Reheating chicken drums!

trudilu · May 18, 2023

Hi there,
I sometimes buy refrigerated 'chicken' drums that are already packaed cooked. I have always put them in the microwave for 30 sec to warm them. But they lose their flavor and dry out! I don't enjoy them.

What is the best way to reheat these chicken drums?

I have an oven and a toaster oven as well.

thanks
Trudi

Katie H · May 18, 2023

When I want to warm something up without drying it out, I usually double bag it in zipper-lock bags and submerge them in a pan of water, kind of a sous vide method, and warm until they are acceptable. Works great for us.

dr morbius · May 18, 2023

If you're talking about refrigerated dried chicken drumsticks, or roasted:

I would use the oven. Preheat it to 325, spray your dish with oil, place the chicken in a single layer and cover with foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on how big they are) and it's hot but not dried out.

Aunt Bea · May 19, 2023

IMO the microwave is not the problem.

If you are microwaving the chicken for 30 seconds and it is dry and tasteless it was probably dry and tasteless when you bought it.

I would find another source or prepare my own and freeze it in meal size portions.

taxlady · May 19, 2023

Unless it's in a lot of sauce or liquid, I find that reheating chicken in the microwave gives it a bit of some flavour that I dislike.

Okay, store bought rotisserie chicken that hasn't gotten fridge cold, doesn't get that weird flavour.

trudilu · May 19, 2023

They are already cooked, refrigerated chicken drumsticks (from Whole Foods). Sometimes they have them fresh - but not lately - and I really dislike them after heating them up in the microwave.

I tried one thing last night. I baked them in the 'toaster oven' for 15 minute or so - and they tasted a lot better - with a crispy outside. But what I need now is to get a 'rack' that fits on top of the small baking pan (that comes with the oven) so that it will cook without sticking to the foil it was cooked on!!! I'm experimenting.

dragnlaw · May 19, 2023

taxy, could it be an almost boiled flavour? That's the first thing I think of and yech! I agree.

trudilu - any small cooling rack, I have several small square cookie racks that I've had since the 60's. Doesn't necessarily have to fit the pan exactly. As long as your pan has edges that will keep the food out of the grease, you're good to go. Mine hang over but still keep level - works for me. Plus I got from Amazon a tall tri-footed rack that does fit on my cookie sheet for the toaster oven. On the bottom I put frozen french fries, on the top I put two Frozen breaded fish pieces. Instant Air Fryer in a toaster oven from before 'Air Fryers" were invented.

trudilu · May 19, 2023

dragnlaw said:
taxy, could it be an almost boiled flavour? That's the first thing I think of and yech! I agree.

trudilu - any small cooling rack, I have several small square cookie racks that I've had since the 60's. Doesn't necessarily have to fit the pan exactly. As long as your pan has edges that will keep the food out of the grease, you're good to go. Mine hang over but still keep level - works for me. Plus I got from Amazon a tall tri-footed rack that does fit on my cookie sheet for the toaster oven. On the bottom I put frozen french fries, on the top I put two Frozen breaded fish pieces. Instant Air Fryer in a toaster oven from before 'Air Fryers" were invented.View attachment 64634

I thought of that - but I didn't have any kind of rack that would fit (I looked); so I wound up buying a rack made for on top of the pan when I want the food to be raised! Thank you for the tip.

Badjak · May 20, 2023

I'm not in the states. Forgive my ignorance.
But surely they sell fresh or frozen drum sticks?

dragnlaw · May 20, 2023

Badjak, in our large grocery stores there are usually several counters full of foods ready to eat. Many people, teenage school kids, office workers, on the road and construction people, shop there for their lunches. there are many choices, Italian choices from lasagna, pizza, speghetti's, Salad choices, Asian choices starting with just rice and adding ... whatever you want! It has become a big deal for the larger stores, instead of the counters where they only had sandwiches and salads made up. It is entire sections like the food courts in the big shopping malls.

It is very possible (although I've not seen them) to find precooked drumsticks, after all the have whole BBQ and Rotisserie chickens, wings. You don't have to have them heat up your food, you can just purchase to take home if you wish.
I could be wrong but I do believe that is what she is referring to.

trudilu · May 20, 2023

At Whole Foods, they used to have all kinds of cooked chicken wings (freshly made) which I got all the time. Now, they just have them packed in a plastic container, and they don't taste good to me. But, occasionally I still get them and started wondering if there was a better way to warm them up. The microwave is awful.

dragnlaw · May 20, 2023

Low and slow in the oven. Wrap in foil. maybe 20 minutes at 350?

give it a try, should be ok. There are really, times the microwave is not the answer.

trudilu · May 20, 2023

I will give in a try next time!
thank you

Katie H · May 21, 2023

dragnlaw said:
Low and slow in the oven. Wrap in foil. maybe 20 minutes at 350?

give it a try, should be ok. There are really, times the microwave is not the answer.

Agreed. Even though the microwave is a quick solution to a lot of things I find it can easily dry already-cooked foods out. That's why I've been using a mock sous vide method to warm things up.

Badjak · May 21, 2023

How 'bout making (or buying) some sauce and heat them up in that? Just on the stove.
It will be different, but pretty good I reckon

trudilu · May 21, 2023

Katie H said:
Agreed. Even though the microwave is a quick solution to a lot of things I find it can easily dry already-cooked foods out. That's why I've been using a mock sous vide method to warm things up.

Over my head - what is 'mock sous vide' method?

trudilu · May 21, 2023

Badjak said:
How 'bout making (or buying) some sauce and heat them up in that? Just on the stove.
It will be different, but pretty good I reckon

Whole Foods used to have these black cherry chicken wings (made fresh) and I loved them. So, I tried to figure out how to make them myself. First, I couldn't find the black cherry sauce they use to make them! What I would like to do is learn how to make small chicken wings/legs from scratch. Any suggestions? If I bought them 'uncooked' how would I make them?

Thank you.

Andy M. · May 21, 2023

AS you've already discovered, heating the drums in the toaster oven produces the best result. f you can't find a rack to fit the pan, just spray or coat the foil in the pan with a little oil. That should help with the sticking problem. If you want a crisp exterior don't cover the chicken. If you want a more moist result and do not care about a crispy exterior, wrap them in foil and heat them.

Katie H · May 21, 2023

trudilu said:
Over my head - what is 'mock sous vide' method?

Instead of the traditional sous vide method, I simply double bag the foods I want to reheat and submerge in a pot/pan of warm water. After a little while, the food is warm and not dried out. Has worked for me quite a few times.

trudilu · May 21, 2023

Andy M. said:
AS you've already discovered, heating the drums in the toaster oven produces the best result. f you can't find a rack to fit the pan, just spray or coat the foil in the pan with a little oil. That should help with the sticking problem. If you want a crisp exterior don't cover the chicken. If you want a more moist result and do not care about a crispy exterior, wrap them in foil and heat them.

I just got (today) a better pan and rack that fits on top of it; also have a silicone pad on the pan - tonight I will try to bake them. I prefer a crispy outside and a tender inside.

Reheating chicken drums!

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