Chicken Doneness

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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.

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...

1/27 - Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks

• chinese bbq sauce (shachay) (5 tbsp)
  
• bbq sauce (3 tbsp)
• chicken drumsticks, skin on (7 ea)

1. preheat oven 425
2. stir together sauces + salt and pepper to taste...add lil hot water if to thick (i didn't do this when i made it first time)
   
3. add chicken with sauce mixture and toss to coat (if have time, marinade like this overnight for optimal flavor)
   
4. spread on a pam sprayed, foil lined sheet pan
5. place on middle rack of oven and set timer for 35 minutes
6. turn up heat to 450 and cook for 5 more minutes til skin browns
7. serve over rice

grade: A-

• great flavor but needed more salt
• 2 sauces mixed very well together...chinese bbq sauce is amazing...first time roasting with it
• served with asparagus sauteed with garlic and oyster sauce
• chinese sauce lil too lumpy...next time thin it out first with bbq sauce before mixing might be better
• prob best is marinade overnight
  

1/8 - Quick Braised Chicken Thighs

ingredients:

• 5 skinless chicken thighs
• flour
• 2 big tablespoons of bbq sauce
• 1 can chicken stock
• 1/4 can of tap water
• 1/2 onion sliced
  
• 2 bayleaves
• 2 garlic cloves smashed
  

steps:

1. season thighs with salt and pepper
2. lightly dust the thighs on all sides
   
3. heat to mid-high and when hot, sear skinless chicken thighs on dutch oven with couple tablespoons of oil..about 2-3 minutes per side til rich brown...took 2 batches as to not crowd pot
   
4. turn heat to medium, add onions and cook til slight coloring...about 3 minutes
5. add chicken stock and bbq sauce, then scrape fond
6. add back chicken, garlic, and bayleaves...
7. if not enough liquid, add just enough to go slightly above 1/2 up chicken...(was about 1/4 cup water for me
8. when strong simmer, cover and turn heat to med-low
9. braise for about 30minutes til meat very tender and nearly falling off bone and middle is hot
10. serve with braising liquid as sauce..should be correct about of saltiness

flavor:

• very nice...my bbq sauce has whiskey (old crow) in it so it tasted similar to a coq au vin
• meat was so tender...amazing texture
• very complex salty and sweet flavor...umami-like in my opinion
• sauce is just slightly thickened as the flour from the chicken was able to give it a nice silky consistency
  
• browning of chicken with the flour made the outside taste very very similar to chicken skin...very nice...
• aroma is amazing...like a complex ketchup but not...
• one of the best chicken recipes i ever made