internal temp for whole chicken ?

giantwing

Do I take the internal temp from the breast? if so what temp should I pull>

Hoss

170 breast,180 thighs.That's what I've been told.

520dvx

165 at the breast or 180 at the thigh

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Just did two whole chickens last evening...Pulled them with a breast temp. of 170 F.
They were wonderful and I got great kudos from both the wife and daughter

Ripnem

How's it going on the north side, you two?

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Doing well…Thanks!
I see there is a “fest” set for Sep. in Little Canada! I’m going to try to make it this go-round. Keep me posted.

Ripnem

It should be fun. Only downside is it is on Grouse opener, and the bird numbers are way up this year. Eddie (Panhandle Smoker) will be making the fest as he is visiting his daughter south of the TC. We have spoke about hunting Sunday and Monday. Have you seen many around this year?

Grandpas Grub

Used to be 165° breast and 185° thigh - no longer.

165°. Here is everything you are going to need about chicken safety http://www.foodreference.com/html/artchickensafety.html

and you can confirm that at the USDA food safety site if you feel the need. There is a link within the above site which will take you to the USDA site.

165°


Cooked at 400° direct pulled at 165° breast.


Cooked at 500° direct pulled at 165° breast.


Cooked at 350° indirect pulled at 165°


The indirect part was a disposable pan filled with Idaho potatoes, red potatoes, onions, peppers, a little sausage an covered with cheese at the end of the cook.







GG

civil eggineer

I spatchcock my birds and cook until the thigh temperature is 180. Due to the miracle nature of egg cooking, the breast is still very moist and delicious.
I actually prefer the higher cooked temperature as the bones will pull right out of the bird.

civil eggineer

I spatchcock my birds and cook until the thigh temperature is 180. Due to the miracle nature of egg cooking, the breast is still very moist and delicious.
I actually prefer the higher cooked temperature as the bones will pull right out of the bird.

Jersey Doug

I don't want to see any pink around the bone when I cut into the thigh. With regular supermarket chicken 165º at the thigh wasn't quite enough, so I cooked them to 175º and was happy with the results. Recently, however, I have been cooking Empire kosher chickens and find that 165º at the thigh is enough to eliminate the pink. It also makes for the moistest breast meat I've ever cooked. There are spatchcocked birds, by the way. And I have one ready in the fridge for dinner tonight.

civil eggineer

I recently read that the pink often seen is actually bone marrow and not blood. The chickens are raised so rapidly their bone marrow doesn't completely develop causing the red blood look near the joints. Anyhow the 180 internal temperature still produces fantastic chicken.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Nice looking chicks GG!!!
I did go to the link / site and did some reading…All very good information, for sure! Thank you!
My reasoning for going to 170 F. at the breast is for the “falling off the bone” thing. I really like and want my bird super tender and hate to have to struggle to get meat away from the bone….170 seems to do that for me.
OTOH, I do my chickens indirect at about 350 F. for 15 to 20 min. / lb. (still relying on a final temp. much more so than a time).
So in reading this thread, I’m wondering if a higher cook temp. (And perhaps direct, in conjunction with a lower pull temp.) will make the chicks “fall apart”?