How to salvage possibly undercooked chicken?
September 14, 2022 7:40 PM Subscribe
I have some chicken breast that may be undercooked but I want to salvage if I can...
Yesterday I steamed some chicken breast, let it cool and put part of it in the fridge. The other part, I noticed, had some pink in the center. Not a lot, but I cut it out, ate the other parts, and it was fine--no tummyache.
Upon inspecting the remaining fridge chicken, it has larger pink parts. I could just cut those away, but couldn't I just put them in the oven/broiler and cook away the pink? I know that would dry it out but it seems a good tradeoff. Or is cooking it a second time inadvisable?
Yesterday I steamed some chicken breast, let it cool and put part of it in the fridge. The other part, I noticed, had some pink in the center. Not a lot, but I cut it out, ate the other parts, and it was fine--no tummyache.
Upon inspecting the remaining fridge chicken, it has larger pink parts. I could just cut those away, but couldn't I just put them in the oven/broiler and cook away the pink? I know that would dry it out but it seems a good tradeoff. Or is cooking it a second time inadvisable?
I would have refrozen the leftovers, but, if you put it in the fridge right away, I'd recook it and be fine with that. If it sat out, then it gets sketchy...
posted by Windopaene at 10:37 PM on September 14, 2022
posted by Windopaene at 10:37 PM on September 14, 2022
If it's been nearly but not quite cooked and you're not planning on eating it until a day later, you'll need to thoroughly heat all the meat not just cook away the pink.
A quick alternative to simmering in a sauce is to cut it into very thin (think ham-thin) wafers, then either cook in a very hot pan with a bit of olive oil, or toss with oil, spread out in one layer on a tray and broil. Cook without moving it until getting pretty brown and crisp on the first side, then toss / turn and give just a little bit longer on the second side. The thinness of the meat and the different textures from one side to the other completely counter the fact that you're overcooking and drying it out.
I often do this, with chicken or pork that's been initially undercooked, for a quick dinner when I get home from work, adding a few pinches dried oregano / paprika / ground coriander seed / chilli flakes, to make a very passable quick impression of shawarma or gyros.
It's also worth mentioning that modern refrigerators can handle having food put into them at a much hotter temperature than instinct might tell you. If it's cool enough to handle, you can start chilling it, and the sooner the better food-safety wise.
posted by protorp at 11:31 PM on September 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
A quick alternative to simmering in a sauce is to cut it into very thin (think ham-thin) wafers, then either cook in a very hot pan with a bit of olive oil, or toss with oil, spread out in one layer on a tray and broil. Cook without moving it until getting pretty brown and crisp on the first side, then toss / turn and give just a little bit longer on the second side. The thinness of the meat and the different textures from one side to the other completely counter the fact that you're overcooking and drying it out.
I often do this, with chicken or pork that's been initially undercooked, for a quick dinner when I get home from work, adding a few pinches dried oregano / paprika / ground coriander seed / chilli flakes, to make a very passable quick impression of shawarma or gyros.
It's also worth mentioning that modern refrigerators can handle having food put into them at a much hotter temperature than instinct might tell you. If it's cool enough to handle, you can start chilling it, and the sooner the better food-safety wise.
posted by protorp at 11:31 PM on September 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers guys. I was probably overthinking this one a bit. I popped the chicken into the broiler for about 10 minutes and it came out fine. Very dry but a nice browning so it was quite good. Just curious if cooking chicken twice--after refrigeration--was a no no.
posted by zardoz at 1:34 AM on September 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by zardoz at 1:34 AM on September 15, 2022 [1 favorite]
You can easily microwave the undercooked parts, and add to anything where some cooked chicken would be tasty. Not sue how much time/ power to use of you tried to do a whole breast, it might not do well, but sliced lengthwise could work.
posted by theora55 at 8:59 AM on September 15, 2022
posted by theora55 at 8:59 AM on September 15, 2022
« Older How do the Scottish generally feel about being in... | Help Me, High-Altitude Bakers of Metafilter Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by vunder at 9:35 PM on September 14, 2022 [1 favorite]