Red “blood” out of cooked chicken?

MaskedMarvel · September 11

I made some chicken quarters - basically the thigh and leg - on the BGE tonight. Repeatedly checked the temp and it was over 170° throughout.

We cut them open at dinner and Stacey’s had “blood” oozing from between the leg and thigh. Pretty much ended dinner right there.

I’m usually either doing whole chickens spatchcocked or breasts. I wanted to try these after seeing the dog food post and FB giving me a jerk rub recipe.

My thermopen IS acting wonky. Blinking and sometimes isn’t on, even when the probe is extended.

Those things were sizzling hot when I took them off.

WTF?!

8-D

No blood pics. Sorry.

GrateEggspectations · September 11

Sounds like myoglobin.

Canugghead · September 11

How old is your Thermapen? If it's the old style like mine, it could be the micro switch.
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1233782/ot-classic-thermapen-troubleshooting

Buckwoody Egger · September 11

https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-cooking-science/chicken-juices-clear-myth/

i have no problem taking bone in drumsticks wings thighs etc to 190 where it’s still juicy and zero internal color issues, juice or bone/tisssue near bone.

for a spatchcock you will see breast temp lower like 165 and dark meat hitting 185 due to the mass alone, without doing the “ice bag on the breasts” trick like a turkey

bubbajack · September 11

Same thing happened to me a couple weeks ago. Probed 175 to 180 and the chicken was full of blood. Supper was over before it started.

MaskedMarvel · September 11

bubbajack said:

Same thing happened to me a couple weeks ago. Probed 175 to 180 and the chicken was full of blood. Supper was over before it started.

Yeah I’ve never seen that before. I re-read @Mickey post and he puts his chicken as 170/200 - leg/thigh?

I’m DETERMINED to do this again and just bring the parts up higher. Those chicken pieces are so cheap.

hoosier_egger · September 11

I've had this issue too. I believe it's caused by young birds being developed too quickly or something along those lines. I'm in the 185+ club on dark meat

fishlessman · September 11

cook the thighs and wings to a higher temp, they can handle it. its just the bones doing this, the meat is cooked if the internal temp is there. i dont like thighs and wing texture until they are cooked to 190 anyways, with the breasts they are off the grill around 150/155

Orsi · September 19

I read somewhere that red near the chicken bone can be due to it having been frozen. Don't know about red blood running out of the meat. Think once it breached temp in the Egg and there is blood throw it in the microwave for a few minutes and that should make it safe to eat for sure.

Ozzie_Isaac · September 19

@hoosier_egger nailed it - the “blood”
you are seeing is the bone marrow seeping out through the chicken bones.

Young chickens, or quickly grown chickens have more porous bones than older or properly grown chickens and you won’t get that coloration. It is perfectly safe if unappetizing. You really need to overcook it to turn that a more appetizing color.

Red “blood” out of cooked chicken?

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