Is cold chicken breast done?
How can I tell if a COLD cooked chicken breast is fully cooked? I poached chicken last night, (single layer of breast in a large pan, covered in water and brought to a boil, then covered the pan and then simmered for about 15 minutes. But then I turned off the burner and let it steam for an hour or so.) I can't use a thermometer anymore, since it's cold! It is white, not pink, and it tears really nicely - not tough at all. In fact, it's super tender.
Best Answer
There is no way of knowing. The importance of cooking for food safety comes down to log reduction of pathogens.* Without accurately knowing the exact temperature that the meat reached and for how long it was held there, you can't known if it cooked long enough to be safe.
Additionally, you can't count on color, texture, or juices to indicate how cooked a piece of meat is - acidity, age of the meat, etc can play a large role in the appearance of meat. Typically, yes, white meat with clear juices is cooked... but not always.
*: In case the source goes down some day - table of 6.5 and 7 log reduction times for salmonella, at given temperatures. Low end is 130F/54.4C 121 minute for 7 log reduction. High end is 158F/71.1C 0 seconds for 7 log reduction. That is, you will reduce the count of salmonella to 1/10 millionth at the given cook time and temperature. This is why we tell people to cook pork and chicken to 165F - it instantly kills any salmonella in the meat. Salmonella is a very heat tolerant microbe, so if we've performed a 7 log reduction on it, we've done an even larger reduction on other harmful microbes. All of this information is super useful if you ever decide to sous vide meat.
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Quick Answer about "Is cold chicken breast done?"
The answer is yes, you can absolutely eat cold cooked chicken. When chicken has been cooked and chilled, it actually has a great texture and flavor. The meat is a little more firm when it's cold, which gives it a nice texture to add to your salads or sandwiches.How do you know if cold chicken is cooked?
Poke the meat to see if juices are red or clear This method applies to chicken specifically. For properly cooked chicken, if you cut into it and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.What happens if you eat cold chicken?
Is It Safe to Eat Cold Chicken? Eating cold chicken is perfectly safe. The main concern should be over how you store it. Once the chicken has cooled to room temperature, you should cover it and place it straight into the fridge.Can you get salmonella from cold cooked chicken?
Reheating. Although less common, you could also get salmonella from cooked meat if you don't reheat it to the proper temperature before serving leftovers. It may have become contaminated in between when it finished cooking and when you serve it again, so it is best to take precautions and fully reheat your leftovers.How do I know when my chicken is done?
Simply insert your food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken (for a whole chicken, that would be the breast). You know your chicken is cooked when the thermometer reads 180\xb0F (82\xb0C) for a whole chicken, or 165\xb0F (74\xb0C) for chicken cuts.3 Ways To Cook The Juiciest Chicken Breast Ever - Bobby's Kitchen Basics
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Answer 2
First, if in doubt, throw it out. Read this post for a full explanation.
Assuming they were properly cooled after cooking, it really depends on how thick the breasts were and if they were boneless.
If they were boneless, you cooked cooked the chicken long enough to reach pasteurization temperatures. Compare to this recipe's time recommendation:
Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook: As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the chicken simmer. Begin checking the chicken after 8 minutes: it is done when opaque through the middle and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F. Chicken will typically finish cooking in 10 to 14 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat and whether it is has a bone.
Other recipes suggest 25-30 minutes for large bone-in chicken breasts, so your answer will depend on whether the water stayed at a high enough temperature for long enough after you turned the burner off.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Olya Kobruseva, EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA, EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA, EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA