Chamber vacuum for drying chicken prior to frying?

[larryroohr]

I was thinking about this for when there isn't time for an overnight sit in the fridge.

But, I'm concerned that the fridge dries slowly from the outside, and the vac may do something entirely different along with disrupting the texture of the meat.

Has anyone tried this? I'm getting some wings ready for tomorrow so I will have time to fridge dry overnight and will set some aside to try the vac approach but it seems there are several reasons (above) this is a bad idea and don't want to waste any chicken or spend the time if it's an obvious no-go.

BTW, I sous vide the wings prior to drying/frying in place of David Changs steaming method, only crisping the skin in the fryer that way.

If I don't get a definate no then I'll give it a try tomorrow and report back.

[larryroohr]

Well, the vp-112 did dry the wings somewhat with 10 cycles of 1 minute each to 60Hg , but not nearly as much as the overnight in the fridge. This was judged only by the by the ruckus that ensued when I dropped them in the oil , louder than the fridge wings and not as bad as the non-dried wings I did also. I chickened out of checking the temp drop as that would have gotten my hand too close to the bubbling oil. So it's worth doing in a pinch. Don't know if more cycles would improve it or be a diminishing return.

Didn't notice any appreciable difference in the wings, but that's probably because I was using a new electric fryer for the first time and it doesn't recover temp as well as my lodge logic cast iron wok on the stove top does. The wok wins in that department, but the wings better be dry with no lid, makes a mess.