Help cooking chicken and pork

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CookingFrenzy

Assistant Cook
Joined
Sep 14, 2005
Messages
4
Hey everyone, i'm new here, and hoping that i'm doing this right. I'm having a get together at my house shortly and asked everyone what they wanted to eat, and the majority said Pork, and Chicken... the two hardest things for me to cook. For some reason i can never get them right. I dont cook them enough, or i over cook them... can someone please give me some helpful tips... i'd greatly appreciate it.:chef:

(Its Bonless, Skinless Chicken Breast, and Bonless Pork Loin Chops)
 
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It depends on what type of meal you'd like to cook with the meat. Are you grilling out? Cooking on the stove/in the oven?

If I bake my skinless bonless chicken breasts I usually do it at 350F for about 30 minutes. Just be sure you have them seasoned and covered or dredged in something to give them flavor and keep them from drying out. Another good way to cook them and know they're cooked is to cut them into small pieces (say 1" cubes) and cook them over med-hi heat in a skillet. Again, it depends on what you'd like to do with them. Let us know and we'd all be happy to help you with more details! :chef:
 
CookingFrenzy said:
Hey everyone, i'm new here, and hoping that i'm doing this right. I'm having a get together at my house shortly and asked everyone what they wanted to eat, and the majority said Pork, and Chicken... the two hardest things for me to cook. For some reason i can never get them right. I dont cook them enough, or i over cook them... can someone please give me some helpful tips... i'd greatly appreciate it.:chef:

(Its Bonless, Skinless Chicken Breast, and Bonless Pork Loin Chops)

I don't normally recommend a thermometer for small pieces
like chicken breasts or pork chops,but if you use it for a while and cross reference that with the feel of the meat
eventually you'll be cooking meat to order.

Time cooking is generaly not a good method because temps
need to be determined and thickness will be different everytime,so stay away from that.

Feel is what I use for small cuts like steaks,chicken parts
or seafood.Everyone that does this method has learned through experience with trial and error,but again for small
proteins like this I would recommend you give it a go.Worst
case scenario hopefully,is you have to cook it a little longer.

Thermometer is the best way to determine doneness.

Some cooking methods are not as susceptable to overcooking,or should I say mask well the fact.For example
wet cooking methods like stews,braising and even sauteeing
then simmering in a liquid will mask over doneness.But if
you roasting,pan frying,sauteing,grilling that kind of thing
then the doneness will need to be more exact.

There will always be chatter about what is considered cooked when it comes to chicken or pork.If you
follow guideline set out by the gov everything would be overcooked and not fit for consumption.So to determine
what internal temp you consider done you'll have to experiment a few time to establish that.

And of course the last answer is cook the meat until it's done.:mrgreen:
 
I have a solution - next time don't ask what they want :mrgreen:

Everyone gave you good advice here - there's really nothing more I can add.
 
kitchenelf said:
I have a solution - next time don't ask what they want :mrgreen:

Everyone gave you good advice here - there's really nothing more I can add.

Best advice given today!:):)
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. i didnt expect it so quick:) I like to keep everyone happy thats why i asked what they wanted:) lol. I'm to nice of a person sometimes.. but thank you everyone.
 
using corn starch and chicken always helps tenderize chicken for me but most important is cooking chicken at perfect temperature so you won't overcook
 
If you're doing chicken and pork both, how about making kabobs? Cut the meats into cubes and marinate with soy sauce, pineapple juice, minced garlic, minced ginger, and a dash of hot sauce. Thread on skewers with pieces of sweet green and red peppers and chunks of fresh pineapple and grill or broil, basting with marinade.
If you want to follow through with the oriental theme, buy a couple of bags of frozen stir-fry vegies and prepare them, fix some rice (plain or fried), do frozen eggrolls in your oven (don't forget dipping sauces), and serve fortune cookies for dessert.
Mai Tai's would be a great cocktail to serve! They are "mai-tai-fine"!
 
Don't boil chicken or it will seize up on you and become tough and rubbery. Simmer it very gently.

This is basically true for any protein.

Today pork can be eaten when it's done only to medium (with pink inside) because there is no longer the danger of trichinosis. Personally, I like mine cooked through, but overcooking pork by even a little bit makes it very dry and tough.

As others have stated, brining is a great technique to ensure juicy chicken and pork,
 
The technique I use with pork steaks or pork chops is to pat it dry with paper towels, rub in some salt and pepper, then sear the meat on med-high heat for around 5 mins on one side, then turn it over and do the same on the other side, checking it by cutting into it with a knife until it's just still pinkish in the middle. Then wrap it tightly in some foil to finish cooking for a few minutes (maybe while you make a pan sauce with all those yummy bits left in the pan).

Paint.
 

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