Meat Doneness Chart

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/MeatTemperatureChart.htm

Beef and Lamb Cooking Temperature Chart Roasts, Steaks & Chops Rare 120 to 125 degrees F center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion Medium Rare 130 to 135 degrees F center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion Medium 140 to 145 degrees F center is light pink, outer portion is brown Medium Well 150 to 155 degrees F not pink Well Done 160 degrees F and above steak is uniformly brown throughout Ground Meat 160 to 165 degrees F no longer pink but uniformly brown throughout Poultry Cooking Temperature Chart Poultry (Chicken & Duck) 165 degrees F cook until juices run clear Turkey NOTE: A 12-lb turkey can easily handle 60 to 90 minutes of resting. During that time, temperature can rise 30 degrees if not exposed to drafts. 165 degrees F juices run clear - leg moves easily Stuffing (cooked alone or in turkey) 165 degrees F Pork Cooking Temperature Chart Roasts, Steaks & Chops Medium 140 to 145 degrees F pale pink center Well Done 160 degrees F and above steak is uniformly brown throughout Pork ribs, pork shoulders, and beef brisket 160 degrees F and above medium to well done Sausage (raw) 160 degrees F no longer pink Ham Raw 160 degrees F Pre-cooked 140 degrees F

Fish and Seafood Cooking Temperature Chart Fish (steaks, filleted or whole) 140 degrees F flesh is opaque, flakes easily Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin 125 degrees F cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Shrimp Medium-size, boiling 3 to 4 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Large-size, boiling 5 to 7 minues cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Jumbo-size, boiling 7 to 8 minutes cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor Lobster Boiled, whole - 1 lb. 12 to 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 3 to 4 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Steamed, whole - 1 1/2 lbs. 15 to 20 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Baked, tails - each 15 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Broiled, tails - each 9 to 10 minutes meat turns red and opaque in center when cut Scallops Bake 12 to 15 minutes milky white or opaque, and firm Broil milky white or opaque, and firm Clams, Mussels & Oysters point at which their shells open - throw away any that do not open

Chicken Doneness

thttp://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--329/chicken-checking-doneness.asp

Chicken - Checking Doneness

Checking doneness is accomplished in basically the same manner regardless of the cooking method you are using. Some methods are more accurate than others and some are more suitable in regard to the cooking method and to the cut of chicken. Shown below are the most common methods for checking doneness. Thermometer: Using a thermometer is the most accurate method for testing doneness of the chicken. A regular meat thermometer or an instant read thermometer can be used. A regular meat thermometer is inserted before placing the chicken in the oven or other heat source and remains there throughout the cooking time. An instant read thermometer is used to check doneness once the chicken is cooked. The chicken is taken away from the heat source and the instant read thermometer is immediately inserted into the thickest part of the breast or thigh (it should not be touching a bone). The thermometer provides a temperature reading in approximately 15 seconds. Internal Temperatures for Proper Doneness Whole Chicken - Thigh Area 175° - 180°F Whole Chicken - Breast Area 170° - 175°F Chicken Breast and Wings 170° - 175°F Chicken Parts - Dark Meat 180°F Ground Chicken 170°F Stuffing Inside Whole Chicken 165°F Note: If the proper temperature is not reached, the chicken should be returned to the heat source for further cooking. Piercing: Another method for testing doneness is to prick the chicken with a fork or the tip of a knife and check to see if the juices that escape run clear. If the juices have any pinkish coloring, the chicken is not done and should be returned to the heat source for further cooking. Visual: The visual method of determining doneness is to make a small slit with the tip of a knife into the thickest part of the chicken and then pry the slit open. The meat should be opaque with no signs of pink coloring. If the meat shows any signs of not being done, the chicken should be returned to the heat source for further cooking.

8/19 - Oven BBQ Bone- In Chicken Breast

ingredients:

• 4 halved bone in chicken breast
• s+p
• spice rub
• bbq sauce
• ketchup
  
• honey
• liquid smoke
• worchester sauce
  

steps:

1. preheat oven 450
   
2. sprinkle 3 finger pinch of kosher salt on each side of chicken breast
3. season liberally with bbq spice rub
4. place chicken on rack over foiled up sheet pan
   
5. roast 15 minutes
   
6. glaze with thinned out bbq sauce (bottled bbq sauce + hot water + ketchup + honey + liquid smoke + Worcester sauce)
   
7. roast extra 15 minutes (after 6 minutes, was at 130 degrees for smallest piece
8. perfectly done for the 2 small pieces
9. added another 5 minutes for 2 other pieces
10. all done except that one piece
11. added another 5 minutes
12. glaze a lil more after it comes out...and serve!
    

Trussing a Chicken (online tutorial videos)

2 videos...

http://www.howcast.com/videos/8690-How-To-Truss-a-Chicken

Roast Chicken

(based on The Foodie Handbook's Roast Chicken recipe page 62)

• about 2.75 lb free range chicken (original recipe sis 3.25 lb bird and roast longer)
  
• 3 tbsp soft butter
• s+p
• handful of italian oregano
• 3 sprigs of rosemary
• 4 heads of garlic (smashed)

1. preheat oven 425 F
2. sprinkle liberally with s+p inside and out
3. separate skin on top of breasts from the meat
   
4. stuff cavity with rosemary, garlic, and oregano
5. rub butter all over the cavity
6. grease lil more below on the sheetpan
7. truss up the chicken's legs and wings
8. lie it on one of the thighs
9. roast 30 minutes
10. baste and flip it to the other thigh to rest on
11. roast 25 more minutes...
12. done! (i took out prior to timer because meat pulled away from leg a lot..checked temp and was 170 at thigh and breast)
13. rest it with its tail up and breast down...let the dresses go into the breasts
    

grade B+

- needed slightly more salt
- ideally, more color on the breast...
- because the bird is so small, i needed to lower times before flip and leave some time to roast the breast
- just barely cooked through...see lil pink in the joint after cut into the thigh (originally thought not cooked enough..but i was wrong)
- breast quite moist but tough to say because it was freerange and very small breasts
- slight crispy..want it more crispy
- great flavor because of butter

next time:
- get a bird about 3.25 lbs
- roast as directions say...1/2 hour on a side, then 1/2 hour after flip, then 20 minutes for the breast and lower temp to 375 if not fully cooked and cook til juices run clear
- try to maybe roast one flip with the breasts down to leave breasts less exposed
- using an onion to stuff it more so heat doesn't go in would work better than just herbs where i can see the cavity open...
- learn to truss a bird properly

ideas:
- i like this idea of roasting on tights then keep flipping
- i also like the trussing as i believe it will allow for less heat to hit the breasts
- still feel that breasts will overcook esp if last minutes is to roast the breasts...
- i think best to roast first 20 min on one thigh, 20 min on other thigh, 20 min on the breast, and 20 minutes on the back....better than so much time with breasts exposed i think...