Cooking Chicken legs

KwackerJack

I have had 1 large chicken leg in the over for 45 minutes at 220 degrees.

Middle Shelf and the oven set to match.

When I pierce the chicken to check the Center is oozing blood??

Does a bloody chicken leg take 45+ minutes to cook????

The Hill Billy

Maybe you had not pre-heated the oven before putting in the chicken?

KwackerJack

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Maybe you had not pre-heated the oven before putting in the chicken?

I did per-heat the oven and used the ovens instructio for specifically chicken.

I bought it in a certain store and it was their own brand. Wont be buying it again as the chicken was not the best.

Ive bought better for less money!

MissFlitworth

To be honest I can't imagine how the quality of the chicken would affect the cooking time. Was it the leg very cold going in? Is your oven definitely behaving itself?

KwackerJack

MissFlitworth wrote: »

To be honest I can't imagine how the quality of the chicken would affect the cooking time. Was it the leg very cold going in? Is your oven definitely behaving itself?

It was left to defrost but would have been cold going in but no frozen. I did read on line the the blood may not be blood but a substance within the bones. If the bone splits it can release a blood like substance even if fully cooked!!

I checked the oven recipe booklet and I was on the correct setting.

MissFlitworth

I've had something along those lines happen when I put a very cold chicken thigh into the oven (but mine was a bit frozen), as in I poked it with a skewer to see if it was cooked and it spit blood at me, I think there was a pool of blood in the meat from a broken bone that had juuuust defrosted when I jabbed it. Urgh. If your meat is cold going into the oven it definitely takes longer to cook

CJhaughey

KwackerJack wrote: »

It was left to defrost but would have been cold going in but no frozen. I did read on line the the blood may not be blood but a substance within the bones. If the bone splits it can release a blood like substance even if fully cooked!!

I checked the oven recipe booklet and I was on the correct setting.

The part I highlighted is the bit that sticks out at me, even when the outside is defrosted the inside could still be frozen or near enough.
Air conducts heat pretty poorly so it can take a long time for heat to penetrate to the centre of a chicken thigh.
The bone won't help either.

Overflow

There is no blood in the chicken, at least there shouldn't be, its myoglobin and does not mean that your chicken is under-cooked, if you get no myoglobin out of the meat, you have probably cremated it.

Alun

Personally I cook chicken pieces (legs or bone and skin-on breasts) in the oven for around 30 mins at 180 (fan). If I put them in at 220, or even 200, for 45 mins, I'd be eating charcoal. This would be straight from the fridge too. If it was me I'd be checking my oven out with the help of an oven thermometer.

rubadub

I deeply score thick chicken pieces. Also allows more coating or marinate if you are using any.