Skinless chicken legs...

[ashdoes]

When I spend 10-15 minutes pulling the skin off a bag of chicken legs, am I removing a lot of fat? Or is it a waste of time? I'm always trying to make things healthier, and for quite a while have pulled the skin off the legs. I know chicken legs aren't as healthy as the breast, but they're so good baked with a little BBQ sauce, no one complains about dinner. Opions? or advice?
Thanks

[Shirl (J) 831]

YES !!!
I very seldom ever leave skin of because of th fat unless I roast a whole chicken and even then I eat the breast and pull off the skin. Don't let anyone tell you that you NEED the skin for flavor you DON'T

[Chubby Cook]

To eliminate about half the fat, trim away the skin before eating the meat. It makes little difference in the fat content whether the skin is removed before or after cooking, but the meat is more moist and tender when cooked with the skin on.

[Shirl (J) 831]

It is a personal choice I think. I never cook with skin on and I never have dry meat, it is always moist

[justcallmetoni]

Chubby Cook wrote:
To eliminate about half the fat, trim away the skin before eating the meat. It makes little difference in the fat content whether the skin is removed before or after cooking, but the meat is more moist and tender when cooked with the skin on.

Actually, meat cooked with the skin will have a higher fat (and calorie) content than skinless meat. That said, it is certainly lower than if one ate the cooked skin.

[Chubby Cook]

Actually I've found no study that showed that was true, but we believe what we believe.

[John DOH]

I was in to the nutricionist this week for some advice on chloresteral reduction and eating.

First, the "type" of fat seems germane...beef and lamb fats that are "harder" in texture at room temp are worse than pork fat, which is worse than chicken fat, whereas fatty fish (salmon, trout, etc) are actually beneficial...

As long as you are roasting, grilling, BBQ'ing or baking, most of that fat in your chicken is draining off the meat (just don't get into the gravy thing!). Chicken legs and thighs are "dark meat" and contain more fat than does "white meat", but the fact remains you need "some" fat just to "live".

Personally, we like deboned and de-skinned legs and thighs, slow roasted in the oven, with a light whisk of olive oil...and stuffed and seasoned with a bit of feta cheese, spinach leaves, Greek Salad herbs and spices and/or sundried tomato, and sort of pinned together with skewers...no salt in this, just herbs...

John

[John DOH]

Double post!