Fat on meat/fish - remove before cooking or eating?

[Claireybella]

Right, just a query really. I have a new Consultant, and she keeps saying that all visible fat and skin on fish and meat has to be removed BEFORE cooking! Now, I've been following this plan for 2 years, and I've alwaes understood it that you remove the visible fat and skin before EATING! This is what the SW book in your pack says, and I'm really beginning to question everything I have ever done before! What do you guys think? And what do you do? My old Consultant alwaes said remove the fat before eating, NOT cooking! I've getting really confused!

 

[pinkelle]

Hi, our consultant advises taking the fat off before cooking as you are then less likely to eat it.

I really don't see that it matters as to when you take the fat off, just as long as you do.

I usually take mine off after cooking, especially with chicken as I find it can make the chicken dry if I take it off before cooking.
x

 

[kazdolphin]

Hi, I'm not sure about this one! I don't actually go to the meetings. I have always taken fat off before cooking, I just thought if the fat is removed before no fat can get into the meat while cooking, may be wrong but just my way of thinking! Would be interested to know the correct way.

 

[Claireybella]

Hi, our consultant advises taking the fat off before cooking as you are then less likely to eat it.

I really don't see that it matters as to when you take the fat off, just as long as you do.

I usually take mine off after cooking, especially with chicken as I find it can make the chicken dry if I take it off before cooking.
x

My old consultant said the same thing about being tempted to eat it, but I get my hubby to cut it off and bin it, before I even get to eating it!

 

[PatchworkPuss]

Definitely before cooking because otherwise the food absorbs fat during the cooking process

 

[Angie_b]

I thought I had read in the book before eating :/ I buy the extra lean bacon anyway but I don't take the skin off chicken till after it's cooked as I find it too hard to do when it's raw really ah well lol

 

[kingleds]

Mine says before as well. I do before if I'm doing chicken drumksticks. thighs, or breast. But not if I do a whole chicken, because its just really hectic. or if I do Pork loin, I will take it off before because I can't resist eating it when its all crispy! Same with bacon.

 

[vanilla_cupcake]

Mine says before as well. I do before if I'm doing chicken drumksticks. thighs, or breast. But not if I do a whole chicken, because its just really hectic. or if I do Pork loin, I will take it off before because I can't resist eating it when its all crispy! Same with bacon.

OMG I love bacon fat when its all crispy :drool: :drool:

 

[kingleds]

OMG I love bacon fat when its all crispy :drool: :drool:

Don't get me started!! I have to buy the ex lean one now so I'm not even remotely tempted..........

 

[Angie_b]

I guess I'm quite lucky in the sense of I have always hated all fat on bacon and I looooathe pork crackling lol if only i could hate chocolate with the same passion

 

[Claireybella]

Thanks girls. Funny how everyone interprets this, isn't it? The book says to remove it before eating, but not cooking. I remove fat from bacon before cooking but after with everything else. I do sometimes allow myself a little bit of crackling if we have roast pork!

 

[JosieDelonge]

I snip the rind off bacon before cooking but if it's a full chicken, I cook with the skin on and just take it off before eating. It depends what I'm doing with the chicken.

With chicken portions, if I'm cooking them with a sauce (like BBQ or a "So Juicy") I take the skin off before cooking so the sauce can coat them and I don't miss out!

I haven't noticed a difference on the scales with either way so I don't think it matters too much as long as you're not eating it! xx

 

[sparklesazzy]

I would take it off before so the fat doesn't go into the meat as much, unless its a roast when i always take it off after since everyone is eating that!

 

[slimmingmadhouse]

If it's quite easy I would take the fat off before to stop it absorbing the fat during cooking. But I don't with roast chisken as it's too much effort.

 

[Shirleen]

There's no need to remove the skin from fish though :s

 

[Zoesastar]

Ive been told in the past that Chicken doesnt absorb its own fat like other meat??

I leave the skin on all my chicken till its cooked but anything really easy to cut away before cooking i always do first!

 

[teen]

I Take fat of after cooking cause if you go the pub and have meat they cook it with the fat one and you just cut it of yourself

 

[Claireybella]

Brilliant replies, thanks everyone! So seeing as everyone is losing weight, and as long as we're not eating the fat, it doesn't seem to matter either way, does it?

My C mentioned the fish skin, Shirleen and when I questioned it, she made me feel very stupid but cos she was new, I stayed quiet but this whole debate has now been going on on our FB page. She even mentioned the old urban myth about Wetherspoons jacket spuds! I kind of rolled my eyes at that one! Ha ha! She's lovely enough but does seem young and new to all of this.

 

[fennerxo]

hiya there,
Ive been told that you have to remove the fat off all meat before cooking (except chicken) because if you cook the meat with the fat on the meat will absorb some of the fat leaving the meat with fat in it if you get me haha?
xx