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Handy Chicken Tips you May not Have Known

History  &  Definitionsused, it can safely be refrozen without
cooking  first.
The chicken is a descendant of the Southeast
Asian red jungle fowl first domesticated inChicken may be defrosted in cold water in its
India around 2000 B.C. Most of the birdsairtight packaging or in a leak proof bag.
raised for meat in America today are from theSubmerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold
Cornish (a British breed) and the White Rockwater, changing the water every 30 minutes to
(a breed developed in New England).be sure it stays cold. A whole (3 to 4-pound)
Broiler-fryers, roasters, stewing/bakingbroiler fryer or package of parts should
hens, capons and Rock Cornish hens are alldefrost in 2 to 3 hours. A 1-pound package of
chickens. The following are definitions forboneless breasts will defrost in an hour or
these:less.
• Broiler-fryer a young, tender chickenChicken defrosted in the microwave should be
about 7 weeks old which weighs 2 1/2 to 4 1/2cooked immediately after thawing because some
pounds  when eviscerated. Cook by any method.areas of the food may become warm and begin
to cook during microwaving. Holding partially
• Rock Cornish Game Hen - a smallcooked food is not recommended because any
broiler-fryer weighing between 1 and 2bacteria present wouldn't have been
pounds.  Usually  stuffed  and roasted whole.destroyed. Foods defrosted in the microwave
or by the cold water method should be cooked
• Roaster - an older chicken about 3 tobefore  refreezing.
5 months old which weighs 5 to 7 pounds. It
yields more meat per pound than aDo not cook frozen chicken in the microwave
broiler-fryer.  Usually  roasted  whole.or in a slow cooker. However, chicken can be
cooked from the frozen state in the oven or
• Capon - Male chickens about 16 weekson the stove. The cooking time may be about
to 8 months old which are surgically unsexed.50%  longer.
They weigh about 4 to 7 pounds and have
generous quantities of tender, light meat.Stuffed  Chicken
Usually  roasted.
The Hotline does not recommend buying
• Stewing/Baking Hen - a mature layingretail-stuffed fresh whole chicken because of
hen 10 months to 1 1/2 years old. Since thethe highly perishable nature of a previously
meat is less tender than young chickens, it'sstuffed item. Consumers should not pre-stuff
best  used  in moist cooking such as stewing.whole chicken to cook at a later time.
Chicken can be stuffed immediately before
• Cock or rooster - a mature malecooking. Some USDA-inspected frozen stuffed
chicken with coarse skin and tough, darkwhole poultry MUST be cooked from the frozen
meat.  Requires  long,  moist  cooking.state to ensure a safely cooked product.
Follow  preparation  directions on the label.
Chicken  Inspection
Marinating
All chickens found in retail stores are
either inspected by USDA or by state systemsChicken may be marinated in the refrigerator
which have standards equivalent to theup to 2 days. Boil used marinade before
Federal government. Each chicken and itsbrushing on cooked chicken. Discard any
internal organs are inspected for signs ofuncooked  leftover  marinade.
disease. The "Inspected for wholesomeness by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture" sealSafe  Cooking
insures the chicken is free from visible
signs  of  disease.FSIS recommends cooking whole chicken to a
safe minimum internal temperature of 165
Chicken  Grading°F as measured using a food thermometer.
Check the internal temperature in the
Inspection is mandatory but grading isinnermost part of the thigh and wing and the
voluntary. Chickens are graded according tothickest part of the breast. For reasons of
USDA Agricultural Marketing Servicepersonal preference, consumers may choose to
regulations and standards for meatiness,cook  poultry  to  higher  temperatures.
appearance and freedom from defects. Grade A
chickens have plump, meaty bodies and cleanFor approximate cooking times to use in meal
skin, free of bruises, broken bones,planning, see the following chart compiled
feathers,  cuts  and  discoloration.from  various  resources.
Fresh  or  FrozenApproximate  Chicken  Cooking  Times
The term fresh on a poultry label refers toType  of  Chicken Weight  Roasting
any raw poultry product that has never been
below 26 °F. Raw poultry held at 0 °F350  Â°F Simmering  Grilling
or below must be labeled frozen or previously
frozen. No specific labeling is required onWhole broiler fryer+ 3 to 4 lbs. 1 1/4 - 1
raw poultry stored at temperatures between1/2  hrs. 60  to  75  min.  60  to  75  min*
0-25  Â°F.
Whole roasting hen+ 5 to 7 lbs. 2 to 2 1/4
Dating  of  Chicken  Productshrs. 1  3/4  to  2  hrs. 18-25  min/lb*
Product dating is not required by FederalWhole capon+ 4 to 8 lbs. 2 to 3 hrs Not
regulations, but many stores and processorssuitable 15-20  min/lb*
voluntarily date packages of chicken or
chicken products. If a calendar date isWhole Cornish hens+ 18-24 oz. 50 to 60 min.
shown, immediately adjacent to the date there35  to  40  min.  45  to  55  min*
must be a phrase explaining the meaning of
that  date  such  as  sell  by or use before.Breast halves, bone-in 6 to 8 oz. 30 to 40
min. 35  to  45  min.  10  -  15  min/side
The use-by date is for quality assurance;
after the date, peak quality begins to lessenBreast half, boneless 4 ounces 20 to 30
but the product may still be used. It'smin.  25  to  30  min.  6  to  8  min/side
always best to buy a product before the date
expires. If a use-by date expires while theLegs or thighs 8 or 4 oz. 40 to 50 min. 40
chicken is frozen, the food can still beto  50  min.  10  -  15  min/side
used.
Drumsticks 4 ounces 35 to 45 min. 40 to 50
Hormones  &  Antibioticsmin.  8  to  12  min/side
No hormones are used in the raising ofWings or wingettes 2 to 3 oz. 30 to 40 min.
chickens.35  to  45  min. 8  to  12  min/side
Antibiotics may be given to prevent disease+ Unstuffed. If stuffed, add 15 to 30 minutes
and increase feed efficiency. A "withdrawal"additional  time.
period is required from the time antibiotics
are administered before the bird can be*  Indirect  method  using  drip  pan.
slaughtered. This ensures that no residues
are present in the bird's system. FSISMicrowave  Directions:
randomly samples poultry at slaughter and
tests for residues. Data from this monitoring• Microwave on medium-high (70 percent
program have shown a very low percentage ofpower): whole chicken, 9 to 10 minutes per
residue  violations.pound; bone-in parts and Cornish hens, 8 to 9
minutes per pound; boneless breasts halves, 6
Additivesto  8  minutes  per  pound.
Additives are not allowed on fresh chicken.• When microwaving parts, arrange in
If chicken is processed, however, additivesdish or on rack so thick parts are toward the
such as MSG, salt, or sodium erythorbate mayoutside of dish and thin or bony parts are in
be  added  but  must  be listed on the label.the  center.
Foodborne  Organisms  Associated with Chicken• Place whole chicken in an oven
cooking  bag  or  in  a  covered  pot.
As on any perishable meat, fish or poultry,
bacteria can be found on raw or undercooked• For boneless breast halves, place in
chicken. They multiply rapidly ata dish with 1/4 cup water; cover with plastic
temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °Fwrap.
(out of refrigeration and before thorough
cooking occurs). Freezing doesn't kill• Allow 10 minutes standing time for
bacteria but they are destroyed by thoroughbone-in chicken; 5 minutes for boneless
cooking.breast.
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has• The USDA recommends cooking whole
a zero tolerance for bacteria in cooked andpoultry to a safe minimum internal
ready-to-eat products such as chicken frankstemperature of 165 °F as measured using a
or lunch meat that can be eaten withoutfood thermometer. Check the internal
further  cooking.temperature in the innermost part of the
thigh and wing and the thickest part of the
Most foodborne illness outbreaks are a resultbreast. When cooking pieces, the breast,
of contamination from food handlers. Sanitarydrumsticks, thighs, and wings should be
food handling and proper cooking andcooked until they reach a safe minimum
refrigeration should prevent foodborneinternal temperature of 165 °F. For
illnesses.reasons of personal preference, consumers may
choose to cook poultry to higher
Bacteria must be consumed on food to causetemperatures.
illness. They cannot enter the body through a
skin cut. However, raw poultry must bePartial  Cooking
handled carefully to prevent
cross-contamination. This can occur if rawNever brown or partially cook chicken to
poultry or its juices contact cooked food orrefrigerate and finish cooking later because
foods that will be eaten raw such as salad.any bacteria present wouldn't have been
An example of this is chopping tomatoes on andestroyed. It is safe to partially pre-cook
unwashed cutting board just after cutting rawor microwave chicken immediately before
chicken  on  it.transferring it to the hot grill to finish
cooking.
Following are some bacteria associated with
chicken:Color  of  Skin
• Salmonella Enteritidis may be foundChicken skin color varies from cream-colored
in the intestinal tracts of livestock,to yellow. Skin color is a result of the type
poultry, dogs, cats and other warm-bloodedof feed eaten by the chicken, not a measure
animals. This strain is only one of aboutof nutritional value, flavor, tenderness or
2,000 kinds of Salmonella bacteria; it isfat content. Color preferences vary in
often associated with poultry and shell eggs.different sections of the country, so growers
use the type of feed which produces the
• Staphylococcus aureus can be carrieddesired  color.
on human hands, in nasal passages, or in
throats. The bacteria are found in foods madeDark  Bones
by hand and improperly refrigerated, such as
chicken  salad.Darkening around bones occurs primarily in
young broiler-fryers. Since their bones have
• Campylobacter jejuni is one of thenot calcified completely, pigment from the
most common causes of diarrheal illness inbone marrow can seep through the porous
humans. Preventing cross- contamination andbones. Freezing can also contribute to this
using proper cooking methods reducesseepage. When the chicken is cooked, the
infection  by  this  bacterium.pigment turns dark. It's perfectly safe to
eat chicken meat that turns dark during
• Listeria monocytogenes was recognizedcooking.
as causing human foodborne illness in 1981.
It is destroyed by cooking, but a cookedPink  Meat
product can be contaminated by poor personal
hygiene. Observe "keep refrigerated" andThe color of cooked chicken is not a sign of
"use-by"  dates  on  labels.its safety. Only by using a food thermometer
can one accurately determine that chicken has
Rinsing  or  Soaking  Chickenreached a safe minimum internal temperature
of 165 °F throughout. The pink color in
It is not necessary to wash raw chicken. Anysafely cooked chicken may be due to the
bacteria which might be present are destroyedhemoglobin in tissues which can form a
by  cooking.heat-stable color. Smoking or grilling may
also cause this reaction, which occurs more
Liquid  in  Packagein  young  birds.
Many people think the pink liquid in packagedColor  of  Giblets
fresh chicken is blood, but it is mostly
water which was absorbed by the chickenGiblet color can vary, especially in the
during the chilling process. Blood is removedliver, from mahogany to yellow. The type of
from poultry during slaughter and only afeed, the chicken's metabolism and its breed
small amount remains in the muscle tissue. Ancan account for the variation in color. If
improperly bled chicken would have cherry redthe liver is green, do not eat it. This is
skin  and  is  condemned  at  the  plant.due to bile retention. However, the chicken
meat  should  be  safe  to  eat.
How  to  Handle  Chicken  Safely
Fatty  Deposits
• Fresh Chicken: Chicken is kept cold
during distribution to retail stores toChickens may seem to have more fatty deposits
prevent the growth of bacteria and toor contain a larger "fat pad" than in the
increase its shelf life. Chicken should feelpast. This is because broiler fryer chickens
cold to the touch when purchased. Selecthave been bred to grow very rapidly to supply
fresh chicken just before checking out at thethe demand for more chicken. Feed that is not
register. Put packages of chicken inconverted into muscle tissue (meat) is
disposable plastic bags (if available) tometabolized into fat. However, the fat is not
contain any leakage which could"marbled" into the meat as is beef or other
cross-contaminate cooked foods or produce.red meat, and can be easily removed.
Make the grocery your last stop before goingGeneticists are researching ways to eliminate
home.the  excess  fat.
At home, immediately place chicken in aTrisodium  Phosphate
refrigerator that maintains 40 °F, and use
within 1 or 2 days, or freeze at 0 °F. IfFood-grade trisodium phosphate (TSP) has been
kept frozen continuously, it will be safeapproved by FSIS for use in poultry slaughter
indefinitely.as an antimicrobial agent. When immersed in
and/or sprayed in a dilute solution on
Chicken may be frozen in its originalchickens, it can significantly reduce
packaging or repackaged. If freezing longerbacteria levels. TSP is "generally recognized
than two months, over wrap the porous storeas safe" (GRAS) by the FDA, and has been
plastic packages with airtight heavy-dutysafely used for years, particularly in
foil, plastic wrap or freezer paper, or placeprocessed  cheese.
the package inside a freezer bag. Use these
materials or airtight freezer containers toIrradiation  of  Poultry
repackage family packs into smaller amounts
or  freeze  the chicken from opened packages.In 1992, the USDA approved a rule to permit
irradiation of raw, fresh or frozen packaged
Proper wrapping prevents "freezer burn,"poultry to control certain common bacteria on
which appears as grayish-brown leathery spotsraw poultry that can cause illness when
and is caused by air reaching the surface ofpoultry is undercooked or otherwise
food. Cut freezer-burned portions away eithermishandled. Irradiation at 1.5 to 3.0 kilo
before or after cooking the chicken. HeavilyGray, the smallest, most practical "dose,"
freezer-burned products may have to bewould eliminate more than 99 percent of
discarded because they might be too dry orSalmonellae organisms on the treated poultry.
tasteless.
Packages of irradiated chicken are easily
• Ready-Prepared Chicken: Whenrecognizable at the store because they must
purchasing fully cooked rotisserie or fastcarry the international radura symbol along
food chicken, be sure it is hot at time ofwith the statement, "treated with
purchase. Use it within two hours or cut itirradiation"  or  "treated  by  irradiation."
into several pieces and refrigerate in
shallow, covered containers. Eat within 3 toStorage  Times
4 days, either cold or reheated to 165 °F
(hot and steaming). It is safe to freezeSince product dates aren't a guide for safe
ready-prepared chicken. For best quality,use of a product, how long can the consumer
flavor  and  texture,  use  within  4 months.store the food and still use it at top
quality?  Follow  these  tips:
Safe  Defrosting
• Purchase the product before the date
FSIS recommends three ways to defrostexpires.
chicken: in the refrigerator, in cold water
and in the microwave. Never defrost chicken• Follow handling recommendations on
on the counter or in other locations. It'sproduct.
best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in
the refrigerator. Boneless chicken breasts• Keep chicken in its package until
will usually defrost overnight. Bone-in partsusing.
and whole chickens may take 1 to 2 days or
longer. Once the raw chicken defrosts, it can• Freeze chicken in its original
be kept in the refrigerator an additional daypackaging, overwrap or re-wrap it according
or two before cooking. During this time, ifto directions in the above section, "How to
chicken defrosted in the refrigerator is notHandle Chicken Safely".



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