Determining Doneness of Poultry
Poultry should always be heated until well done to enhance flavor and to minimize the risk of foodborne bacterial illnesses. Doneness may be determined by internal temperature, color changes, and/or touch and time/weight tables.
Internal Temperature. The best way to check poultry for doneness is to use a meat thermometer. It should be inserted into the thickest part of the breast, although it can also be inserted in the inner thigh. In either case, it should not touch bone or fat. Poultry is sufficiently cooked when the internal temperature reaches 180 to 185F (82 to 85C). The pop-up thermometers that some poultry producers place in turkey breasts are not always reliable, so check for other signs of doneness. A thermometer placed in the center of any stuffing should reach a minimum temperature of 165F (74C).
Color Changes. When oven-roasted chicken or turkey reaches a golden brown color, it is time to test for doneness. The juices coming out of the bird should have turned from pink to clear, and a bit of bone should be showing on the tip of the legs. When a turkey is roasted breast side up, the breast should be covered with metal foil or a bit of cooking oil to keep the breast from over-browning or burning. The foil should be removed 45 minutes to an hour before the end of heating to allow for final browning.
Touch. When pressed firmly with one or two fingers, the well-done bird’s flesh will feel firm, not soft. White meat may be firmer than dark meat in part because certain proteins have a higher gel-forming ability in white muscle than when they are located in the dark muscles. Another way to tell whether or not the poultry is done though touch is to wiggle the drumstick - it should move easily in its joint.
Time/Weight Charts. Time/weight charts appear on the packaging of all frozen and many fresh birds. It takes about 1.5 hours in a 350F (177C) oven to thoroughly cook a 3.5 pound chicken. Preparation times for turkeys depend on their weight and are reduced for those roasted in one of the special oven bags. Although there are time/weight charts for frozen turkeys, it is not recommended that they be cooked from the solidly frozen state, because they may not be heated through enough to destroy microorganisms.
