Chicken Advice


 
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Bruce Bissonnette

Bruce Bissonnette

TVWBB Guru
Tomorrow I want to cook up a whole mess of thighs and drumsticks for vacum packing. Should I cook them low at a lower temp and take them to about 150 and remove so they can be finished at a later time on the grill to crisp up the skin. Or cook them at a higher temp and take them right to 170, sauce them and then vac pack for reheating later. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
Bruce,
If it were me I would cook them low until they were 160-165. That way they are at a safer temp when you freeze them. Then you will still be able to finish them and crisp the skin on the grill later without drying out the meat. Are you brining the legs and thighs? I see you aren't wasting any time putting your grate mod to work!! Post some picks when the WSM is loaded up!!

BTW, I was glad to see your Lions put a whooping on the Giants!!
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Bruce,

I'd cook 'em to completion and seal them up. I don't have any experience with trying to crisp up chicken that's already been partially cooked. And for the most part, the people I cook for don't eat the skin anyway. What about the food safety aspect? I'll be interested in hearing what others have to say.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> ... Should I cook them low at a lower temp and take them to about 150 and remove so they can be finished at a later time on the grill to crisp up the skin ... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Hi Bruce, I've done whole chickens on WSM, foodsaver and kept in the freezer. IMHO, if you want to try to crisp up the skin and for maximum food safety I think I would cook them in a hot WSM to 180F (or whatever temp you consider legs and thighs fully cooked at). Remove. Freeze on a tray as quick as you can. Vacuum pack with your foodsaver.

When you want to reheat them, let them thaw then grill with your sauce.

The reason I suggested fully cooking them is to ensure they get cooked. If they are not quite cooked and not quite thawed when you throw them on the grill to crisp and sauce (which might not take very long) you could end up with some meat still raw.
 
Larry,

Not brining either, going to let 'em soak a little in some Italian dressing in the morning then rub 'em down with some Texas BBQ Rub and load her up. I'll get some pics.

I was happy to see the Lions win too, especially after the BUTT WHOOPING Green Bay put on them last weekend.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>if you want to try to crisp up the skin and for maximum food safety I think I would cook them in a hot WSM to 180F (or whatever temp you consider legs and thighs fully cooked at). <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I know the USDA or FDA whomever says to cook dark meat to 180. But to be perfectly honest, I have never ever cooked my dark meat chicken or turkey until it reached 180*. That is not to say I am right and they are wrong, it's just the way I like it and will continue to do it. At least until I get salmonella poisoning!
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All jokes aside I know food safety is a real concern and am in no way making light of it. I have never gotten sick from eating my poultry. Proper food handling by the "cook" plays a HUGE trick in food safety too. Seriously Bruce, please by all means do what you think is safe.
 
In restaurants we used to cook till almost done--about 165-170 for dark meat pieces, 160 for breasts--then re-heat and crisp in a 500 oven (virtually all restaurant ovens are set at 500 or higher by default). So long as you check internal temps when you re-heat you'll be okay.

But since you're doing all dark meat you can cook till done as Shawn suggests at the outset (I'd go to 175). It can take re-heating and crisping much better without drying out, especially if you brine.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
...That is not to say I am right and they are wrong, ... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually you are right and they're covering their a---s. I always brine and then take the temps a bit higher but 165-170 is done.
 
Yeah, I hear ya Larry, I'm not sure what the right temp is ... I wonder if 180F in the thigh applies to a whole bird rather than pieces ... Doug D a while back posted to the effect 'these guidelines are on the high side allowing for a margin of error' ... kinda tough as well to check small chicken thighs temp.

My concern was mainly 'not quite cooked and not quite thawed' when moved to the grill.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Shawn W:
I'm not sure what the right temp is ... I wonder if 180F in the thigh applies to a whole bird rather than pieces .... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Done in the breast (safety-wise) is 145 if you don't mind some pink--I do. Done in the thigh is 160. My margin is 5-10 degrees since poking in several places to make sure isn't advisable. Piece temps are the same as whole birds. I recommend 175 if you're doing lots of dark pieces because then you can just check 2 or 3 pieces rather than sticking every one. If the ones you check are 175 you're good. Some others might be 180, some 170, all should be just fine.
 
Some people will freak out if they see a trace of pink on chicken!! I don't think twice, if I am cooking it or someone or somewhere else is cooking it that I know it was handled properly! In my eyes how the food is handled is the key safe food!!!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Larry Wolfe:
It is always best to be safe than sorry!
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<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> The entire family got sick once from a bucket of chicken from a well known fried chicken establishment .... not fun .... if you can believe it they offered us a voucher for a free bucket for compensation ... ya, that's what I wanted after being sick for 2 days, more chicken.
 
Shawn,
Exactly! You have no idea how that chicken was handled by the high school students who cooked it! I got food poisoning once, because my grandmother thawed a turkey out by letting it sit in the sink overnight!! BAD HANDLING! Food poisoning is no fun you are 100% correct!!
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by K Kruger:
... Done in the breast (safety-wise) is 145 .... Done in the thigh is 160 ... Piece temps are the same as whole birds ... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> thanks for the info Kevin, I usually do 160F in the breast.

The odd time some of the dark meat hasn't been cooked, I'll pull the white meat off (provided it is cooked of course) and put the chicken into the oven for a while, but 160F breast usually seems to work out.
 
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