Jump to content

Menu

White Striping/Woody breast in Chicken is driving me crazy


cintinative
 Share

Recommended Posts

I can't seem to find a source of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that does not have this white striping issue. The texture is just weird--kind of gummy/chewy.  

 

I have not tried Costco yet, or Fresh Market and places like that.  Has anyone found it is better there? Maybe I should splurge on organic?

 

Does anyone know if the bone-in chicken breasts are better?

 

It's getting to where I dread dinner when B/S breasts are involved.

FYI. If you have not heard of this here is an article on white striping:  http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/news/a42633/chicken-white-striping/ and  http://www.businessinsider.com/mysterious-white-stripes-on-chicken-affect-meat-quality-2017-8

 

 

 

Or maybe my problem might be woody breast. ??? like this here: http://www.poultrytimes.com/poultry_today/article_cd6d0284-5ab9-11e7-a8e4-c399c839e7e8.html

 

 

 

 

Edited by cintinative
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do know *exactly* what you are talking about and, I’m sorry to report, it is the reason I have not bought them at Costco recently. My temporary fix has been to buy only small quantities. Yesterday I used Perdue chicken breasts that came five indivually-wrapped and not frozen. Those turned out very good; I made a Chicken Marsala with them. These were called something like Fresh Alternatives or something, no antibiotics, no animal by-products in feed. I was planning to stick with this strategy for a while.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hadn't heard of this before, but it does explain why the breasts I've bought recently have seemed so tough and chewy! I bought a package of rotisserie breast meat from Costco a couple of weeks ago and ended up giving about half of it to the dog because it was inedible — the term "wooden breast" is pretty accurate.

 

Now that I've read a bit about it, it seems this disease also makes the meat less nutritious, as well as being tough and chewy. Maybe they should stop trying to maximize profits by creating monster chickens and just let them be normal chickens leading normal chicken lives.  :thumbdown:  

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do know *exactly* what you are talking about and, I’m sorry to report, it is the reason I have not bought them at Costco recently. My temporary fix has been to buy only small quantities. Yesterday I used Perdue chicken breasts that came five indivually-wrapped and not frozen. Those turned out very good; I made a Chicken Marsala with them. These were called something like Fresh Alternatives or something, no antibiotics, no animal by-products in feed. I was planning to stick with this strategy for a while.

 

 

UGH. I was really hoping Costco might be a solution. My friend said she just looks at the packages and tries to pick the better ones. That strategy has not worked well for me so far.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like freezer-burn.

 

ETA: I just read the links. My first thought is that chickens were never meant to be 9 lbs. I haven't encountered it because I get mostly local free range chickens, I think that might avoid the problem?

 

 

I have bought chicken breasts and frozen them for years, so this is a relatively recent thing. At first I thought it was just the store I shop at normally, but then I had the same issue at Aldi, and Kroger . . . 

 

I think free range chickens would be fine--they think the problem might be related to plumping the chickens up too quickly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think free range chickens would be fine--they think the problem might be related to plumping the chickens up too quickly.

 

If you have a Trader Joe's near you, I haven't had any problem so far with their organic free-range breasts, which are a lot smaller than the Costco ones. Their whole organic free-range chickens are good, too, although they are naturally a little less tender than a typical grocery store chicken (probably because they actually get to walk around a little), but it's nothing like the "wooden" texture of the Costco breasts. The TJ's chickens have a more flavor, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's disgusting. I haven't come across anything like that. I try to always buy organic; not sure if that's the difference?

 

I am wondering if I switch to organic if I will be spared this. Or maybe i should just buy whole chickens and butcher them. I haven't noticed this problem with whole chickens.  My butchering skills are pretty pathetic though. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am wondering if I switch to organic if I will be spared this. Or maybe i should just buy whole chickens and butcher them. I haven't noticed this problem with whole chickens.  My butchering skills are pretty pathetic though. 

 

 

We buy mostly whole chx and I have not noticed this.

 

The taste and texture of the pastured chx I buy sometimes is great. I always make stock from those chx! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am wondering if I switch to organic if I will be spared this. Or maybe i should just buy whole chickens and butcher them. I haven't noticed this problem with whole chickens.  My butchering skills are pretty pathetic though. 

 

 

My uncle was an inspector for the USDA, inspecting chicken processing plants (and others).  He always says to buy whole chickens, they are the healthiest.  Anything else is a risk...  I'll have to ask him about this new issue - he's retired now, but seems to keep up with things.

 

I usually just buy breasts or thighs.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that's fascinating. I like to buy chicken individually packaged from Perdue, because they are thinner and cook up nicely. But when regular chix breasts are BOGO at Publix I have been known to stock up on those, and have definitely seen the white striping issue. I have also noticed texture and taste issues, but I honestly thought it was because I did something wrong in cooking. Looks like now I can blame the chicken!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am wondering if I switch to organic if I will be spared this. Or maybe i should just buy whole chickens and butcher them. I haven't noticed this problem with whole chickens. My butchering skills are pretty pathetic though.

So are mine. I attempted boneless thighs once. Haha! It was sad.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hadn't heard of this before, but it does explain why the breasts I've bought recently have seemed so tough and chewy! I bought a package of rotisserie breast meat from Costco a couple of weeks ago and ended up giving about half of it to the dog because it was inedible — the term "wooden breast" is pretty accurate.

 

Now that I've read a bit about it, it seems this disease also makes the meat less nutritious, as well as being tough and chewy. Maybe they should stop trying to maximize profits by creating monster chickens and just let them be normal chickens leading normal chicken lives. :thumbdown:

I do kind of agree with you but I think most people would object to the texture of truly free range meat as it tends to be tougher and stronger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am wondering if I switch to organic if I will be spared this. Or maybe i should just buy whole chickens and butcher them. I haven't noticed this problem with whole chickens. My butchering skills are pretty pathetic though.

A good strong pair of kitchen scissors make the job much easier!

 

I remember that I used to always buy and cut up whole chickens. At some point I stopped doing that, but perhaps it's time to return to that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A good strong pair of kitchen scissors make the job much easier!

 

I remember that I used to always buy and cut up whole chickens. At some point I stopped doing that, but perhaps it's time to return to that.

 

It's rare to find whole cut up chickens in my area. The stores just don't sell them.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am wondering if I switch to organic if I will be spared this. Or maybe i should just buy whole chickens and butcher them. I haven't noticed this problem with whole chickens.  My butchering skills are pretty pathetic though. 

 

If you have a decent grocer, they should be able to cut up a whole chicken for you.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't understand why so many people like the boneless breast though.  They have zero flavor.  You have to do a lot to get it to taste like anything at all.  I roast a lot of chickens whole because those taste the absolute best.  And really it's so easy to do that and then I have the bones for broth.

 

I agree.  I haven't bought boneless breasts for a long time.  If I want the convenience of boneless meat, I get thighs.  

 

I do wish I could find smaller whole chickens.  Many/most recipes I see call for a 3-4 pound chicken, but what I see in the stores are 5-6 pounders.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't understand why so many people like the boneless breast though.  They have zero flavor.  You have to do a lot to get it to taste like anything at all.  I roast a lot of chickens whole because those taste the absolute best.  And really it's so easy to do that and then I have the bones for broth.

 

 

Plus whole chx are more economical. At least where I shop. The difference in price per pound far outweighs the actual weight of the bones. And that doesn't count making stock, which is essentially free once you have the chx. I use ends and pieces of onions and other veg I have cut up, keeping them in a ziploc in the freezer until I make stock, 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...