Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cooking and chicken

How long can I safely keep steamed chicken wings in the refrigerator before baking them?

0xFCAF — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:35:42 -0800

How long can I safely keep steamed chicken wings in the refrigerator before baking them? I'm following this amazing recipe which has you steam them for 10 minutes, dry in the refrigerator for an hour, then bake at 425° for 40 minutes.

Can I turn the hour in the refrigerator in to 4 hours? 12? 24? Can I put them in the freezer for an extended period of time (and if so, how would I properly thaw them) ?

Note that I'm asking about how the wings keep after being steamed, not before.

Help me perform an expatriat culinary miracle.

bookish — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:07:18 -0800

How can I best approximate a real Thanksgiving turkey— with chicken, a gas burner, and toaster oven? What other kinds of traditional fare can I make, given the limited ingredients available where I live? Help me have a real Thanksgiving far from home! I'm studying in India for the year, and my fellow American students and I want to put on a Thanksgiving dinner. One girl is making cornbread, using corn meal she brought with her from home. There will be mashed potatoes. There will be mulled wine. But what else, and how?

I really would like something turkey-like, but there is no way I can find turkey meat. Chicken is my best bet. This is a pretty vegetarian city, but there are some butchers, and I could probably find basically any part of the bird I need (or the whole bird, but I don't think that will fit in the toaster oven). I'm not really sure how to go about cooking it though— I've never cooked a turkey and, having been a vegetarian for much of my life, I don't really have experience cooking meat in general. I need major help.

I would also like to fill out the selection of side dishes. Again, there are ingredient constraints. I can get fresh carrots, peas, potatoes, beets, white radishes, cauliflower, okra, green beas, cabbage, tomatoes, onions and garlic. I can get green bell peppers, but not red or yellow. I can get a variety of squashes, but they're all a little different than the varieties I'm used to. There are also yam-like things, but they're not the sweet potatoes of home. I can get corn, but only frozen. No broccoli, mushrooms, cranberries, celery.

No prepared convenience ingredients like chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup, pie crust. Cheese is possible but difficult, expensive, and comes in a very limited range. Flour, butter, eggs are go. Cooking oil, but not olive oil or anything fancy like that. European spices are of very limited availability, with the exception of those used in Indian food (coriander, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon). I have some dried basil and oregano, and may be able to find rosemary and thyme if I'm lucky.

I don't have any fancy kitchen equipment either— a few assorted pots and pans, a few knives, spatulas, spoons. I have a countertop gas range with two burners and a toaster oven to bake (smallish) things in.

If you have any ideas for Thanksgiving food that I could pull off using what I've got, please tell me. We're all homesick and really looking forward to putting on a delicious, heartwarming feast.

After cooking a chicken stew is it safe to freeze the chicken with the bone still on?

citybuddha — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:00:33 -0800

After cooking a chicken stew is it safe to freeze the chicken with the bone still on?

How do I remove the fat from chicken broth?

esprit de l'escalier — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:19:08 -0800

How do I remove the fat from chicken broth? I boiled 5 pounds of chicken backs and necks for 3 hours. The last couple times I did this, I put the broth in the fridge, and was able to remove a thick layer of fat. This time I made a lot more broth than usual, so maybe it cooled more slowly in the fridge? The result is that the broth is very fatty, but so homogenized that I can't skim any fat off of it.

I tried reheating some of the broth and putting it in the freezer, but I couldn't figure out if I was skimming fat or gelatin.

Batch cooking chicken breasts?

evening — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:02:05 -0800

Best ways to cook large number of boneless chicken breasts at one time? We typically cook 6 chicken breasts at a time. Then we freeze them for use throughout the week.

Right now we're using an old George Foreman grill, but it is scratched up and we have to cover top & bottom with aluminum foil.

I'd love to use the slow cooker because I think it will generate less heat than the oven, which is important in the summer (no central AC here). Has anyone done this before? (6 breasts, nothing else but perhaps some liquid) If so, how long do you cook it for?

Any other ideas for cooking 6 or so at a time?

chicken and dumplings...but without the chicken

Epsilon-minus semi moron — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:32:01 -0800

I demand to know your best vegetarian "chicken" and dumpling recipe! My new roommate just mentioned that one of the food she misses most since becoming vegetarian is chicken and dumplings. I would like to make as close an approximation of said dish as possible. I've poked around and found a few recipes...but I'd like to get some tried and true ideas from my favorite source. Difficulty: I've never made dumplings of any sort before, so the easier on that end the better. Thank you!

25 and TRYING to COOK

designbyme — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:48:54 -0800

I'm 25 and starting to cook - What? Where do I get it? Why? I'm 25 and me and my roommate are just starting to cook on our own. Our add water and microwave days of college are over. Plus we like to have friends over sometimes, and ordering a pizza makes for a lame dinner party.

Basically this just feels like something we should be doing, it's fun to try new things and in general, it saves money!

Some things I always liked growing up:

• Big Mac 'N Cheese fan
• Anything with Cool Whip...
• Mom makes this breaded chicken that got baked...
• Love salads, been trying to broaden my horizon in terms of dressing

I also always struggle with whether to buy the brand names or the store labels. Does it make a difference?!?! What do you guys buy and why?

Anyway.... I'd love to hear your ideas. I'd love some new easy recipes, but I'm really curious about the art of grocery shopping too. Discount store? Upscale store?

Thanks in advance!! If your ideas are really good, I'll have you all over for dinner. ;)

What's the story with brown chicken livers?

markcmyers — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:42:45 -0800

What's the story with brown chicken livers? There always seem to be some in the carton, mixed in with red ones. They seem spongier. Are they lower in quality? Should I toss them?

A Splay That Will Live in Infamy

joelhunt — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:33:35 -0800

I want to learn to splay a chicken. I'm keen to do some of that fancy-style "splayed chicken on a grill"-type cooking, but am pretty nervous about ruining the bird in my attempt to make it flat.

Can anyone point me towards someplace on the net that has either a video or really clear pictures of how such a culinary technique is properly executed?

Bonus points for awesome recipes and/or tips, as should be the norm for any cooking technique question.

Roasted crushed pecan glaze on your thighs?

Drasher — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:42:47 -0800

[grilling filter] A friend gave me a bottle of "Southern Pecan Pepper Glaze"... help me make the best dish with it... My wife and I went to a friend's house for dinner and I was presented with a "Rose & Ivy" brand bottle of glaze. The bottle says: "An excellent grilling and dipping sauce". The friend's birthday is soon and I would like to make a nice dish with this stuff.

I was thinking somewhere along the lines of chicken thighs with roasted crushed pecans rolled inside... I need an acid for the marinade(?)... should I use this glaze for basting while the chicken is grilling or doctor it in some way for dipping??

Please continue in this direction of if you have a better idea, go with it! (Just not way over complicated, please.)

[Ingredients: Sugar, Sweet Peppers, Vinegar, Pecans, Pectin, Scotch Bonnet Butter - 9 fl. oz (270ml) bottle]

Itty, bitty, teeney, tiny chicken...how does one cook this?

jeanmari — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:17:13 -0800

In our meat share this month, we got two (adorable) but completely confusing tiny little chickens. What can I do with these things? Friends of ours tried to grill them and, while they proclaimed them to be tasty, recommended that we try to keep them whole.

I've roasted a chicken before, but never something so small. I mean, look at these things! A drumstick is the size of my thumb! I'm super intimidated as I am not the greatest cook to begin with and this is completely foreign to me. Searching for "tiny chicken" on the Internet wasn't as helpful as I thought it would be

Help? Ideas?

How hot is my meat?

wordsmith — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:07:13 -0800

What digital cooking thermometer do professionals use? My Polder brand thermometer (similar to this one) just broke, but even when it was new, it wasn't very good. I had a hard time trusting its readings. Is there an end-all meat thermometer out there?

I realize that "true" professionals probably know how hot their meat is without a thermometer, but surely there's a decent one on the market aimed at semi-pros, no?

She so loco for her pollo

purenitrous — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:02:58 -0800

Help me recreate El Pollo Loco chicken for a friend who misses it dreadfully. One of my most fabulous friends has been lived outside her native California for years, and, besides the sun, what she misses most is El Pollo Loco chicken. When any of us travel there, we bring a cooler of their chicken back on the plane as a carry on. There must be a saner solution! I've only eaten there once or twice, and thought it was fine, though not swoon-worthy. We've tried a couple of the online copycat recipes which tasted fine to me, but she insists they didn't get it right. I've googled, but haven't found anything with reviews that say "this is it!". Any mefites with more EPL experience able to help me get it spot on?

Now everybody's heard, about the bird

zap rowsdower — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:36:05 -0800

FoodFilter: I recall seeing on Good Eats a way to truss a chicken without using string... My google-fu has turned up nothing. Anyone know what I'm talking about? I can clearly remember Alton making some cuts and sticking the ends of the legs through to hold them, but nothing else about the wings, etc...

No more rubber chicken dinners.

notjustfoxybrown — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:47:40 -0800

Help me make tender chicken breasts. Mine are always rubbery, no matter how slowly I cook them. I've even tried marinating. What am I doing wrong? I usually buy the really low-fat Purdue or store-brand chicken breasts. They are too thick to cook properly on my George Foreman. Any suggestions?

Strongbow Chicken?

saraswati — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 13:18:14 -0800

Ever tried cooking with Strongbow? While enjoying a nice cold Strongbow last night I was wondering what it might be like to try incorporating it into a chicken dish. Does anyone have any experience doing this? What was it like? Even if you've never actually done it, do you think it could work in theory? If it would work, how would you go about it? Reduced as part of a sauce? As a marinade? Just pour it into a frying pan and start cooking everything in it?

It seems to me that it would work and potentially even taste good but I want some more opinions before I risk wasting a chicken breast and precious, precious cider. All attempts at Google have failed me so far.

Balancing a Rotisserie Chicken

beowulf573 — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 08:39:48 -0800

What's the best way to balance a chicken on a rotisserie? My wife and I were given a rotisserie oven for our wedding and it makes the best chicken; tender and juicy every time. The only problem I have is getting it balanced on the rod properly. With the wide openings front and back it inevitably will flop around a bit while cooking and I'm worried about burning out the motor.

Also, what's the best way short of sewing the back shut to keep garlic and other goodies inside the chicken? I tried tying it tightly, but the peristaltic motion from the chicken flooping around forced the cloves out the back. It looked like the chicken was crapping garlic.

Any suggestions?

Broth vs. Stock

1fish2fish — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:40:45 -0800

Would you substitute chicken stock for chicken broth (or vice versa) in a recipe? How interchangable are they? From what I've read, stock is made from bones, and tends to have a richer texture than broth. I'm wondering if its generally okay to substitute one for another in recipes.

Do you ever substitute one for another? Are there times where you would advice against doing so?

I am mystified by what to do. (I am a beginning cook making basic recipes, nothing delicate or complicated.)

Better Biryani

wolftrouble — Sun, 12 Mar 2006 09:16:27 -0800

Help me make better Indian food! So I took my first stab at making an Indian dish last night, or at least, a dish billing itself as Indian that included Indian ingredients. I didn't make the rice part, instead opting (as one of the reviewers suggested) for some Nasi Kuning instead.

For the Biryani, I ditched the mint and had to use ground cinnamon instead of a stick (forgot the latter at the store), other than that I stuck to the recipe. Honestly, it came out great, but I feel like it could have used something... More. More bite, and I don't necessarily mean heat. I know that if I'd used ghee that probably would have added some more flavor, but I feel like what it was lacking was more of a spiciness than just butter would add.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to make this dish even better? And if you do, chances are you know something about good Indian dishes, so any suggestions on what I might want to try my hand at next?

Duck, duck, frozen chicken

hamster — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 13:55:09 -0800

I have three pounds of frozen chicken stew meat. What should I do with it? It's great stuff, from what I can tell: organic, free-range and from a local farm. Problem is, it's just me and sometimes a friend, and it all has to be thawed at once. I'll definitely make a simple chicken soup in my small crock pot, and if I do that once or twice, I'll have some to freeze and save. I've never made chicken soup "long-hand," on the stove, but I'm open to trying. Is stew meat good for anything else--can I use it in place of cubed chicken in recipes, or stir-fry it?

Where can I learn more about the dangers of harmful bacteria in poultry?

rorycberger — Fri, 02 Dec 2005 16:13:14 -0800

Where can I learn more about the dangers of harmful bacteria in all kinds of poultry? In preparation for this, I've been trying to learn all that I can about the food safety risks involved in cooking a wide variety of poultry. Unfortunately, everything I've found thus far has been very chicken-centric and really only told me a few things:
1. Don't cross contaminate
2. Cook to an internal temperature of X degrees (varies by source)
3. Avoid the "danger zone" of Y - Z degrees (also varies by source)

The main thing I'm looking for is much more detailed info about Salmonella: e.g. At what temperatures (precise range) does it thrive? What exactly does it mean for it to "thrive"? How long (really) can it stay in "the danger zone" and still be safe? Why does "the danger zone" even matter if I cook it to a safe temperature? If my meat is contaminated, how likely are people to get sick? What symptoms will they experience? Anything (other than thorough cooking) that kills it or slows it down?

Beyond that I am curious about a number of other factors, such as:
-Bird choice: Which birds are most likely to be contaminated? Which are least likely? Are there certain birds that are especially dangerous? Is an organic bird safer? A wild bird? Are different birds safe at different temperatures?
-Beyond Salmonella: What else should I be worried about (esp. in the game birds), and what are the properties of these other bacteria?
-Other precautions: Anything else I can do to minimize the risks? Does brining help/hurt? Rinsing? Drying? Wrapping tightly in plastic wrap? Leaving unwrapped in the fridge? Bringing to room temp before cooking? Sticking it in the freezer for a little while before cooking?

While I would certainly appreciate answers to my specific questions here, I'm mostly looking for suggestions of primary sources (books, reputable websites, etc.) to do further research. Thanks in advance for any help!

How to cook chicken?

GilloD — Wed, 16 Nov 2005 09:38:06 -0800

CluelessVegetarianFilter: I've been a veg for about 6 years now. My girlfriend isn't. Normally this isn't a problem, but I'm looking to do something nice for her: Cook meat... The problem is, while I'm an accomplished amateur chef, my skills are a direct result of having to provide for myself in the kitchen. She's something of a picky eater and has gladly abided my risottos, my frittatas etc, but keeps a stock of chicken nuggets in the freezer. I'd like to cook for her, chicken somethingorother, but I've got two big problems. One: I have no chicken recipies. I am utterly clueless. Any favorites? Two: And this is the big one, how does one cook chicken? When is it done? Is there any prep work to it? I may as well be taking Swahili here. Any tips are well appreciated!

Delicious Meal or Bacteria Party?

catfood — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 13:14:15 -0800

Will I get sick from eating this? In an attempt to eat healthier, I broke out the crock pot last night and filled it with raw vegetables and raw chicken, in preparation for a day of slow cooking all day today. However, today I learned that you're very much not supposed to store raw veg & raw chicken together in the fridge overnight, and now I know better than to do it again.

But I've had chicken and vegetables cooking in Cream of Chicken soup all day, and after 10 hours of cooking it should all be at a safe temperature. My apartment smells heavenly and we're hungry. Are we asking for a world of hurt if we eat this?

I'm annoyed at myself because I never plan ahead. The one time I do, I do it all wrong. Grr!

It Takes a Tough Man...

Miko — Sun, 25 Sep 2005 18:49:28 -0800

Help me learn to use up a whole roast chicken. I'm single and a good cook. I try to get the most out of a smallish grocery budget. With fall-y weather setting in, I decided to experiment with roasting a whole chicken each Sunday, and then using the chicken for the next several days. I'm looking for your tips on getting the most out of said chicken after that first serving of carved white meat is gone.

I don't especially relish wings and dark meat, so I need some recipes that sort of disguise their heavier flavor. Healthier recipes are especially appreciated. Sandwich and salad suggestions, preferably those that travel well to work for lunch, are welcome. Also, do you use the roasted carcass to make stock? Is it worth the trouble? Thanks in advance.

Strange birds

rorycberger — Thu, 08 Sep 2005 07:34:00 -0800

I want to prepare a Russian-Doll Roast. In Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany, there is a recipe for a "Russian-Doll Roast" as follows:

Below is one of many versions of the famous Russian-doll-like roast. Its preparation is complex and laborious (it is wise to debone all of the birds larger than the ortolan), and there is always the vexed question of how long to cook the monster once it is prepared. Eighteen hours of moderate roasting seems a reasonable time, but be sure to check the juices run clear.

Stuff a large olive with capers and a clove
Place the olive inside a bec-figue
Place the bec-figue inside an ortolan
Place the ortolan inside a lark
Wrap the lark in vine-leaves and place inside a large thrush
Place the thrush inside a plump quail
Wrap the quail in bacon and place inside a plover
Place the plover inside a lapwing
Place the lapwing inside a partridge
Place the partridge inside a woodcock
Place the woodcock inside a barded teal
Place the barded teal inside a well-hung guinea-fowl
Garnish the guinea-fowl with bacon and place inside a duck
Place the duck inside a plump chicken
Place the chicken inside a large high pheasant
Place the pheasant inside a goose
Place the goose inside a large turkey
Place the turkey inside an enormous bustard

Off the top of my head, I know I can find turkey, duck and chicken; and I'm pretty sure I've seen quail, pheasant, and guinea fowl in stores before but am not positive I can find them easily. The rest I have no idea where I'd find them, and in some cases I have never heard of them. I'm looking for the following:
1) Purveyors, either online or in the SF bay area, for any of the less common birds. Bonus points if I can buy them already deboned.
2) Tips for preparing such a roast, especially with regards to boning each specific bird. Are there any special bones to watch out for in, say, a Lapwing that won't be mentioned in a guide to deboning a chicken? To be honest, I've never even deboned a chicken (or any other bird) so general tips would be helpful as well.
3) Experiences with similar roasts, even if on a smaller scale (anybody done a TurDuckHen, perhaps?). Thoughts on roasting temperature, target internal temperature (is there anything other than salmonella that I need to be worried about?), cooking time, how to keep the outside layers from going dry, etc.? Any other poultry that this list is missing that I might want to add/substitute (Squab comes to mind)?
4) This may be a longshot, but if any of these bird names are antiquated versions of something more common, please let me know. If there's another name for a bird that a butcher might know better, that would certainly help me track it down.
5) Anything that I might need to know about seasonality. I'm planning to make this for Christmas, so I wasn't planning on buying most of this stuff right away, but is there anything I should definitely buy and freeze now before the hunting season (or slaughtering season or whatever) might end?

Sorry for the huge question, but I'm anticipating a huge project and need all of the help I can get. Thanks in advance.