What happened to my chicken?

[oldrustycars]

I made oven fried chicken leg quarters for guests tonight. Ive made them 1000 times. Oven at 350, cooked for just over an hour. Instant read thermometer read 188. I think 180 is done, right? I have no reason to believe the thermometer is off, or the oven is off. I cut into it and got blood all over the platter. The meat looked cooked, whats up with this? Ive had it happen in the past, every once in a while. It was on sale, store brand chicken, I usually buy it from the butcher shop, but cost was an object. Embarrassing, especially after I bragged my oven fry recipe rivals most pan fried chicken.

 

[trooper]

I made oven fried chicken leg quarters for guests tonight. Ive made them 1000 times. Oven at 350, cooked for just over an hour. Instant read thermometer read 188. I think 180 is done, right? I have no reason to believe the thermometer is off, or the oven is off. I cut into it and got blood all over the platter. The meat looked cooked, whats up with this? Ive had it happen in the past, every once in a while. It was on sale, store brand chicken, I usually buy it from the butcher shop, but cost was an object. Embarrassing, especially after I bragged my oven fry recipe rivals most pan fried chicken.

1. Is chicken the same temperature each time (before cooking)?
2. Replace battery in thermometer. I need to do this every 6 months or so.
3. After you verify thermometer, verify oven calibrated temperature.
4. 165 internal temp is fine for chicken, 180 is over-cooked.
5. Surface temp is always higher than internal temp.

 

[Alix]

Is it possible the meat was still a bit frozen near the bone? That would about do it. Either that or the temps are off.

 

[jet]

They used to say 180deg F, but not any more.
USDA Kitchen Thermometers

 

[Andy M.]

Something didn't happen the way it was supposed to.

The chicken was raw after being cooked for the same amount of time as usual. That means the chicken was partially frozen as Alix suggests or your oven temp is off.

Either way, the thermometer should have registered the low temp for you. It's unlikely that both the oven and thermometer went awry at the same time. To me that makes both of these possibilities unlikely.

Since you bought these at a different store, they could have been a bit larger, requiring a longer cooking time. However, once again the thermometer should have caught this.

Bottom line, check your thermometer for accuracy in boiling and ice water.

BTW, 161 F is the minimum safe temp for chicken. Dark meat has a better texture for eating and is still juicy in the 180s F.

 

[FrankZ]

Is it possible when you took your temperature you hit bone and got a falsely higher temperature?

 

[Alix]

Is it possible when you took your temperature you hit bone and got a falsely higher temperature?

DING DING DING! I think Frank has found the answer! I never thought of that Frank but I bet you are absolutely right.

 

[FrankZ]

I won't tell you how I came up with that.

 

[oldrustycars]

I didn't hit the bone, but I bet it wasn't thawed all the way. When I took it out of the fridge it was still a bit stiff, I thawed it in water. I bet not all the way.

 

[Alix]

I won't tell you how I came up with that.

Don't need to...been there done that!

oldrustycars, that was likely the culprit then. I've done that a time or two myself.

 

[Andy M.]

I didn't hit the bone, but I bet it wasn't thawed all the way. When I took it out of the fridge it was still a bit stiff, I thawed it in water. I bet not all the way.

I got the impression from your OP that you used a thermometer to verify the cooked temperature. Did you?

 

[oldrustycars]

Yes, I use an instant read digital thermometer for all meats. In this case, the meat in the thigh read 188, and it had been in the oven over an hour at 350, which should have been fine. I feel my problem was it had been frozen solid, then defrosted in the fridge for two days. It wasn't completely thawed, so I thawed it the rest of the way, or so I thought, in water. I'm guessing it was still frozen in the bones. When I cut the leg from the thigh, blood ran out. The meat was cooked, no pink.