OT: Anything Goes 39

[x Tame Impala]

Well last night at work i started off shift sick but as night progressed it got worse. By the morning my sore throat and cough has progressed to horrible headache, chills and then I ended up throwing up at work (3 times)

Got home and decided to use that at home Covid test from government and it said I have COVID

Basically, have slept and had soup all day

In other news



Familiar face who would show up in TV/Movies thru nearly 4 decades of career

Chicago native and a Second City alum

RIP

Sorry about catching COVID dude. That sucks, get well soon.

I didn’t know Mike Hagerty was from Chicago. He was one of those actors you always liked to see in small tv roles

 

[Giovi]

Well last night at work i started off shift sick but as night progressed it got worse. By the morning my sore throat and cough has progressed to horrible headache, chills and then I ended up throwing up at work (3 times)

Got home and decided to use that at home Covid test from government and it said I have COVID

Basically, have slept and had soup all day

In other news



Familiar face who would show up in TV/Movies thru nearly 4 decades of career

Chicago native and a Second City alum

RIP

Get well soon.

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

Hello, Friends.

Also damn Im sorry BWC.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

Get well soon, buddy.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Any of you grilling maestros have an explanation for why the chicken I grill is rubbery? I buy it from the local grocery store and cook it that day. I leave it out for 10 or so minutes before it hits the grill. I use a meat thermometer to check the temp so I’m in the right temperature range every time.

About 1/3rd or 1/2 the time the chicken is spongy and rubbery. I don’t know why! It’s very annoying and it’s a waste of food

 

[Clownish]

Any of you grilling maestros have an explanation for why the chicken I grill is rubbery? I buy it from the local grocery store and cook it that day. I leave it out for 10 or so minutes before it hits the grill. I use a meat thermometer to check the temp so I’m in the right temperature range every time.

About 1/3rd or 1/2 the time the chicken is spongy and rubbery. I don’t know why! It’s very annoying and it’s a waste of food

Google says it may be from overcooking it.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Any of you grilling maestros have an explanation for why the chicken I grill is rubbery? I buy it from the local grocery store and cook it that day. I leave it out for 10 or so minutes before it hits the grill. I use a meat thermometer to check the temp so I’m in the right temperature range every time.

About 1/3rd or 1/2 the time the chicken is spongy and rubbery. I don’t know why! It’s very annoying and it’s a waste of food

Make sure the heat is high enough and take it off just before it reaches temp and let it cook through with residual heat. Foil if it's not a fairly uniform cut.

Dunno bud. Chicken is pretty easy.

 

[x Tame Impala]

When I temp check it it’s at 165 or so. It’s usually 7-8 minutes on each side at Med-High heat on my little Weber 2 burner.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

When I temp check it it’s at 165 or so. It’s usually 7-8 minutes on each side at Med-High heat on my little Weber 2 burner.

It's cooking past that. Lower the heat or shorten the time.

 

[x Tame Impala]

It's cooking past that. Lower the heat or shorten the time.

I’ll give it a shot. Thanks

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I’ll give it a shot. Thanks

If it's gas I'd recommend cooking most things at the same heat. Lot easier to measure and play with time. Much more controllable. Goes for the stove too.

Not a maestro by any means but I can cook.

 

[x Tame Impala]

If it's gas I'd recommend cooking most things at the same heat. Lot easier to measure and play with time. Much more controllable. Goes for the stove too.

Not a maestro by any means but I can cook.

Yeah it’s a gas. I didn’t have the patience to control the temp on a charcoal grill

 

[hawksrule]

Any of you grilling maestros have an explanation for why the chicken I grill is rubbery? I buy it from the local grocery store and cook it that day. I leave it out for 10 or so minutes before it hits the grill. I use a meat thermometer to check the temp so I’m in the right temperature range every time.

About 1/3rd or 1/2 the time the chicken is spongy and rubbery. I don’t know why! It’s very annoying and it’s a waste of food

If you want it cooked perfectly, use a sous vide and then just throw it on the grill for a minute or two after.

 

[Naster Okan]

Yeah it’s a gas. I didn’t have the patience to control the temp on a charcoal grill

Brining it may also help. I typically don’t cook chicken on the grill but as @hawksrule said if you have that option go for that.

 

[plasmonresonance]

I almost never grill/BBQ chicken just because it's so hard to get everything perfect; render the fat, crisp the skin, and cook white and dark meat to perfect temps. When I do grill chicken it's usually all dark meat (legs and thighs) because there's more room for error. Agree with the sous vide method for obtaining best perfect meat doneness, but most likely you won't get all the fat rendered and the skin crispy.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I just grill chicken breasts. The store near me has a rotation of 8 or so excellent marinades. I've heard you're also supposed to pound out the breasts to make sure everything cooks evenly.

Chicken occasionally has been giving me a hard time but everything else is coming out great. I've grilled steaks, wagyu steaks, fish, veggies, and even pizza on my grill for years now with no problem. It's one of my favorite ways to cook.

You guys might think this is weird but i've even grilled meatballs before i tossed them in my gravy. Some people bake them in the oven but i don't prefer that texture personally. We grew up cooking the outside in a frying pan with a little EVOO and then finishing it off in the gravy (red sauce/pasta sauce for you heathans) for hours but i like using less oil plus the light char on the outside of the meatballs locks in all the flavor with less of a mess in my kitchen.

 

[ChiHawks10]

I'm with the others that have said you're overcooking them. They continue to cook for a few minutes after you take them off at 165. I pull all my chicken around 158-160, and then bring it in the house. In the 5-7 minutes it takes everyone to plate it, it comes up to temp. If that doesn't change anything, try switching to a different brand of chicken breast, honestly. Some places just get shitty chicken.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I guess i'm never hosting the next HF Hawks grilling cookout

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I injured my eye a couple years back and had to steer away from smoke, so I haven't grilled in a solid 2+ years. Looking forward to changing that this summer myself.

 

[BLKHKhockey]

Any of you grilling maestros have an explanation for why the chicken I grill is rubbery? I buy it from the local grocery store and cook it that day. I leave it out for 10 or so minutes before it hits the grill. I use a meat thermometer to check the temp so I’m in the right temperature range every time.

About 1/3rd or 1/2 the time the chicken is spongy and rubbery. I don’t know why! It’s very annoying and it’s a waste of food

I cook a lot. Sounds like you are overcooking them.

Like DHF said- the chicken will continue to cook even after you take it off the heat. Take them off at 150.

Some additional tips:
- Either butterfly or pound out to even thickness
- Salt them at least an hour before cooking, leaving in fridge uncovered. This will keep them juicier.

If you are interested in more, check out Kenji Lopez-Alt's stuff on YT or on Serious Eats. He breaks down the "why's" and the science behind cooking for the everyday home cook. Truly delicious food.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I just grill chicken breasts. The store near me has a rotation of 8 or so excellent marinades. I've heard you're also supposed to pound out the breasts to make sure everything cooks evenly.

Chicken occasionally has been giving me a hard time but everything else is coming out great. I've grilled steaks, wagyu steaks, fish, veggies, and even pizza on my grill for years now with no problem. It's one of my favorite ways to cook.

You guys might think this is weird but i've even grilled meatballs before i tossed them in my gravy. Some people bake them in the oven but i don't prefer that texture personally. We grew up cooking the outside in a frying pan with a little EVOO and then finishing it off in the gravy (red sauce/pasta sauce for you heathans) for hours but i like using less oil plus the light char on the outside of the meatballs locks in all the flavor with less of a mess in my kitchen.

My mom taught me to brown meatballs and finish cooking through in the oven. Same deal with the crust. Using a grill seems like too much effort for inconsistent surface contact.

And pan clean up over grill clean up any day of the week.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

I almost never grill/BBQ chicken just because it's so hard to get everything perfect; render the fat, crisp the skin, and cook white and dark meat to perfect temps. When I do grill chicken it's usually all dark meat (legs and thighs) because there's more room for error. Agree with the sous vide method for obtaining best perfect meat doneness, but most likely you won't get all the fat rendered and the skin crispy.

I rarely grill chicken because the oven does it better. Mostly only cook dark meat myself unless I'm breaking down a whole bird.

 

[plasmonresonance]

I cook a lot. Sounds like you are overcooking them.

Like DHF said- the chicken will continue to cook even after you take it off the heat. Take them off at 150.

Some additional tips:
- Either butterfly or pound out to even thickness
- Salt them at least an hour before cooking, leaving in fridge uncovered. This will keep them juicier.

If you are interested in more, check out Kenji Lopez-Alt's stuff on YT or on Serious Eats. He breaks down the "why's" and the science behind cooking for the everyday home cook. Truly delicious food.

One of the very few cookbooks I have is Kenji's "The Food Lab"; an absolutely great resource to have on hand.

 

[RayP]

Any of you grilling maestros have an explanation for why the chicken I grill is rubbery? I buy it from the local grocery store and cook it that day. I leave it out for 10 or so minutes before it hits the grill. I use a meat thermometer to check the temp so I’m in the right temperature range every time.

About 1/3rd or 1/2 the time the chicken is spongy and rubbery. I don’t know why! It’s very annoying and it’s a waste of food

Don't think it was mentioned but you might be cooking them at too high of a heat. 450 max IMO.

Doesn't matter if you pull it at the right internal temp if you're grilling it at 500 or more.... going to turn out like shit.

 

[Sarava]

Hope you're better now BWC.

And the wife and I got the facebook lawsuit checks today. $397 x2.