How do I cook thick pieces of meat without burning the outside?

Question

Whenever I try to cook a thick chicken breast or sausage, I end up burning the outside and not cooking the inside through. What am I doing wrong?

I would try cooking with a lower flame (my stove is gas), but I want to make sure that I cook at a high enough temperature so as to kill all the bacteria.

Furthermore, I cook a lot with the George Foreman grill where you can't regulate heat or anything. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Answer 1

You actually run more risk by eating the undercooked center than by cooking at low temperatures. The way that I cook chicken on a stove is by first cooking it at a high temperature to brown the outside, about 5 minutes a side, and then reducing the temperature and covering it and cooking it for about 15 minutes to ensure the inside is cooked completely. Before removing from the heat I usually check the fattest section and ensure that it is still not pink in the middle. The temperature required for killing the bacteria is not necessarily that high, but time has a lot to do with it. I work in the biotech industry. To sterilize things we only reach a temperature of 250 F, but have to keep it at this temperature for 30 minutes. The same does not exactly apply to foods, but you get the idea about how time is a factor not always high heat.

For sausages I do it the opposite way from chicken when frying. I first put the sausage in a boiling bath of water and cook thoroughly (again testing the center to ensure it is cooked through). Then I brown them in oil at high temperature.

I do not have a foreman grill. But I have found a link that has recommended cooking times using one.
http://www.grillmeats.com/foreman_grill.htm


Generally if I am unsure about how long to cook something, I check out epicurious.com for cooking times. Personally I prefer to cook chicken in the oven, since it is more straightforward, less messy, and healthier than frying. Use a little wine, chicken broth, or water for the slow cooking piece.

Answer 2

Preheat the oven first, then you can wrap the meat in foil or put it in a roasting dish, and cook at 200 degrees or gas mark 6-7. If you cook you too high you only cook the outside. Better to cook for longer at a lower heat. Don`t worry too much about killing the bacteria, when it`s done it`s done. With joints inc chicken the juices will run clear. General rule is 20mins per pound weight + 20 mins. I`ve been cooking for the family for 27 years and I ain`t given anyone bacteria! Do you know how to make gravy with Bisto powder? Better than them granules, especially onion gravy with real onions!

Answer 3

C'mon guys it's not that hard. Lower your temperature and allow the breasts to cook .Use a thermometer .; The FDA rec commends an internal temp of 180, in which case have a sauce available to serve on your dried out meat
Chef trick: Brown them stove top and then bake them in a 350 oven .The same technique works with sausages and pretty much anything else
If your saute pan has an all metal handle , you can go straight into the oven .

Answer 4

Brown the outside on a higher heat take out piece of meat brown some onions peppers garlic put a half cup of wine and half cup of broth scrape those bits up put chicken breast back in pan turn down heat to low cover cook for 40 minutes and you'll love it oh last min throw parsley in

Answer 5

When cooking always remember that slower is always better and when cooking on a gas stove it is okay to lower the flame it will take your food longer to cook but you will still be cooking all the bacteria out of it. As long as your food is cooked completely you will have nothing to worry about. Cooking food all the way through will kill the bacteria not so much the tempter of what you are cooking is at.

Answer 6

You will have to cut it smaller if you are using the George Foreman. Try turning the heat down, Sounds like you are cooking too fast. I often have to Split chicken breast because they are usually too thick. If I grill. I will boil it for about 10 or 15 min.
It's a lot more tender that way.

Answer 7

sear the meat on both sides (about 3-5 minutes) so that it gets some nice color and then pop it into a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. the searing helps the meat to remain moist as it continues cooking.

as for the george foreman... you're on your own. i hate it!

Answer 8

You don't have to defrost food before cooking it if you can cook it all the way through from frozen. It sounds like you even overcooked it, so you'll be fine. It's not true that all frozen food is precooked. A lot fo frozen food is frozen raw, so definitely make sure you fully cook it.

Answer 9

reduce the thickness of your meat ,you could also par boil your meat first .don't cook all the way threw just enough so you can finish cooking the way you like ...it's like prepping your meat ...resturants will do this so your not waiting a long time for your meal ...

Answer 10

All I know is to turn your heat lower and make sure you cook long enough to cook the insides.