Tips for Caring for your chicken

Tips for caring for your chicken

TIPS FOR CARING FOR YOUR CHICKEN

Correct handling, storage and cooking are all equally important when cooking chicken

1.HANDLING

  • Do not wash fresh or frozen chicken.
  • Wash hands and equipment thoroughly in hot soapy water after handling raw poultry.
  • Do not place cooked product on plates used for raw chicken.
  • Use separate boards for chopping raw poultry and other foods.

2.STORAGE

  • Always cover raw chicken and store it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator below all other foods.
  • Thaw frozen chicken completely in a refrigerator or defrost in a microwave prior to cooking.
  • Do not thaw chicken on a bench or under running water.
  • Once thawed, cook within 24 hours.
  • Do not refreeze after thawing.
  • Always cover raw chicken.
  • Best practice – If refrigerating cooked chicken for later use, do so as soon as possible after initial cooking.
  1. COOKING
  • Chicken must be cooked thoroughly before eating.
  • The internal temperature for bone-in chicken should be 82°C.
  • The internal temperature for all other chicken should be 76°C.
  • Best practice – Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
  • A useful guide is to cook until the juices run clear. This does not remove the need to use a meat thermometer.

For additional information refer to https://pianz.org.nz/cooking-poultry/