As recommended by others on here I tried making Coq au Vin a couple of times and it turned out pretty well. For the fun I checked temperature at the end and it was 180-200F in places but was not dry. My SO hates taste of wine, what's your favorite non-wine braising liquid?

It has a clear gummy texture. The pinkness is about what I would expect.

I will definitely try it. The consensus here is to cook the thigh more, longer, and/or higher temperature. Thermometer is not necessary with this cut because there's more fat than breast.

I also want to learn more and have the ability to use a thermometer period, for other cuts or beasts. You are saying 45-60 minutes in (I assume) a 350 oven, I would also like to know if 2 hours in 250 oven works as well. Is there a minimum oven temp for slow cooking where the fat will never cook out no matter how long it's in there?

In my case I am inexperienced and probably doing something wrong. But it interests me you are saying it can reach 165 degrees and still have raw doneness.

Do you brown on stove then braise in oven? What is your oven temp?

What oven temp do you use?

magiesmom, are you saying that 165 degrees is best to thoroughly cook fat and connective tissue for a single thigh or simply recommending the minimum safe temperature?

Thanks for your response. I learn with every post. I really appreciate what you're saying but I prefer thermometers because I cook for someone with low immunity and don't have anyone to show me things in person. For online learning it's easier to communicate "180+ degrees for thighs" like C. Hamster said than to wonder whether the chicken breast wobbled just so when I poked it or whether the steak feels like my thumb or whether the author of the recipe simply had fatter hands

I have not. I have put two in near boiling water with no more than 3 degree difference.

I will try that, it sounds delicious. Still, say I had the same problem with breasts. I want the ability to be confident with a bird and thermometer.

Sounds good. My problem is the "done" part using a thermometer.

I have tried baking these several times and always turns out raw in the middle. Tell me where I'm going wrong!

I set out the refrigerated thighs on the counter for 30 minutes to warm up. I place a stay-in oven thermometer parallel to the bone, about 1/2" away from the bone, so the tip ends up in the middle and put it in a preheated oven (350 degrees) on the center rack. When the thermometer beeps (165 degrees, or 175 since they have been raw), about a 1/2 hour, I pull the chicken out and let it rest on the stovetop for a few minutes.

Should I flip them over while in the oven?

What oven temperature range would you recommend for this?

Thanks!

I was trying to ask whether scooting the pan around the same burner would scratch the glass. My pan has a rough texture- shingle-like.

Mine is a Bobby Flay 12" skillet. It was a gift, I think from Kohl's.

I went to the store and see a lot of cast iron that has a fairly smooth bottom compared to mine.

how much do you move the pan, and do you think I should sand/grind the bottom of my pan if the surface is gritty (new pan)?

To what extent do you move it around? Is the bottom surface smooth? My pan is relatively new, and not so smooth on the bottom.

I'm moving somewhere with a ceramic-glass stovetop. I don't want to stop using cast iron but I heard that they scratch the surface. There's a similar post but it's about enameled cast iron, but mine is bare.

Has anyone used bare cast iron on this surface, successful or not?

If not, I'm considering:
1) grinding the bottom of the pan until it's smooth
2) getting some type of heat diffuser (I'll take recommendations)
3) accidentally dropping the pan until I need to buy a new one

Thanks for all the recommendations and discussion. I've ordered 'ratio' and an Alton Brown book for now, but I will keep most of these under consideration when I have more funds.

thimes, I like spicy food, savory food, barbecue, Mexican, Sushi, Thai. I figured I should start more general than that since my skills are limited - books that assume I know little or nothing.
I'll check out the Corriher books. Alton Brown sounds like what I have in mind- would you recommend "I'm here for the food"?

Hi, I'm new to cooking. Started reading "Cooking for Geeks" which appeals to me because it focuses on how and why at my level.

Please recommend any books that explain the whys as well as this one.

Thanks a bunch. I'll try the oven thermometer, too. My apartment has an old oven with no window.

Maybe I need the kind that overcooks it. I have a Taylor. Not fancy, but I tested it with boiling water.

Please bear with me as I am very new to this. I've been trying to bake chicken using a meat thermometer. I have tried breast, thigh, and drumstick, all with bones in. I have a leave-in-the-oven thermometer that I put in the bird before it goes in the oven. Sometimes this turns out to be fine, other times the chicken is raw in the middle. I cook to 165-170 or more, since I've been having problems, and I still get raw.

I suspect I am putting the thermometer in wrong. I try to put it through the thickest part of the meat, down to the bone, then pull up a little bit. At this point, I can't find anything that describes how to do this properly. A photo would be a godsend.