Soaking chicken in water is bad?

Question

I have been soaking chickens in water or brine for a while now, but one of my friends told me it will cause the chickens to lose its proteins and minerals. Is that true?

Answer 1

I just wash my chicken (or yank it with my right hand heehee sorry) and don't soak it. I believe your friend is correct, that not only do you lose proteins and minerals but, you lose taste as well. My mother used to soak chicken for a long time and after it was cooked it was horrible. I would recommend just washing it, and locally that is what the meat cutter at the store told me to do. He said just wash it to remove any stray bacteria on the surface, then cook it up.

Answer 2

I assume you are soaking the chicken to make stock.  

Answer 3

No, not true, if that's so - why do we have frozen chickens. But if you soak frozen chicken in water to thaw, it'll go bad faster if left uncooked (or soak for too long), naturally all the proteins & minerals will be eaten up by bacteria. Soaking chicken in the pot to make stock is different 'cos you have to boil it to get the nutrients out.

Answer 4

I've seen brining used on both America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated and Alton Brown's Good Eats for chicken.

I've used it for beef brisket.

Answer 5

no not at all.

Answer 6

Why would you want to soak chickens in water?  I've never heard of such a thing.

Answer 7

Soaking chicken in anything will not cause loss of protein.  Soaking in plain water will cause the chicken to lose some salts but it isn't going to change the nutritional value of the chicken much.  Brining will change the mineral content of the chicken, it will lose some potassium and gain quite a bit of sodium.