Handling Tips
Buying Tips
Storage Tips
Preparation
Cooking Guide
1. To prepare chicken for cooking, rinse it inside and out with cold water and pat dry with absorbent paper towel.
2. Always store chicken in the refrigerator in a covered container or a plate covered with foil or plastic, so that juices do not drip down to contaminate food on a lower shelf.
3. If frozen chicken starts to thaw out, do not re-freeze it – thaw properly and cook it.
4. Keep raw and cooked chicken in separate containers in the refrigerator. Do not keep fresh chicken in the refrigerator for more than three days before cooking it.
5. Prepare raw and cooked chicken separately. Do not cut raw chicken on a cutting board and then use the same cutting board for the chicken once it is cooked. The cutting board, knife and hands should be washed in hot water before handling the cooked chicken.
6. Make sure that chicken is cooked thoroughly. Eat as soon as possible or store in the refrigerator.
What to look for when purchasing chicken:
1. Compare the thickness of the meat in proportion to the bone. If, for example, the breast looks scrawny, you're paying a lot for bone rather than meat.
2. Read the labels to verify the product inside. Many different parts and combinations are available, and some look surprisingly alike. By law the label needs to accurately reflect the contents.
3. Notice the expiry date, where applicable. Most stores are scrupulous about removing chicken before the expiry date, but sometimes it could be overlooked.
4. Make sure there are no traces of feathers or hairs. These can look really unattractive when the bird is cooked.
5. Ensure the chicken is stored correctly on the chilling shelf and not outside the core cooling area.
6. Look at the ends of the bones and verify whether they are pink or turning grey. Generally, the more pink the bone ends are, the fresher the chicken.
1. As a perishable product, chicken should be stored at about 4 degrees Celcius or below, or in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
2. Use chicken within two or three days of its purchase, and leave it sealed in the way it was purchased.
3. When storing frozen chicken or freezing fresh chicken, ensure it's placed in an airtight container, heavy plastic bag, plastic wrap, foil or freezer paper.
4. Frozen uncooked chicken can be stored up to six months; frozen cooked chicken should be used within three months.
5. Do not stuff poultry before freezing, and freeze cooked birds and stuffing separately.
6. It is not recommended to refreeze chicken after it has been thawed
Chicken preparation hints:
1. Wash chicken thoroughly in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. The chicken skin can be removed from the fresh product to reduce the fact content of the cooked meal. Forty percent of the fat in poultry is attached to the skin and therefore can be easily removed. This is in contrast with other meats, where the fat is dispersed throughout the meat and not so easily removed. If the product is broiled or baked or grilled, it is recommended to leave the skin on until cooking is finished, otherwise the meat will lose too much moisture and become tough.
3. Chicken can be prepared in many different ways, including roasting, boiling, grilling, frying or braaiing. For respective cooking times see the info sheet for each product or the detailed information contained on the recipe pages.
1. When adding chicken to a recipe that calls for a measured amount, determine how much chicken is needed by following a standard of one pound of boneless chicken equals approximately 3 cups of cubed chicken.
2. When roasting a chicken, an untrussed chicken will cook faster and more evenly than a trussed chicken.
3. Covered chicken takes longer to cook in the oven than uncovered chicken.
4. When frying, grilling, boiling, or sautéing chicken, remove pieces as they get done to avoid overcooking while finishing other pieces. White meat and smaller pieces, such as breasts and wings, will get done faster than dark meat pieces, such as legs and thighs.
5. Chicken should always be cooked until well done. For best results, particularly when roasting a whole stuffed chicken, use a meat thermometer inserted in the meatiest part of the bird. Internal temperature for a whole chicken should be 165°F (74°C) when the chicken is done.
6. For a quick test when roasting a chicken, hold on to the leg, move it around, and side to side. The leg should move freely at the joint if it is done.
7. A visual check can also be made to see if the chicken is done by piercing it with a fork. You should be able to insert the fork with ease, and the chicken juices should run clear. Chicken is thoroughly cooked when it is no longer pink inside.
8. Do not overcrowd chicken pieces when cooking. Leaving space between them will allow them to brown and cook more evenly.
9. If using a marinade for basting, set some marinade aside before placing raw chicken in it to marinate. Never re-use marinade that the chicken was marinated in for basting.
10. Be sure to use a sharp knife when cutting or carving chicken. Sharp knives will make the job a lot easier, especially when having to cut in the joint areas, and will provide neatly cut slices and pieces.
