# Smoked Chicken looking right?



## influencer (Nov 2, 2013)

I've smoked chickens probably 4-5 times now and every time the chicken has red in the meat, especially near the bone. Temps are at 165 before I pull them, checked in both breasts and the thigh. Color looks great, smell awesome, just a little unnerved at the color.













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## nmaust (Nov 2, 2013)

I think that's normal near the bone. You'd have a problem anywhere else.  I do the beer can method and always get some red near random bones.


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## foamheart (Nov 2, 2013)

You might want to try another thermometer. Those with the big round face sometimes are not the most accurate and they are hard to read,

Its getting closer to Christmas.... if you are enjoying smoking like you appear to be, maybe a nice RF thermometer might show up in your stockin. If your a good boy. LOL

Some are fairly inexpensive, just make sure you get one where it has a warranty and/or you can get replacment probes for.

I think Todd either just had his on sale or they are about to go off sale about now. Check 'em out. I never thought I would use one, now I would pretty much be lost without it.

Just a thought.


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## turnandburn (Nov 2, 2013)

Most chickens that are enhanced often give that red around the bone. I just smoked 2 birds for a friend and his wife and she swore up and down they were under cooked. Until I did one at my house and the same thing happened. She was convinced they were done since none of them got sick. She just couldn't believe how juicy they were. Then again she thought dry chicken was fully cooked. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mdboatbum (Nov 3, 2013)

Yeah, that happens. It's a little off putting. Thing is, a bone in chicken is only MOSTLY done when it probes at 165˚. The majority of the meat is, in fact, done and safe, but the parts nearest the bone take a little longer to cook then the rest of the meat. Those pink and/or bloody areas are actually at a lower temperature. (I'm not referring to the pink resulting from a smoke ring, I'm referring to the area surrounding the bone only)

A _little bit_ of blood like in your picture usually isn't a problem. If you have more than a little, and the meat near the bone is a completely different consistency, then you might want to try and get it a little more done. What I do is spatchcock my chickens and remove the keel bone and ribs. This seems to allow the now mostly boneless breasts to cook more evenly. And the dark meat usually seems to fall in line too. I also cook at a higher temp (325˚ or higher) and give a 15-20 minute rest, which also seems to help the temps even out.

If I'm cooking for a crowd, or someone who I know will freak out at the slightest hint of pink, or older (over 70) or younger (Under 5) people, or somebody who's pregnant or in any way might have a compromised immune system, then I just brine it and take it to 175˚ in the breast and that usually solves the problem.


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## pgsmoker64 (Nov 3, 2013)

Mdboatbum said:


> Yeah, that happens. It's a little off putting. Thing is, a bone in chicken is only MOSTLY done when it probes at 165˚. The majority of the meat is, in fact, done and safe, but the parts nearest the bone take a little longer to cook then the rest of the meat. Those pink and/or bloody areas are actually at a lower temperature. (I'm not referring to the pink resulting from a smoke ring, I'm referring to the area surrounding the bone only)
> 
> A _little bit_ of blood like in your picture usually isn't a problem. If you have more than a little, and the meat near the bone is a completely different consistency, then you might want to try and get it a little more done. What I do is spatchcock my chickens and remove the keel bone and ribs. This seems to allow the now mostly boneless breasts to cook more evenly. And the dark meat usually seems to fall in line too. I also cook at a higher temp (325˚ or higher) and give a 15-20 minute rest, which also seems to help the temps even out.
> 
> If I'm cooking for a crowd, or someone who I know will freak out at the slightest hint of pink, or older (over 70) or younger (Under 5) people, or somebody who's pregnant or in any way might have a compromised immune system, then I just brine it and take it to 175˚ in the breast and that usually solves the problem.


X2!  Great advice my friend.

You will see the same in a turkey...especially the legs.  I got a lot of negative reaction last Thanksgiving because of the pink legs...had to prove it to them and eat it myself....they won't make that mistake again!

Bill


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