Why is my chicken pink? Is it undercooked?
…Because it was smoked!
One of the questions we get asked the most is about why our chicken can look pink on the inside. And it’s totally understandable – we’re brought up to believe that seeing pink in chicken means it’s undercooked.
But that’s not the case with low and slow barbecue – here’s why!
The Cooking Process
We smoke all of our meat low and slow – in simpler terms, this means we cook at a lower temperature for a longer period of time.
When you talk about U.S barbecue, many people traditionally think of pulled pork and ribs. But when a chicken gets the low n’ slow treatment it adds a whole new dimension.
Myoglobin is a protein stored in the muscle, which when mixed with water takes a pink appearance. When exposed to high temperatures, myoglobin breaks down to give a consistent white coloring across the whole piece of meat.
As we smoke our chicken at a lower temperature for a much longer period of time, the myoglobin doesn’t fully break down. This creates a pink tinge to the meat – the same reaction that causes the smoke ring you see on our brisket and ribs.
This doesn’t mean it’s undercooked, just that it’s been smoked. We are always sure to check the internal temperature of our chicken when smoking it, ensuring it’s above 165 degrees.
So next time you see a pink chicken in Evan’s chicken, fear not, and enjoy!
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