COOKING

Poultry

Cooking Poultry: General Directions

•Prepare the poultry for cooking.

-Defrost completely.

-Arrange poultry pieces with thicker pieces at the outside edge of the baking dish. When cooking legs, arrange them like the spokes of a wheel.

-Cover the baking dish with waxed paper to reduce splattering.

-Use a browning agent or cook with a sauce to give a browned appearance.

•Tend the poultry as it cooks.

-Drain and discard juices as they accumulate.

-Shield thin or bony pieces with small strips of aluminum foil to prevent overcooking. Keep foil at least 1 inch from the oven walls and other pieces of foil.

•The poultry is done when it is no longer pink and the juices run clear. When done, the temperature in the thigh meat should be 180-185˚F.

•Let the poultry stand after cooking covered with foil for 10 minutes.

The Poultry Cooking Table below provides detailed directions, Power Level, and Cooking Time settings for most cuts and types of poultry.

Poultry Cooking Table

POULTRY

POWER

COOKING

DIRECTIONS

LEVEL

TIME

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken pieces

HI

41/2-51/2minutes

Wash, shake the water off, and go on with cooking. Place

(21/2-3 lbs).

 

per pound

pieces in a single layer in a microwavable baking dish with

 

 

 

thicker pieces to the outside. Brush with butter or browning

 

 

 

agent and seasonings if desired. Cover with waxed paper.

 

 

 

Cook until no longer pink and juices run clear. Let stand

 

 

 

covered 5 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Chicken whole

HI

12-13 minutes

Wash, shake the water off, and go on with cooking. Place

(3-31/2lbs)

 

per pound

breast side down on a microwavable roast rack. Brush with

 

 

 

butter, or browning agent and seasoning if desired. Cover

 

 

 

with waxed paper. Cook 1/3 of estimated time. Turn breast

 

 

 

side up, brush with butter, or browning agent. Replace

 

 

 

waxed paper. Cook 1/3 of estimated time again. Shield if

 

 

 

necessary. Cook remaining 1/3 of estimated time or until no

 

 

 

longer pink and juices run clear. Let stand covered with foil

 

 

 

10 minutes. (The temperature may rise about 10˚F.) The

 

 

 

temperature in the high should be 180˚F-185˚F when the

 

 

 

poultry is done.

 

 

 

 

Cornish Hens

HI

6-7 minutes

Wash, shake the water off, and go on with cooking. Tie

Whole

 

per pound

wings to body of hen and the legs to tail. Place hens breast

(1-11/2lbs. each)

 

 

side down on microwavable rack. Cover with waxed paper.

 

 

 

Turn breast side up halfway through cooking. Shield bone

 

 

 

ends of drumsticks with foil. Remove and discard drippings.

 

 

 

Brush with butter or browning agent and seasonings if

 

 

 

desired. Cook until no longer pink and juices run clear.

 

 

 

Remove hens from microwave when they reach desired

 

 

 

temperature. Let stand covered with foil 5 minutes.

 

 

 

(Temperature may rise about 10˚F). Temperature in breast

 

 

 

should be 170˚F before serving.

 

 

 

 

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