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.
• Watch 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.
• 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.
COOKING
39
Poultry Cooking Table
POULTRY
POWER
LEVEL
COOKING TIME
DIRECTIONS
Wash, shake the water off, and go on with cooking. Place
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.
Before cooking, wash and shake off water. Place 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.
Wash, shake the water off, and go on with cooking. Tie wings
to body of hen and the legs to tail. Place hens breast 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.
Chicken pieces
(2
1/2
-3 lbs).
Chicken whole
(3-3
1/2
lbs)
Cornish Hens
Whole
(1-1
1/2
lbs. each)
HI
HI
HI
4
1/2
-5
1/2
minutes
per pound
12-13 minutes
per pound
6-7 minutes
per pound
