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Original poster

DH put a full chicken in a cold oven

171 replies

Pinkkahori · 19/09/2022 22:36

Our oven is old, it takes a while to heat up. DH just told me that he forgot to preheat the oven today so he put the chicken in to a cold oven. He didn't allow any additional cooking time.
I didn't eat it but he and the kids did.
I'm worried about the possibility of food poisoning.
Does everyone preheat their oven?
Is it likely to be a problem?

OP posts:
smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 19/09/2022 22:37

I never preheat my oven. As long as the chicken wasnt pink and juices were clear then its fine

NoSquirrels · 19/09/2022 22:37

It’ll be fine. I really wouldn’t worry. If it was well cooked through at the end that’s all you need to know.

PAFMO · 19/09/2022 22:38

I do a chicken whole most weeks and it's never crossed my mind to preheat the oven.

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Whatafielddayfortheheat · 19/09/2022 22:38

It'll only be a problem if the chicken was undercooked as a result. They all take slightly different times to cook, after all, there's no set time for cooking a chicken. Was the meat still pink and bloody?

Londdann · 19/09/2022 22:38

I put them in from frozen sometimes. As long as it was cooked through that’s all that matters

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 19/09/2022 22:39

You’d know by now. And they would notice if it was undercooked. I suspect chicken is often over cooked and can’t imagine 10 mins with the oven not quirpte hot enough should make much difference. How long did he cook it for?

User478 · 19/09/2022 22:39

Get a meat thermometer
ETI SuperFast Thermapen 3 Classic Food Thermometer (Orange) - Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer for Kitchen, Food Cooking, Grill, BBQ, Smoker, Candy, Home Brewing, Coffee, and Oil Deep Frying amzn.eu/cMGl3K0
Never worry about this sort of thing again

(Alternatively, as long as the meat wasn't still pink and the juices ran clear you're probably fine.)

Radiatorvalves · 19/09/2022 22:41

I always preheat but main issue is whether it was cooked through? Was it pink or were the juices clear?

SouthOfFrance · 19/09/2022 22:42

You'd know if the chicken was undercooked, it would have been pink. You'd have noticed it. Honestly don't worry about it, he probably only cooked it less than 5 minutes less than the label said.

Original poster
Pinkkahori · 19/09/2022 22:43

I didn't see the chicken at all so I don't know how it looked.
He said it wasn't very nice so they didn't eat much and it was in the bin when I got home.
It was a biggish chicken I'd say it was in the oven 1hr 20 minutes.

OP posts:
Runnerduck34 · 19/09/2022 22:44

Rarely pre heat oven. Just need to check juices are running clear. Did he do that? Did it look cooked when carved? Not pink?
I expect it will be totally fine, doesn't matter if oven wasn't pre heated , all that matters if it was cooked through.

Flower2047 · 19/09/2022 22:45

No it's fine I don't know why you'd even think this would be a problem. Also they've eaten it now so what are you going to do?

cakeorwine · 19/09/2022 22:46

Pinkkahori · 19/09/2022 22:43

I didn't see the chicken at all so I don't know how it looked.
He said it wasn't very nice so they didn't eat much and it was in the bin when I got home.
It was a biggish chicken I'd say it was in the oven 1hr 20 minutes.

1hr 20
From cold
Big chicken
Didn't taste very nice..

Did he read the instructions and the cooking time?

Starlightstarbright1 · 19/09/2022 22:48

A chicken cooked for 20.minutes..???

Theimpossiblegirl · 19/09/2022 22:48

I think if you have an older oven you should be more cautious and not rely on labels for cooking times anyway. They are a guide and you should always check your meat.

piegone · 19/09/2022 22:48

He is an adult, surely he checked it was cooked?

Original poster
Pinkkahori · 19/09/2022 22:49

Flower2047 · 19/09/2022 22:45

No it's fine I don't know why you'd even think this would be a problem. Also they've eaten it now so what are you going to do?

I think it's a problem because our oven is slow to heat up so for a period of the time the chicken was in the oven was cold and he didn't factor that in.
Also he didn't check the juices so he doesn't actually know if it was cooked.

OP posts:
Starlightstarbright1 · 19/09/2022 22:49

Sorry 1 hour 20

cakeorwine · 19/09/2022 22:51

There is not a lot you can do know - but personally, I always preheat the oven and make sure that the cooking time is followed.

1 hr 20 from cold does sound undercooked for Roast chicken. Is the original packaging around? There isn't much you can do but learn for next time.

Waterfallgirl · 19/09/2022 22:53

You can’t do anything now, but chicken is the worst thing to undercook obviously you told him and there won’t be a repeat. As for food poisoning, you will just have to wait and see.
I’m surprised about the number of people who don’t preheat their oven though when cooking chicken! .

abovedecknotbelow · 19/09/2022 22:53

They would have noticed if it was undercooked.

cakeorwine · 19/09/2022 22:53

Flower2047 · 19/09/2022 22:45

No it's fine I don't know why you'd even think this would be a problem. Also they've eaten it now so what are you going to do?

Because chicken should be cooked for 45 minutes per kg plus 20 minutes resting. And that's from a preheated oven.

As it needs time to heat the inside properly

Rodion · 19/09/2022 22:54

Was the chicken room temperature or fridge (presumably not frozen!) when it went in?

Even if it was undercooked that doesn't automatically mean they'll get ill, chances are theyll be fine. It sounds like it didn't have long enough but given they didn't finish it its probably only the well-cooked outer parts that they ate.

DH needs a basic cookery course for his Christmas present this year!

Original poster
Pinkkahori · 19/09/2022 22:54

Thanks everyone.
I know how to cook a chicken and how to check if it's done.
DH has seen me cook plenty of chickens and had cooked more than a few himself too so I assumed he knew what he was doing.

OP posts:
maddy68 · 19/09/2022 22:55

I rarely preheat the oven