Cooking chicken to a higher IT.

[Steve B]

Hey y’all. I’m rolling a 7lb spatchcocked chicken tonight.
I’ve read somewhere here that some are cooking their birds to a higher IT. Like 185*+.
My question is who has done this before and what were the benefits and or down sides?
Thanks as always.
SteveB.

[rickgregory]

I cook dark meat to about 175 or so because I find the texture at lower (safe) temps to be slightly slimy. White meat I cook to around 165F but don't freak out if it goes to 170 for a few minutes. I'll eat it at 160 too. Not much lower.

[Steve B]

That’s about what I usually cook to. Just remember seeing some going higher. Not exactly sure why.

[Jfrosty27]

Dark meat only to the higher temps. White meat over 160 is too dry.

Now, that chicken. 7 pounds?!?!? Huge. Never saw one that big. Regardless, have a cook!

[Steve B]

Jfrosty27 Haha. That’s average sized for here. It’s a Perdue "young chicken". I passed on the "oven stuffer roaster" as it was way too big for the wife and I. It was well over 9lbs. We’ll get 2 meals from what I got.

[holehogg]

I get happy when I find 2kg (+-5#) bird the big ones average around 4.5#.
That rub looks interesting, what be it?

[Steve B]

holehogg It’s from Loot N Booty. It’s their Gold Star Chicken Rub. I love it.

[bmillin]

I am not as big a fan of spatchcocked chicken as I used to be. It is a good method but if you are carving it anyway there is a better one. Hard to describe and can't find a link so here goes -

Cut above the thigh, below the breast on each side until you hit the spine. Snip/cut the spine and you have the breast//wings in one piece and the thighs/legs in another. You can snip the rest of the spine out at that point.

This allows you to cook it all to the temp you want and take them off at different times. Not the greatest for presentation, as said, unless you are carving it.

[bbqLuv]

Sounds like quartering the chicken.

[Polarbear777]

Get that spatchcocked bird flat. Spatchcocked I usually see the Breast hits150 at the same time the thighs hit 160-165. I either pull it at 150 because it will carry over, or set a timer for 5 minutes and then pull it. (150 for 5 minutes is as good as 165 according to USDA tables).

overcooking the breast means dry city but the thighs can take a little extra.

[Oak Smoke]

This is a trick I learned years ago. Chop a russet potato into medium sized chunks, then stuff it into the cavity in the chicken. If possible tie the skin closed at the neck and the skin around lower cavity opening using butchers twine. It keeps things very moist, it also slows the cooking a little at first. The kids used to eat the potatoes as soon as they were cool enough. They never made it to the table.

[Jerod Broussard]

I like to cook poultry at a minimum of 350, take it to 160 on chicken in the breast, 155 on turkey since the size lends itself to carryover, and NO spatchcocking since I typically don't have the room, and/or I can do without the spine removing carpal tunnel, and a little more time in the heat helps crisp things up a bit more.

[Rob whatever]

I do think chicken needs to be brined to bring out the best texture and juiciness. That may as important as the temps.

rob

[Steve B]

Did a dry brine rub for about 24hrs. It’s first ingredient is salt. So I think I should be good on that end. Thanks for the tip. 👍

[Richard Chrz]

I ran up to 198 on a 1/4 that we won a comp with. You have to render all those tendons. They ruin a cook, or so I think so. But method matters. I also dry brine chicken parts.

[Steve B]

That’s classic Richard. Love it.

[fzxdoc]

That was with a dark meat quarter, right, Richard? 198° would be too hot for the breast section, I'm thinking.

Kathryn

[Richard Chrz]

fzxdoc. It was a half chicken but, was being probed in a thigh.

[DavidNorcross]

I cook chicken at least 350, most of the time hotter. Thighs and legs can go to 185 and are forgiving. Breasts not so much.

[fzxdoc]

Hanging the chicken halves in my PBC, by the time the breast hits 155° , the thighs and legs are at 175° . When using the SNS and a kettle with a spatchcocked chicken, pointing the legs toward the SNS helps get them up to the 170-180° range when the breast hits 155° as well.

Kathryn