NO… WE ARE NOT TRIMMING YOUR FAT! DON’T EVER TRY THAT AT HOME!
Don’t most of us wish we could shear some fat off our waist or hips? Okay, let’s get off that subject ? and get on to our matter at hand; meat fat and kitchen shears.
First, kitchen shears are NOT your average pair of scissors. They look similar, but in functionality they are not at all alike. You should not expect regular scissors to do the job of kitchen shears. If you try, it is most likely your scissors will never again perform their intended task as well as they did before. That pin in the middle of the tool will expand, get loose and there is a good chance the 2 blades will never again meet close enough to do a good job cutting paper. Kitchen shears are much sturdier than scissors. They are meant to cut through chicken bones, and they make light work of that. What they are not good for is cutting paper.
I confess; I like meat fat. Therefore you can be sure this discussion will not be one that expounds the virtues of lean meat. We are going to stick to giving you some tips about preparing chicken for a dinner recipe, by trimming off the fat and excess skin. And why would you want to do some trimming before you cook? A glob of chicken fat is not appealing in any way. And unless you are deep frying or roasting, excess chicken skin is limp and rubbery. Recipes call for chicken with “skin on” because that recipe will taste better with it. But alas, as is true for most things in life, there is a tipping point when too much, is not too good. There is a huge difference in removing excess fat and skin before you cook, as opposed to once it is on your plate. If you don’t remove the globs of fat before cooking, those globs melt, leaving all the other ingredients swimming around in chicken fat. It is hardly the homemade meal you are hoping for. The fattiest of chicken pieces are whole chicken legs, so that is what we are using to demonstrate. Yes, this is an extra step in the preparation of your dinner. But there are some simple and quick things you can do prior to cooking, that are worth the time it takes. This is one of those things. You don’t have to be a pro. Just cut off the big globs of fat.
We will show you what we are talking about.
You probably don’t need me to tell you there is no good reason to keep the globs of fat, and flabby skin, on this chicken leg. I don’t want this floating in my dinner, do you?
Look at how easy it is to get off!
WARNING.....THE NEXT PICTURE WE ARE ABOUT TO SHOW YOU, YOU MAY FIND DISTURBING! it’s gross. Just remember, all the fat and skin that has been cut off, would have otherwise been melting into my cacciatore.
Isn’t that a mind blower? In the picture above, I showed one leg with the skin side up. Each of the other legs have skin on the flip side too. Skin adds flavor to your finished dish. There is a thin layer of fat under the skin that also helps add flavor. That is why certain recipes call for chicken with the skin on. But don’t you agree that leaving that mound of fat and skin on the plate, rather than adding it to the skillet, is the way to go? Would you want to pick up that pile of fat and skin and throw it in? Well, it was on those legs. Lose it or Use it. Cut it or Cook it. Isn’t it worth the little time it takes to cut it off? Doesn’t it stand to reason that there would be a difference in the quality of the finished product, if you cut that mess of fat and skin off? I am not trying to be a wise guy with those questions. I am just trying to help you choose for yourself. Is it worth your time to trim the fat off? And here’s where we are coming from. If you are taking the time to cook, you deserve the reward of a good tasting meal, right?
Let’s end where we started; cutting the fat off your waist and hips. Leaving all that fat out of your dinner recipe, will most definitely help trim your unwanted pounds. And even if you are one of those fortunate few that don’t have unwanted pounds, there are better ways to treat yourself to fat calories, than eating melted chicken fat. May we suggest ice cream?
