Quick Question on "Processed" Meat

[tish]

If a chicken, like an oven-stuffer roaster, comes in a plastic bag with the words "less than 3% water retained" printed on the label, does that mean it cannot be brined?

If a chicken cannot be brined because it's "processed", what other ways could it be smoked to be sure it's still tender, juicy, and flavorful?

Thanks for any insight.

[Skidder]

You can still brine it. Just cut a tad bit of salt out of the mix. Less than 3 percent is a small amount if it is a salt mix

[landarc]

Tish, the label "less than 3% water retained" does not mean the bird has been brined or processed with a formula. It may simply refer to the fact that most poultry is water spray cooled and that process may have caused some retention of water beyond what is normal for a chicken. It also does not mean that any water is retained. There are certain processes that require the label be added, no matter whether water was retained or not.

You can go ahead and do what you want with that bird. As for processes other than brining, well, I happen to not like low and slow for chicken, if I want smoke, I will hit chicken with smoke at 250F for 30 minutes, then crank it up hot and finish. My tendency, since I buy field chickens, is to cook to no more than 140F, maybe 145F, this means medium, the bones have some pink. So far, I have never gotten sick, but, some folks find it challenging. For them, I either brine or roast at high temperatures.

[tish]

Thanks, landarc. I'm thinking of putting the chicken on a beer can during the last 30 mins of smoking my fatty, taking the fatty off, and jacking up the temp to finish the chicken and some of those bangin' salted russet potatoes I read about last night. Hoping this all comes out ok.

[Flavor Gangster]

Originally Posted by landarc

Tish, the label "less than 3% water retained" does not mean the bird has been brined or processed with a formula. It may simply refer to the fact that most poultry is water spray cooled and that process may have caused some retention of water beyond what is normal for a chicken. It also does not mean that any water is retained. There are certain processes that require the label be added, no matter whether water was retained or not.

You can go ahead and do what you want with that bird. As for processes other than brining, well, I happen to not like low and slow for chicken, if I want smoke, I will hit chicken with smoke at 250F for 30 minutes, then crank it up hot and finish. My tendency, since I buy field chickens, is to cook to no more than 140F, maybe 145F, this means medium, the bones have some pink. So far, I have never gotten sick, but, some folks find it challenging. For them, I either brine or roast at high temperatures.

If you see something like or similar to "Enhanced with a soltution upto 12% containing water, salt, sodium phosphate and other natural flavors." then it is injected. They have to list all and any ingredients if the raw bird or any protein has been adulterated. Look at all the Tyson stuff at Walmart.
Basic for the big boys: It is all pumped with marinades. Take 1,000,000 LBS Pork / 1.10 (10% pump)=909,090 of pork without marinade. That means they sold 90,910 LBS of water for arguments sake with every million pounds of finished product. Water is cheap last time I checked.