topic Re: When is a Chicken DONE? in Kitchen

When is a Chicken DONE?

Sooner — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 14:27:37 GMT

When is a chicken done? I keep hearing 165 degrees for the breast, 180 for dark meat. . .

I pulled one out of the oven yesterday and it was at least 170 to 180 all over. I cut the thigh off and it was still raw down in there. I usually clip the thigh from the back before I roast one, but forgot.

So do you have trouble getting a chicken done everywhere? It has always been a problem for me, and I never hear any tv chef talk about this!

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Mistreatedbycs — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 14:36:17 GMT

I don't believe I have ever had that problem. I never use a thermometer either. I bake chicken all the time and coated with rice krispies or corn flakes, 1-1/2 hours later it's done. Usually a 3 to a 3-1/2# fryer and I cut it up. Temp 350 deg.

Now if you buy a roaster, that's a different bake. Those are usually 5-6# and those take 3-4 hours to cook.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

SharkE — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 14:37:29 GMT

your oven on 350 ? Bake at least hr and a half, baste with butter (just me) LOL check it , if still to pink or for sure red, keep baking.

depends on size of chicken, too. I put mine on that inverter pan that looks like a angel food cake pan

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

wagirl — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 14:38:25 GMT

You sound like you are using a meat thermometer so thats good. And what type of chicken you use, pieces or whole or half, bone in or boneless, makes a difference. For me , I cut into a piece of chicken and if the juices are clear, not pinkish than it's done. I cook it for whatever the recipe time is than check it; and will put it back in the oven if its not done like you like--maybe 5 min at a time. I normally use tenders or cut the breast into tenders. I cook whole chickens in my pressure cooker most times.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Group 5 minus 1 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 14:39:30 GMT

When the juices run clear.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

QVCkitty1 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 14:41:04 GMT

I like my chicken well done, so 165 is too low for me. I realize it can get too done, but I will sacrifice some moisture to make sure the chicken is done.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Quse — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 14:58:13 GMT

I usually just cook the tar out of it, until it's falling off the bone. I cook whole chickens breat side down (even split breasts with bone in) so the juice remains. Boneless chix I usually cook in something, like broth, to retain juice...and cook for hours.

I see some of these cooking shows that don't cook chix long enough, then they cut them open and show how "juicy"....while the pink juice and raw insides are dripping out...eww!

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Sooner — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 15:06:33 GMT

@Quse wrote:
I usually just cook the tar out of it, until it's falling off the bone. I cook whole chickens breat side down (even split breasts with bone in) so the juice remains. Boneless chix I usually cook in something, like broth, to retain juice...and cook for hours.

I see some of these cooking shows that don't cook chix long enough, then they cut them open and show how "juicy"....while the pink juice and raw insides are dripping out...eww!

My problem is that the chicken is perfectly cooked except for down in the thigh joint and sometimes in the very inside part of the breast where the wing is attached. It is frustrating when this runs red/pink juices and maybe has a bloody spot. If you cook chickens the way they tell you on ALL the shows, this usually happens.

I almost always buy organic chickens about 3.5 pounds and like to roast them whole.

Thanks for tips and suggestions.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

CelticCrafter — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 15:11:52 GMT

@ncascade wrote:
When the juices run clear.

That's how I do it if it's a whole chicken, stick the fork in the joints.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

ID2 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 15:13:21 GMT

I over cook also. I've never taken the temp of any of the chickens I've baked and they are always falling off the bone, moist and delicious. The more I cook the more I pretty much just "wing it". I loosely follow a recipe but when its all said and done its nothing like what the recipe says it should contain!

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Poodlepet2 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 16:02:23 GMT

For many years, the magic temperature for poultry was 180 degrees, then a few years back, I began seeing 160- 165 degrees....I thought I was going crazy.

My solution is leave the chicken on the counter for 1/2 hour: some say to bring it to room temperature-that is so not happening. That has been suggested for steak as well.

My DH is usually the one to do the roasting of the whole chicken, and he's a pro.

We typically use In a Garten's method which is roasting at a high temp: I would tell you exactly what to do, but grrrr, I have to look it up every time I make it.

It turns out perfectly just about every time. We take ours out at 170 degrees and snuggly tent it while the root veggies continue roasting for another half hour.

It does happen every now and then that we see pink: it goes back in the oven and we check it every 10 minutes.

Everything-chicken and veggies (namely DH's beloved potatoes) goes under the broiler for a minute.

In the event that we still find any raw areas, rather than risk drying out the breast which has been thoroughly checked for doneness-we nuke the questionable pieces until juices run clear.

I have no idea what's going on with the "new" temperature, and I will always use a thermometer, but the best way is to make sure juices run clear.

Poodlepet2

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Carmie — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 16:22:40 GMT

I have a really good accurate meat thermometer. I always stick it in the meat down in the thigh, right in the joint area that is usually still pink when not cooked enough.

I also partially cut the thigh away from the breast and expose the meat when it's halfway done. It helps it cook faster.

if a whole chicken, when I remove it from the oven, I tent it with foil and let it sit while I make the gravy and other sides,,, anywhere from 20-30 minutes. This makes it easier to slice the breast perfectly for a nice presentation. If you cut it right out of the oven, the breast tears and the pieces are sloppy and not cut cleanly.

My mother who was a chef always would jiggle the leg and thigh hard. If there was any resistance, it as not done yet. She never used a thermometer.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

151949 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 22:31:46 GMT

I'm with ncascade - stick a fork deep into the largest joint and if the juices are pink it isn't done yet - if they are clear - it's done.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Sooner — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:42:27 GMT

I may just go back to roasting chicken halves. If I cook a whole chicken to get the joints from running pink (even sometimes if I split the thigh from the body) I have the problem of the breast being too done.

It's funny because I used Ina's recipe and the high heat and that didn't work so great either. Maybe I should stick to beef! LOL!!!

Thanks for the responses!

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

candys mine — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 10:46:01 GMT

Go by temp. Myoglobin in the meat can cause it to be pink, especially near the bone. It's the same thing that causes the pink ring on the Outside edge of good smoked meat. I don't worry if the temp is right. I use the jiggle the thigh trick too. i also Never truss the legs. I figure it gives a little more air flow around thighs.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Pooky1 — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 10:59:15 GMT

when i worked in supermarket we allways cooked our whole chickens to 180 . we took temp in center of breast.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Poodlepet2 — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 11:13:36 GMT

Sooner, I am better with cooking chicken pieces than whole birds, but whole chicken using Ina's method has always turned out well except twice-it was an elderly oven which we decided to replace....

Is it possible that the calibration of your oven is off?

Using her method has always worked for me and I'm using the same type of birds you are: small organic critters...I can't help but wonder is it your oven....

PS: another thing that drives me crazy....do you remember when "they" used to give directions on the package of minutes per pound? I wonder why they got rid of that information...that was extremely helpful: cookbooks talk about that when it comes to beef and pork, but not chicken.

Poodlepet2

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Sooner — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 15:16:27 GMT

@Poodlepet2 wrote:
Sooner, I am better with cooking chicken pieces than whole birds, but whole chicken using Ina's method has always turned out well except twice-it was an elderly oven which we decided to replace....
Is it possible that the calibration of your oven is off?
Using her method has always worked for me and I'm using the same type of birds you are: small organic critters...I can't help but wonder is it your oven....
PS: another thing that drives me crazy....do you remember when "they" used to give directions on the package of minutes per pound? I wonder why they got rid of that information...that was extremely helpful: cookbooks talk about that when it comes to beef and pork, but not chicken.
Poodlepet2

LOL!! Yes, as the QUEEN of thermometers, the oven is ok. It is just that pesky joint that runs red. And I agree about the time per pound information. The only thing I can think of is upside down for the first part of the roasting. . . And I did use Ina's method and that was frustrating. I know the woman knows chicken for sure. Thanks for the thoughts. I'll try it again soon and let you all know!

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Razzy 7 — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 16:19:49 GMT

Get an instant read thermometer. Chicken is done when the temperature is 165 degrees.

Re: When is a Chicken DONE?

Toppers3 — Sun, 14 May 2017 08:34:01 GMT

What I do when roasting a whole chicken, is when the outer skin starts to get a nice golden brown color to where I like it, I cover the top part of the chicken with foil and will let it continue baking to make sure that the legs catch up with the breast for doneness, as we know that the breast usually finishes roasting first before the rest of the chicken does.

This way the breast doesn't dry out and the rest of the chicken can finish roasting.

I always use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.