Because their activity is anaerobic (they don’t require oxygen to twitch), they tend to be less dense with capillaries, giving them their characteristic pale color Incidentally, the same distinction between fast- and slow-twitch muscles occurs in pretty much all animals, even humans Ever wonder why a tuna is deep red while a cod is pale white? Tunas are made almost entirely of allpowerful slow-twitch muscles, which allow the fish to rapidly torpedo their way through the water for long periods of time A cod moves only when he’s eating or frightened • Fat provides insulation and energy storage for chickens For humans, chicken fat just tastes delicious (provided it’s cooked right) Fat is mainly found in large deposits around the legs and back of the bird, as well as in the skin Contrary to popular belief, the skin of a chicken is not all fat—in fact, it’s primarily made up of • Connective tissue Composed of collagen, among other tissues, connective tissue is what keeps muscles attached to bones and bones attached to each other In its natural state, it resembles a piece of yarn made of three separate strands that are tightly wound together, giving it lots of strength Heat it up, and those strands unravel into gelatin, which can then form a loose matrix, giving stocks and sauces body and texture Collagen is found everywhere, but it is particularly concentrated in the legs, wings, back, and skin of the bird The older the animal, the more collagen there will be • Bone lends structure to the bird Without bones, chickens would be little puddles of Jell-O, and not all that appetizing Many cooks believe that bones are what give stock flavor; I’m skeptical (read on) Depending on the part of the chicken you use, these parts are present in different ratios To sum up, chicken legs are high in slow-twitch muscle, have plenty of fat, and contain a good amount of connective tissue and bones Breasts are almost completely fast-twitch muscle Backs and carcasses have little meat of either kind but plenty of bone, connective tissue, and fat Wings have the highest concentration of connective tissue of all, with a high proportion of fat and some bone To figure out exactly what each of these various tissues brings to the pot, I cooked a few batches of stock side by side: one made with just white meat, one made with just dark meat, one made with just bones, and one made with chicken carcasses, which have plenty of bones and connective tissue but relatively little meat ... cooks believe that bones are what give stock flavor; I’m skeptical (read on) Depending on the part of the chicken you use, these parts are present in different ratios To sum up, chicken legs... fast-twitch muscle Backs and carcasses have little meat of either kind but plenty of bone, connective tissue, and fat Wings have the highest concentration of connective tissue of all, with a... with a high proportion of fat and some bone To figure out exactly what each of these various tissues brings to the pot, I cooked a few batches of stock side by side: one made with just white