Chicken Roll (Sous Vide)
COOKING TEMPERATURE – 63°C /145.4°F/. COOKING TIME – 3 hours. Usually when we say 'roll' we mean pounded meat with some filling wrapped up into a roulade with a toothpick stuck in it. Here I present a different roll made from two whole pieces of chicken breast glued together with a special meat glue. Yes, you read that right, meat glue. Professionals will immediately understand this is Aktiva RM. For amateurs, let me explain that Transglutaminase (TG), also known as meat glue, is a natural enzyme able to bond together protein-containing foods. When raw meats are treated with TG, they usually have the elasticity and appearance of whole, uncut muscle. Transglutaminase is safe. It won't harm you or glue your hands when you work with it, and TG is deactivated by most cooking techniques.
Ingredients
| 2 бр. | chicken breasts |
| — | Aktiva RM (transglutaminase / meat glue) |
| — | salt |
| — | food-grade PVC cling film |
| — | fat for frying |
Instructions
PREPARATION METHOD:
- Set your sous vide to 63°C /145.4°F/.
- Wash the meat with cold water and dry it well. Shape the chicken breast pieces by removing the tenderloin, cutting away the leftover cartilage bone, thin parts and slimy membranes. Salt the meat.
- Spread out a sheet of food-grade PVC cling film and place one breast piece with the outer side down. Sprinkle the inner part with Aktiva RM and place the second breast piece on top of the first, joining inner side to inner side and the thick side of one piece to the thin side of the other, so the combined piece of meat is roughly equal thickness at both ends.
- Start slowly rolling up the film into a roulade, pushing the air out. Grab the loose film at both ends and start twisting it (like wrapping a candy). When the parcel is tight enough, tie it off on both sides with string.
- Cook in the sous vide for 3 hours at 63°C /145.4°F/, because the roll will be about 55 mm thick. For greater precision, compare with Douglas Baldwin's table: HERE
- Once the roll is cooked, dry it with a paper towel. Heat the fat in the pan strongly and sear the roll on all sides until it gets a caramel color.
- Slice and serve with your favorite sauce.
TIP: To release the air remaining after you've made one wrap with the film, prick it with a toothpick or another sharp object. After releasing the air, continue rolling with the rest of the film. After twisting the roll like a candy, put it in the refrigerator for 2 hours so the TG can activate. Because Aktiva RM is very hard to find in Bulgaria, I would recommend you smear the two chicken breast parts on the inner side with the white of one egg. It will bond the meat under the effect of the temperature. With this option the roll can go straight into the sous vide, without refrigerating it for 2 hours. Sear the roll quickly at high temperature, because otherwise the frying will make it start to swell and it may open where it is glued.