I. Have. Had. IT! I will no longer remain silent on this travesty!

[ashling]

No longer will I be silent while food network (particularly Alton Brown, Anne Burrell, Bobby Flay, and, hell, the whole damn bunch of them go on about how you need to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts because nobody can cook chicken and turkey breasts are akways too dry!.

BULLSHIT!

They are always succulent when I prepare them, and I am not trying to pass myself off as a trained chef and God's gift to feed. If you can't cook chicken and turkey white meat that is not dry, get off the goddamned television and (as they say on master chef) "turn in your apron." You are not worthy of being called chef.


No longer will I be silent while food network and eatery establishments try to convince us that they are home cooking experts by serving biscuits and SAUSAGE gravy.

Let me go on record as saying that SAUSAGE "gravy" has more in common with mud than with decent gravy. It is an affront to decent biscuits everywhere!

Well prepared BACON GRAVY, on the other hand, is the perfect compliment to any biscuit - or damned fine by itself with a fork!

[marym625]

1. feel better?

I agree completely!

[ashling]

4. Yes

but now I am hungry.

[marym625]

5. Me too! :)

[HipChick]

2. What kind of SAUSAGE are we talking here?

'cos I hate those patty things..

[DebJ]

3. I don't know squat about fancy cooking, but I've never had dry turkey breasts

except when I overcooked the whole bird by accident on maybe one or two occasions.

[Little Star]

6. I'm with you on the gravy!

[KMOD]

7. Damn Straight!!!

They're a bunch of clowns, and I so glad you said this.

My breasts are always tender! Always!!!

But I do like Alton's baby back rib recipe, so Alton, if you're reading this,

[Arugula Latte]

8. I've had good luck with this method:

Put seasoned chicken breasts in a heated pan with a bit of olive oil.

Sear/brown both sides quickly.

Reduce heat to medium and cook breasts, covered, for 10 minutes. Do not lift lid.

Turn off heat and let breasts sit for 10 minutes. Do not lift lid until 10 minutes is up.

Voila -- moist chicken breasts.

[ashling]

9. I crank up the heat

get a caphalon or cast iron skillet "screaming hot", as they say,

add a splash of olive oil and sear the chicken or turkey breasts

skin side down to get some color / carmalization

turn the breasts over to hit the other side - add more olive oil as necessary.

turn temp down an cover for a minute or two

Add fresh sliced mushrooms to the pan

then I put the pan in a 350 F. oven for about 20 - 25 minutes - covered, uncovered, doesn't matter

remove from oven and let chicken rest on the side

deglaze with a little white wine for wonderful mushroom gravy - thicken if you like with butter and a slurry of corn starch

for turkey breast, I sear it in a enameled cast in dutch oven,
after it sears I take the turkey out and set it aside while I sautee a large onion sliced
into half inch strips or rings,

then I add 3 stalks of celery cut into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces,

let that go while I am cutting large carrots into 1 inch pieces, add carrots

add sweet potatoes cut into pieces a little larger

cover and let it cook medium heat for about 30 minutes or

until you just can't stand it any longer.

[Arugula Latte]

15. Sounds good!

I want to try the thing with the mushroom gravy.

[mackerel]

10. but thighs have sooooo much flavor. yum

[oldandhappy]

11. Sooooooooooooooooo........

Why do you watch??

[ashling]

13. I like to watch Giada prepare ...

actually, I forgot what she prepares

[Arugula Latte]

16. Come on, this discussion is about breasts.

Chicken breasts.

Focus, focus!

[grasswire]

12. Here's what America's test kitchen has to say..

The idea is to coat the breast with something that can be browned quickly and impart flavor WITHOUT having to brown the chicken meat itself in the pan. Then finish in the oven.

Crumbs and herbs or something like that, with seasonings. Coat the chicken breast, brown it quickly in butter or oil. Finish in oven.

That's their way to tender chicken with good flavor.

[ashling]

14. I like to watch them

I just sear in olive oil after seasoning - sea salt, cracked pepper, rosemary, etc. -
and then to the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes