Kitchen

[Bhvbum]

Rotisserie chickens at Costco are set to be done when they reach 165° temperature inside.  According to the USDA, the temperature is the best and only real way to tell if chicken is fully cooked and ready to eat. That means that all parts of the chicken should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before you dig in:

In some cases, this means that a perfectly cooked chicken might still be a little pink inside. And what about the advice that a chicken's juices should run clear before you take it off the heat? Though clear juices can be one indication of thorough cooking, only a thermometer will be able to gauge if a chicken is done. If the temperature is right, don't fret if those juices seem a little pink.

So why would thoroughly cooked chicken stay pink? Everything from the age of the bird to the way it was raised can influence the color of its meat.

The pink color in the meat of safely cooked chicken is particularly common in young birds. The bones of younger chickens are more permeable than older animals, which can allow the bone marrow to leak into the surrounding meat and produce a pink color. The hemoglobin in chicken tissues can also create a heat-stable color that lingers even after the bird has been thoroughly cooked.

A red or pink tinge can even be caused by the chicken's diet, the way the meat was frozen, or certain cooking methods such as grilling or smoking.

[Bhvbum]

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

I find the Costco chickens under cooked at my local warehouse.  Always pink inside.  I have to put it in the oven to cook a bit longer. 

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Then they are probably young chickens that often are pink, Costco chickens are cooked to 165°. Reaching that temperature is the only indication that the salmonella has been killed, not the color of the meat which can often be pink tinged.  There’s no way that COSTCO is not cooking their chickens to 165° all the time,  the local health inspectors who test their kitchens would see that immediately.

[SeasonedCitizen]

Havrti@ Yes they sell a package of the dark meat also. It looks like it's the legs and thighs from 2 chickens. Have never looked at the price. 

[NicksmomESQ]

 Love Costco chickens.They're plump,juicy & fresh.Just the other day I made delicious chicken salad from the leftovers.

 Over the summer I had a get together for friends. I bought 3 Costco chickens & DH made ribs on the grill.I also made some potato salad. Big hit!!

[sashamatthews]

Thanks for the heads-up!  Costco is opening in my area on November 14.  My sister, who lives in Minnesota, said it is the best warehouse store she has ever shopped at.

[jannabelle1]

@Azcowgirl, glad you mentioned Sam's because I was just wondering how theirs is. I haven't tried it but wondered if it's as good. I'm going there tomorrow so maybe I'll pick one up.

[Azcowgirl]

@sunshine45 @Yes the the rotisserie chicken I got at Sams club was just sections of white meat only.

[sunshine45]

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@Azcowgirl wrote:

@sunshine45 @Yes the the rotisserie chicken I got at Sams club was just sections of white meat only.

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@Azcowgirl 

this is so good to know!

how have i never noticed this before?

i am going to go through the rotisserie chicken section and hope that i find just the white meat.

[noodleann]

@Bhvbum , thank you for posting the info about how to tell whether meat/fowl is cooked using temperature and not color. I've become a diehard user of meat thermometers and find it surprising how they can reach the safe temp and you'd never know it by color.

I use the thermometers from ThermoWorks, their Chef Alarm and other cheaper models. They've got great customer service and a terrific blog with fascinating info on things like carryover cooking, something everyone handling meats should understand to avoid overcooking.

[DiAnne]

I love Costco rotisserie chicken and I have never gotten an undercooked one.  I like to get the whole chicken because I want to carcass for making chicken stock.