Chicken won't reach 160 on George Foremanl grill?

Question

I'm cooking come boneless, skinless chicken breasts on my george foreman grill and i've been using a meat thermometer to check if it's done. There isn't any pink in the middle but when I put the thermometer in the chicken it doesn't get past about 135. I know it should be around 160, so is it still ok to eat?????

Answer 1

it's fine.


you don't really need to temp out everything, only large chunks of meat such as whole birds and roasts need it, because then you can't tell by looking. small things can be looked at, or slightly cut into, or felt to tell their doneness.

if it looks cooked through, it's good. chances are you could eat it raw and the only down side would be it'd taste bad.

Answer 2

I have to agree with the "your thermometer is out of wack". In school we were told to reclabrate our inta-reads once a month or if they were dropped. Since the temp of freezing is static and the temp of boiling changes with elevation and altitude use the ice water method of calabration. Or since they are cheap, by a new one. You could also be testing the wrong spot. On a therometer there is a little dent on the side of the probe, this dent MUST BE in the dead center of what ever you are testing. If you are cooking thin meat this could throw your reading off as well. 6-7 minutes on a George with out temp gradeation will give you perfect chicken if your chicken is under 1 inch thick.
This may be the weirdest answer you get about chicken. The health department demands 160 deg for chicken, ground meat, pork and fish, however if the chicken is butchered right and stored right you can eat it as low as 140 deg. I personaly like my chicken cook Japanese style, around medium rare. But I treat it right. The two main ways of killing bactera is cooking and freezeing. The statement of "160" is so the meat is over 140 deg for a required amount of time. If the meat is under 40 deg for an amout of time it will do the same thing. To sterilize meat freeze it at 0 deg F. for 5 days or at -15 deg f for 5 hours, then do not allow it to be between 40 deg and 140 deg for over 2 accumlitive hours. 40-140 deg is called "The Danger Zone" or as my Sanitation prof called it "Bacteria festa". Also buy organic and Kosher meat.

Answer 3

If the juices run clear, yes, it's ok to eat.

Is there any way you could insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, THEN put it in the grill to cook? A digital will alarm when done, or if it's manual, you can hang the dial out of the lid.

I'm guessing your meat therm is off. You can check it's correctness by setting the tip in boiling water, and seeing if it reads 212ºF. Some dont' go that high. If not, set it in a cup of crushed ice and water, and see if it reads 32ºF. If not, you can either turn the little bolt under the dial mechanism to calibrate it, or followi directions in the owner's manual if it's digital to calibrate it.

Answer 4

It really needs to be 165 to know you are safe. try sugar's advise and calibrate your thermometer. I never really check mine at home. I work in a restaurant and I know it is a little stricter there. So food safety is always done to keep everyone safe. I can usually just look at something at home and know if it's done. Then I cook it a little more just to be safe.

Answer 5

There could be something wrong with your thermometer.
If your chicken isn't pink in the center and you have clear juice I say all signs go, but if you juice isn't clear and a little bloody then you still need to cook it longer.

Answer 6

I cook them all the time. Never checked the temp, but all the pink is gone.

Answer 7

Surprise. I had one and used it once. I hate it.