Baking powder for crispy skin

skull fish

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Jan 22, 2011

104

11

NE PENNSYLVANIA

• Jun 15, 2012

• #1

I read some where that either rubbing the skin with some baking powder or soda on surface skin, will help render out that fat... Any ideas? Or folk lore! ??

I'm a big fan of the brine method for flavor and moisture, still workin on the crispy aspect ... The grill maybe the finishing answer in the end. Lol

 

diggingdogfarm

Master of the Pit

Jun 23, 2011

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Southern Tier of New York State

• Jun 15, 2012

• #2

It's not folk lore, it's chemistry! :biggrin:
I use baking powder on poultry skin all the time, it changes the pH of the skin making it brown and crisp up better with a bubbly texture.
Adding an acid will counter the affects of the baking powder.

Here's a good explanation and comparison.........

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/02/...icken-wings-in-oven-not-fried-appetizers.html

~Martin

 

spoolinaz

Meat Mopper

Apr 23, 2012

173

16

Hanover, PA

• Jun 15, 2012

• #3

DiggingDogFarm said:

It's not folk lore, it's chemistry!

I use baking powder on poultry skin all the time, it changes the pH of the skin making it brown and crisp up better with a bubbly texture.
Adding an acid will counter the affects of the baking powder.
Here's a good explanation and comparison.........
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/02/...icken-wings-in-oven-not-fried-appetizers.html
~Martin

Click to expand...

Good Read!

 

scarbelly

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

Jul 26, 2009

14,315

73

• Jun 15, 2012

• #4

Hey Martin thanks for the link - I had seen it a couple years ago and forgot where it was. Now I need to give it a shot. 

 

skull fish

Smoke Blower

Original poster

Thread starter

Jan 22, 2011

104

11

NE PENNSYLVANIA

• Jun 15, 2012

• #5

Awesome! Thanks for sharing, will give it a try this weekend for the father's day feast. We are also big fans of the Cornell chicken recipe, this may work real well with the baking powder theory . I think the acid from the baste will react very cool the b. Powder, I'm going to make a light solution of powder and water, and baste the chicken skin and let it dry over night... We will see. Lol!

 

Last edited: Jun 15, 2012

steelandsmoke

Newbie

Feb 20, 2012

15

11

Scottsdale, Arizona

• Jun 15, 2012

• #6

I have used a combination of corn starch and flour with great results when baking only.  

 

mneeley490

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SMF Premier Member

Jun 23, 2011

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Everett, WA

• Jun 15, 2012

• #7

Yeah, I've heard the cornstarch theory, not baking powder. Haven't tried it myself, but wouldn't baking powder give the chicken skin a nasty flavor?

 

Last edited: Jun 15, 2012

scarbelly

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

Jul 26, 2009

14,315

73

• Jun 15, 2012

• #8

mneeley490 said:

Yeah, I've heard the cornstarch theory, not baking powder. Haven't tried it myself, but wouldn't baking powder give the chicken skin a nasty flavor?

Click to expand...

According to the article - baking soda does leave a metallic taste but not the baking powder.  Will be giving it a test run soon 

 

diggingdogfarm

Master of the Pit

Jun 23, 2011

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Southern Tier of New York State

• Jun 15, 2012

• #9

skull fish said:

Awesome! Thanks for sharing, will give it a try this weekend for the father's day feast. We are also big fans of the Cornell chicken recipe, this may work real well with the baking powder theory . I think the acid from the baste will react very cool the b. Powder, I'm going to make a light solution of powder and water, and baste the chicken skin and let it dry over night... We will see. Lol!

Click to expand...

It won't work with the Cornell recipe because of all the acid.
Don't use a lot of baking powder because it'll taste funky. it doesn't take much.
I tried baking soda long before I tried baking powder, it leaves a real funky soapy metallic like flavor.


~Martin

 

hooligan8403

Meat Mopper

Oct 25, 2011

248

11

Montgomery Al

• Jun 16, 2012

• #10

I was considering getting a blow torch and crisping the skin that way at one point.

 

diggingdogfarm

Master of the Pit

Jun 23, 2011

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Southern Tier of New York State

• Jun 16, 2012

• #11

Hooligan8403 said:

I was considering getting a blow torch and crisping the skin that way at one point.

Click to expand...

I've tried that, but it gets quite tedious.

Something else that does help is drying the skin completely before cooking.
I have a hair dryer that I dedicate only to that use, which is no problem because i don't have much hair anyway! LOL

~Martin

 

hooligan8403

Meat Mopper

Oct 25, 2011

248

11

Montgomery Al

• Jun 17, 2012

• #12

DiggingDogFarm said:

I've tried that, but it gets quite tedious.
Something else that does help is drying the skin completely before cooking.
I have a hair dryer that I dedicate only to that use, which is no problem because i don't have much hair anyway! LOL
~Martin

Click to expand...

Yeah its tedius torching most things but at the same time it should work. I havent had much issues with crispy skin though just read everyone else having issues and worried about it at first.

 

diggingdogfarm

Master of the Pit

Jun 23, 2011

4,648

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Southern Tier of New York State

• Jun 17, 2012

• #13

It's not difficult to get crispy skin, but the techniques mentioned above will help get it real crispy, which is the way I like it.

~Martin

 

adhira

Newbie

Jun 25, 2012

2

10

• Jun 25, 2012

• #14

It is beneficial to use Baking powder or soda for crispy skin because baking powder helps draw out the moisture, so the skin gets crackling crisp in the oven.