But My Chicken Is Still Pink?Updated 2 days ago

Cooked to the SafeCook recommendation, white meat often stays a little pink. That is expected, and it is not a sign the chicken is undercooked.

The pink is not blood

It is myoglobin, the protein that moves oxygen around inside muscle. Blood is haemoglobin and is not what you are looking at.

Myoglobin starts losing its colour at around 140°F, but it fades gradually rather than all at once. Some pink can survive past 170°F, and it tends to be darkest close to the bone and in leg meat.

So the colour tells you about the protein, not about safety.

What actually tells you it is safe

The green SafeCook badge. It appears once your food has been hot enough for long enough to meet the standard, which SafeCook tracks continuously across every sensor in the thermometer.

Pink chicken that has earned the badge is safe. White chicken that has not is not.

"Pink chicken means danger" was a reasonable rule of thumb back when a colour was the only tool you had. With a thermometer that does the arithmetic, you can retire that rule, and it does take a cook or two to get used to.

Still have a question?

If you are unsure about a cook, email [email protected] and tell us what you cooked, what temperature you used, and which food type you selected in the app.

SafeCook™: How It Works and How to Use It explains the standard.

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