"Air chilled" chicken

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

gr0uch0

Master of the Pit
Original poster
Apr 30, 2016
1,231
139
Displaced Texan in Door County WI
Anyone have any input on air chilled chicken processing?  Ran across a new supplier in local grocery store, and they chill their birds without water--they claim that the bird can absorb 7-8% of its body weight in the chlorinated bath vs. air chilling.  It certainly wasn't cheap, and packaging was different to me:  looked like they put the poultry in the typical grocery trays, had a plastic wrap on it, then appeared to pull a vacuum to get it out the door. 

Organic company out of Fredricksburg PA--any of you Keystone State boys have any experience with or thoughts about this process, and is it markedly better than other poultry?  
 
I believe the brand of chicken you're referring to is Bell & Evans, which we buy from time to time, and almost always when we're doing a whole chicken rather than just parts such as breasts, legs, etc.

I'm certainly no chicken processing expert but, as I understand it, following slaughter a chickens internal temperature is approximately 100°F, and USDA requirements stipulate that the chicken must be chilled to at least 40°F within 4 hours of slaughter. The common practice in the U.S. for many years has been water chilling where the freshly slaughtered chickens are submerged in giant community vats of ice water until the objective is achieved.

Air chilling, which has been the common practice in Europe and other parts of the world for over 50 years, has only made slight inroads in the U.S. in the past 15-20 years. I believe Bell & Evans may have been the first brand in the U.S. to adopt this practice, but if not, they're certainly the largest producer utilizing the process. Air chilled chickens are individually hung on an overhead conveyor and cooled by passing the birds through several chambers for approximately 2 hours where puffs of increasingly colder, purified air is used to chill the meat - resulting in no added moisture, stronger flavor, firmer texture and less chance for cross contamination. The birds also tend to cook somewhat faster with the added bonus of skin that always crisps beautifully.

To me, there's no doubt that an air chilled chicken is markedly better than water chilled one. The matter of whether or not they're worth the additional cost is an individual one but, to me, they definitely are.

Should you decide to try one i suggest that, at least initially, you season and cook it simply. It would be counter productive to add a bunch of additional flavors that would mask the flavor of the bird.
 
Last edited:
You're right, dls, it is Bell & Evans.  I grabbed one of their brochures, and it was interesting reading.  Over 2 miles of tracks, 3 different chambers and 3 hours on one level so that they don't cross-contaminate one another from above.  Your advice well taken with simple seasoning--I'd like to see what it's all about before experimenting with different rubs, etc.  Thanks for your input. 
 
Last edited:
I've also heard since they aren't saturated with this chlorinated liquid they are able to absorb brine better. I've brined and smoked/grilled a few of these birds in the past and they came out good. However, I never did a side by side comparison with regular chicken. I do know out of the plastic bag they do smell cleaner and don't have gobs of fat all over them. They also have a whiter skin, which could be due to them  being air chilled vs water chilled. I have one in my fridge now and plan on cooking it really soon.. no brine just spatchcocked. I want to see how it tastes w/out brining. I'm hoping for a cleaner chicken taste.
 
I've also heard since they aren't saturated with this chlorinated liquid they are able to absorb brine better. I've brined and smoked/grilled a few of these birds in the past and they came out good. However, I never did a side by side comparison with regular chicken. I do know out of the plastic bag they do smell cleaner and don't have gobs of fat all over them. They also have a whiter skin, which could be due to them  being air chilled vs water chilled. I have one in my fridge now and plan on cooking it really soon.. no brine just spatchcocked. I want to see how it tastes w/out brining. I'm hoping for a cleaner chicken taste.

Can you let us know your thoughts? It's got my curiosity up, and would appreciate your input as well. It would stand to reason that they would be more accepting of brine since they haven't been in any liquid bath of any kind. I noticed the same thing you did about the whiter color and the lack of fat.
 
So I smoked the air chilled halves. Cooked at 300* to an internal temp of 165*. One half I injected with Oakridge game changer brine for 3 hours. Other half all natural. They both were good, however the injected half did have more of a flavor pop. The natural one was still juicy and overall tasted more like chicken compared to regular chicken.. just a touch though. The skins on both halves were much thinner and even tore a little during prep. In the couple I did in the past I don't recall this problem, so it could of been this particular bird. So overall these are good chickens, just cost a bit more. I think everybody's experience with air chilled chicken will vary. The brand I used was Central Market, probably relabeled from a bigger brand. I plan on buying another brand and see if there is any difference.. most likely not but you never know!
 
So I smoked the air chilled halves. Cooked at 300* to an internal temp of 165*. One half I injected with Oakridge game changer brine for 3 hours. Other half all natural. They both were good, however the injected half did have more of a flavor pop. The natural one was still juicy and overall tasted more like chicken compared to regular chicken.. just a touch though. The skins on both halves were much thinner and even tore a little during prep. In the couple I did in the past I don't recall this problem, so it could of been this particular bird. So overall these are good chickens, just cost a bit more. I think everybody's experience with air chilled chicken will vary. The brand I used was Central Market, probably relabeled from a bigger brand. I plan on buying another brand and see if there is any difference.. most likely not but you never know!

Thanks, jstx. Hard to monetize, but did you find them worth the higher prices?
 
Thanks, jstx. Hard to monetize, but did you find them worth the higher prices?
In this test.. I would have to say no. However, I know every piece of meat is different, including chicken. I wouldn't hesitate to try this experiment again, using another brand perhaps. I believe my bird was frozen when I bought it. Don't know if that makes a difference.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
Clicky