Question on cooking chicken breasts and probing for temp

[jasonwilliams14]

Hey folks! hope everyone is doing well. It has been awhile, but I am back.

I have been doing a lot of different experimenting with cooking the past while and I have been meaning to ask a question when I probe chicken for temp.

My question is basically, when cooking chicken breasts (boneless,skinless) I noticed that when I probe for temp, I get different readings in different parts of the protein.
What I find odd is that I will probe the thickest part of the protein and get say, 161 reading, but I will probe the middle of the protein and get a lower temp reading (even though most of the time it is less thick then the bigger part I probe.

I am wondering if I am doing something incorrectly, It seems odd to me when I take my temp readings and this is the result.

Any tips/suggestions on what I can improve on?

Also, I also "flatten" out thick chicken breasts to make sure they cook more evenly.

I appreciate the feedback! Happy to provide more info!

Cheers,

Jason

[Jerod Broussard]

The games meat plays. I have that happen with brisket. I'm not in the thickest part of the flat, just off to the side where it is a bit thinner, and it's tougher and higher in temp.

[Michael_in_TX]

This is a lesson I've had to learn. Pans, especially cast iron, and many high-quality pans just heat very unevenly.

[TripleB]

Cast iron heats unevenly? I thought this was one of the trademark advantages of cast iron. I've found that it's not the pan but the burner.

[Johnny Booth]

I always probe in multiple places. The probe will tell you if the meat is up to temp, and tenderness as well. 👍😎

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

This is a lesson I've had to learn. Pans, especially cast iron, and many high-quality pans just heat very unevenly.

No doubt! I have an induction cooktop now, and while it says in the product specs there is a variable 'size' to the induction element for the larger burner, I have determined this is NOT true. Small pan or big pan on the large cooking zone, it still heats a smallish like 5" circle in the middle of even my 14" pans. <sigh>

I'm doing some research and this is a common issue with these Frigidaire induction ranges. It seems they basically lied in their advertising, and, as usual, there is little or no recourse for individual buyers other than to scrap it and get something better.

I'm going to post a review on this site, since this place is a good widely-known resource and hopefully prevent others from making the mistake I did. Really frustrating.

<Edit> I'm trying to figure out what section to post my review in - this isn't an outdoor cooking appliance, so it doesn't fit there. Huskee, any suggestions on where I should post an in-depth 3-year review of my indoor induction cooktop? I'd really like to share the experiences and have it be something that shows up in Google searches and such when people are doing research. Reddit is ok, and I will crosspost it there, too, but it's often so filled with crap that it's overwhelming. I'd definitely prefer to drive traffic HERE when possible.

[TripleB]

For me, with boneless breasts and thighs I always move the chicken around in the pan. The burner gives more heat to the outside ring than the middle due to the configuration of the burner. So my chicken cooks faster near the outside of the pan. Also, with breasts and thighs, it is easy to push the tip of the thermometer to far, basically coming out the other side of the meat. I'm not going to get a good reading. So I always try to check the thickest part of the chicken, being careful on the depth of the probe and go with that. Generally, the thinner part of the chicken is not going to be more cooked than the thicker part of the chicken.

FWIW.....

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Another reason to have a high quality FAST thermometer like the Thermapen One. So handy, so nice.

[jasonwilliams14]

Appreciate the feedback. It has been of an enigma for me as I learn how to cook chicken breasts correctly. I did invest in a thermapen fo accurate readings.

I am not sure what I can/should change. When I probe like this and get different readings, it makes me second guess if it is cooked or not and usually, I end up overcooking.
Seems odd to me when the outer part, in the thick part reads say 163, but then i probe the middle which is a little thinner and reads in the 155 range....

I guess I will keep practicing and seeing what works. Very possible I am doing something wrong. All part of the fun though in learning how to BBQ

[Michael_in_TX]

At the end of the day, my solution to the 'problem' is switching to chicken thighs.