Page 30 - mch0417_Magazine

FOOD SERVICE

How Dark-Meat Chicken The blending of different cuts of meat can go unnoticed

Creates Unique and in certain recipes where chicken is a component. Consum-
ers will be satisfied with great taste, so a blend allows chefs
Nutritious Menu Items to deliver the same yield at a lower cost. White-meat and
dark-meat chicken, depending on the application, can be in-
terchangeable. For example, when making a chicken chili or
stew, customers often cannot tell whether white meat or dark
BY JEREMY LYCAN meat is used. If anything, they will notice the juicy flavor and
tender texture of the dark meat.
hen it comes to chicken, white meat seems to be the By using every cut of chicken, operators and chefs can
Wpopular choice for consumers. Even though most reci- maximize costs without compromising on the creativity of
pes call for white-meat chicken, there is more to chicken than the food coming out of their kitchen. Experimenting with
just the breast and wings. Often underestimated, dark-meat dark-meat chicken can also help attract new consumers and
chicken offers a variety of benefits that are valuable in the retain existing customers. Dark-meat chicken gives opera-
foodservice industry. tors the opportunity to change up the menu more frequently,
Consumers and operators choose dark-meat chicken because while offering a more affordable alternative to beef and pork.
of its nutritional value. Compared to white-meat chicken, dark-
meat chicken is far higher in minerals, which are essential OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE FLAVOR
for maintaining good health. In addition, dark-meat cuts of Chicken is one of the most versatile proteins. It can be
chicken typically cost less than white-meat cuts. This allows roasted, grilled, broiled and poached. Dark-meat chicken is
operators to increase their margins, offer more affordable ultimately used for flavor, the driver chefs strive for.
dishes and get more creative in their menu planning. Not only Dark-meat chicken’s notable moist and rich flavor as com-
is dark-meat chicken nutritional and cost effective, it is also pared to white-meat chicken is due to its higher fat content.
juicy, tender and packed with flavor. When it comes to taste, dark-meat chicken offers an undeniably
richer taste than white-meat chicken. The higher fat content
WHITE MEAT VS. DARK MEAT: WHICH IS MORE NUTRITIOUS? gives it a juicier flavor and therefore does not dry out as easily
So what is the real difference between white-meat and as white-meat chicken, making it more versatile for all recipes.
dark-meat chicken? They both come from the same bird, but When cooking hearty dishes like white-bean chicken chili
white meat is found in the breast and wings, and dark meat or a creamy chicken potato stew, dark-meat chicken gives
in legs and thighs. The grayish hue of dark-meat chicken is these recipes a richer poultry base. Its juicy texture builds
actually caused by myoglobin, the protein found in the bird’s a canvas of flavors that chefs can build upon with other in-
tissue. Myoglobin is responsible for moving oxygen to the gredients and spices. Dark-meat chicken’s strong flavor has
chicken’s muscles, and the varying amounts account for the the ability to pick up others, making it a perfect solution for
difference in color between white and dark meat. Muscles chefs cooking in large volume. Instead of grilling individual
that are used more regularly, like legs and thighs, are darker chicken breasts, dark-meat chicken can be cooked in large
than muscles that are used less frequently, like the breast. pots with other ingredients to combine all the juicy flavors.
White-meat and dark-meat chicken also have different Dark-meat chicken offers flavorful, versatile and cost-
nutritional values. Dark-meat chicken is loaded with iron and effective benefits all in one cut of meat. With the fluctuat-
zinc, helping make it an ideal part of a balanced diet. While ing price of chicken, operators should take full advantage of
dark-meat chicken does contain saturated fat, a majority of it dark-meat chicken to enhance their offerings and operation
is found in the skin, which can be easily removed. to attract new and existing customers.
Jeremy Lycan is culinary strategy/execution & product
GET MORE OUT OF YOUR MEAT training chef with Tyson Foodservice Teams.
As budgeting, menu plan-
ning and managing margins be-
come even more important in the
foodservice industry, chefs and
operators are looking to lower
food expenses. As the cost of
whole chickens fluctuates, find-
ing new uses of the whole bird
is important.
A common solution in the
foodservice industry is blending
portions of white- and dark-meat
chicken to deliver an optimal lean-
to-fat ratio, while at the same time
offsetting high costs. White-meat
chicken tends to cost more; there-
fore the more dark-meat chicken
used in the mixed blend, the more
cost effective it becomes.

30 MILITARY CLUB & HOSPITALITY | APRIL 2017