy teriyaki rooster, white goo leaches out of the meat. White goo! It’s someplace between slimy and jiggly, pooling within the skillet after a sear or on the sheet pan after a roast. I’ve seen this occur with different proteins too, like fish and pork. So it’s time to unravel this. What are these white dribbles?
There are complete Reddit threads dedicated to the subject. (“That’s the rooster’s soul,” says one cheeky Redditor.) However we will set hypothesis apart—there’s a scientific rationalization for why that is occurring, and the way to stop it too.
What’s that white stuff?
The white stuff popping out of rooster because it cooks is solely further protein that dissolves in water and is pressured out of the meat by warmth. Meals scientist Topher McNeil, PhD explains, “The [chicken] muscular tissues themselves truly contract and squeeze out the liquid that’s in between muscle cells.”
McNeil says, “It’s form of like how egg whites begin off both clear or translucent, after which while you warmth them up, they solidify and switch white.” Basically the identical course of is going on right here. The warmth causes the surplus water and protein that oozes out the rooster to solidify, going from clear and runny into white and gooey.
Why does it present up solely generally?
A significant reason for white goo is how often rooster is frozen then thawed. Let’s say you go purchase frozen rooster on the grocery retailer and journey dwelling with it, and on the best way again the rooster begins to thaw. You’ve a plan to cook dinner it that evening, however on the final minute you modify your thoughts and resolve on takeout as an alternative (why not!). So that you pop the thawed rooster again within the freezer.
Due to the assorted rounds of freezing and thawing, it’s possible you’ll be extra prone to encounter white goo. “Ice crystals truly rupture cells as they freeze which causes the cells to launch all of the liquid they’re holding onto,” McNeil says. If you cook dinner beforehand frozen rooster, extra liquid can be pressured out “as a result of the cells have been destroyed or damaged open by ice crystals.”
Take into consideration freezing fruit—while you put a pint of recent berries within the freezer after which take a handful out, the berries will start to lose their authentic form as they thaw, in the same course of.
Can I eat it?
Sure, you possibly can eat the white stuff that oozes out of rooster. Though it could look visually unappealing, the goo is similar protein that you simply’ll devour in a pan-fried rooster breast, in an uglier type (don’t inform the goo I mentioned that). It actually tastes like rooster, simply with a unique texture. However, McNeil provides, “If the goo comes out as any form of bizarre shade (something apart from white or off-white), or if it has a really sturdy odor, then it means the rooster has gone dangerous.”
However what if I don’t wish to eat it?
I imply, certain! I get it. Avoiding quite a few cycles of freezing and thawing is essential—so if you happen to purchase recent meat, McNeil recommends cooking it inside a few days. McNeil additionally suggests patting the uncooked rooster dry with a paper towel. This ensures that there’s no seen liquid on the outside of the rooster previous to cooking up. (Bonus: That results in higher browning too.) Now go forth and cook dinner your rooster with none concern of the mysterious white goo.
