Temperature for baking chicken

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

If the meat is dry, you are cooking it too long. Pull the chicken when the juices run clear, and let rest for ten minutes or so before serving.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[taxlady]

If the meat is dry, you are cooking it too long. Pull the chicken when the juices run clear, and let rest for ten minutes or so before serving.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

+1

 

[kitchengoddess8]

If the meat is dry, you are cooking it too long. Pull the chicken when the juices run clear, and let rest for ten minutes or so before serving.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Thanks! I baked it at 400 for 40 minutes. Do you think I should go higher than 400 and shorten the time?

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks! I baked it at 400 for 40 minutes. Do you think I should go higher than 400 and shorten the time?

You have to cook it less. So same temp, less time. Try 30 minutes @ 400ºF.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

You have to cook it less. So same temp, less time. Try 30 minutes @ 400ºF.

Ok I'll try that and post the results.

 

[Andy M.]

You really should get an instant read thermometer so you can by temp rather than time.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

You really should get an instant read thermometer so you can by temp rather than time.

I've never used one. What do I need to do?

 

[Andy M.]

I've never used one. What do I need to do?

You can find digital (not a dial type) instant read thermometers in kitchen stores or places like Target or Wal-Mart, etc.

Taylor and Polder are reliable brands. You can find them for as little as $10.

All you have to do is turn it on and stick the tip of the probe into the thickest part of the meat and let the temperature register. You sill see the numbers climbing on the display. When it stops, that's the temp of the meat. Test a couple of different parts of the meat to be sure. All chicken is cooked safely at 161ºF. I find thigh meat has a better texture around 180ºF-185ºF. Breast meat will be dry and tough at thigh temps so stick to the low to mid 160s.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

You can find digital (not a dial type) instant read thermometers in kitchen stores or places like Target or Wal-Mart, etc.

Taylor and Polder are reliable brands. You can find them for as little as $10.

All you have to do is turn it on and stick the tip of the probe into the thickest part of the meat and let the temperature register. You sill see the numbers climbing on the display. When it stops, that's the temp of the meat. Test a couple of different parts of the meat to be sure. All chicken is cooked safely at 161ºF. I find thigh meat has a better texture around 180ºF-185ºF. Breast meat will be dry and tough at thigh temps so stick to the low to mid 160s.

So do you take the meat out to rest as soon as it reaches the ideal temperature?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

So do you take the meat out to rest as soon as it reaches the ideal temperature?

Yes. Any additional cooking will merely result in more "overshoot" of your desired temperature.

Experienced chefs often take their roasts out of the oven short of the ultimate target temperature in anticipation of this overshoot. It is often an experience that must be learned. After taking your roast chicken (beef, pork) out of the oven, monitor the ultimate peak temperature and relate that to what it was when you took it out, and relate that to how you like it cooked. Take good notes and adjust your procedure accordingly.

 

[Bmhughes89]

Yes. Any additional cooking will merely result in more "overshoot" of your desired temperature.

Experienced chefs often take their roasts out of the oven short of the ultimate target temperature in anticipation of this overshoot. It is often an experience that must be learned. After taking your roast chicken (beef, pork) out of the oven, monitor the ultimate peak temperature and relate that to what it was when you took it out, and relate that to how you like it cooked. Take good notes and adjust your procedure accordingly.

I was going to post this. Food cooks after taken out of the oven, pan, any heat activated cooking apparatus. It's usually good to take chicken out around 155 and let it rest. Resting meat allows the muscle tissue to regain the moisture cooking the meat is pulling out. Same reason to why a duck breast severely bleeds out if you cut it right out of the pan.

 

[Caslon]

I cooked a cornish game hen the other night, in the oven. I put it on one of those wire rack chicken stands. I followed one sites recommendation which I will probably follow from now on. 325 F for an hour per pound. My game hen was 1.7 pounds so I cooked it at that temp for about 100 minutes. The recipe then called for turning up the oven to 400 F for 25 minutes. It worked out well. Cooking at the somewhat lower 325 F really made that game hen smell like a small thanksgiving turkey. Btw, I was going for a lemon pepper game hen. I poured a lot of lemon pepper seasoning into the cavity, but wish I had added more. Next time I will do the same and zest some lemon peel into the cavity.


The end temp probe read about 170 F. Next time, I might leave it in the oven longer than the 100 minutes to get to 180 F. I hope that the breast meat doesn't get too dry tho. The skin turned out crisp, but not overly so, which was a concern of mine.

 

[Andy M.]

You cooked a 1.7 pound chicken for 2 hours and 5 minutes and it was only 170ºF?

 

[FrankZ]

All you have to do is turn it on and stick the tip of the probe into the thickest part of the meat and let the temperature register..

I have much better success if I insert the probe wait a moment then turn it on. I read that tip on a manufacturer's website.

 

[Andy M.]

I have much better success if I insert the probe wait a moment then turn it on. I read that tip on a manufacturer's website.

What difference in performance did you notice?

 

[FrankZ]

What difference in performance did you notice?

Much quicker readings.

I will point out I just bought a new one (with thermocouple) and it is supposed to be fast to start with. But I get 3-4 second reading instead of 10ish with it if I insert it first.

 

[Andy M.]

Much quicker readings.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

The problem I have with using a meat thermometer is that it's hard to see through my oven door (it's an old oven). I would have to keep opening the door which would create a sudden drop in temperature, making it hard to get an even bake or roast on the meat.

 

[Andy M.]

The type of thermometer I pictured is not to be left in the oven. You would open the door, check it, remove the thermometer, and close the door.

If you want the type you leave in the food, look for one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Polder-Digital-In-Oven-Thermometer-Graphite/dp/B000P6FLOY/ref=pd_sbs_indust_4

Yu put the probe into the meat, run the wire out of the oven and plug it into the display that stays on the counter.

No need to try to read the temp through the oven window.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

The type of thermometer I pictured is not to be left in the oven. You would open the door, check it, remove the thermometer, and close the door.

If you want the type you leave in the food, look for one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Polder-Digital-In-Oven-Thermometer-Graphite/dp/B000P6FLOY/ref=pd_sbs_indust_4

Yu put the probe into the meat, run the wire out of the oven and plug it into the display that stays on the counter.

No need to try to read the temp through the oven window.

Thanks for clarifying! How often do you usually check the temperature with the first type of thermometer you described.