Question on drumsticks. I did Jerk chicken using only drums. Cooked them at 150F for two and a half hours. A few still had some red spots close to the bone that freaked my co-workers out. I want to say it’s from too much jerk seasoning in the bag and those few pieces didn’t make enough contact with the bag? Any other ideas?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but chicken is pasteurized at 165F. It can also be fine to eat if left at 155F for at least one minute. There are different reasons for spots on the bones. I wouldn’t associate that to indercooked chicken. Society in general is obsessed with clear running juices and the absence of pink inn poultry … not a sign of undercooked meat. Tell them it’s fine and to trust the chef ;). That said maybe set the temp to 160-175? Any thoughts?
With the connective tissues in legs it’s better to let sit at higher temps to allow them to break down.
150F for 2-1/2 hours should be totally fine. So long as they had contact with the bag and weren’t overlapping those drums should have been completely cooked. Chicken that is pinkish in color, yet fully cooked, is not unusual at all when cooking at lower temps like the SV process is capable of.
Here’s a great article from Kenji Lopez-Alt over at serious eats:
(it’s about cooking a breast, but the science is still the same)
Pasteurization is actually a function of temperature and time. The reference charts are published by the US FDA. For chicken the 165°F coincides with zero hold time. These are the times that get published in most cook books. The same degree of safety is obtainable at lower temperatures you just need longer hold times at that temperature.
I use Walkers Wood Jerk and get some pink even though temp has been reached. Best chicken ever!