Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Costco shoppers see red in 'bloody,' undercooked rotisserie chickens

Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chickens at the Costco Wholesale in Teterboro.


By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

I've received two complaints about undercooked Costco Wholesale rotisserie chickens from shoppers, and both were graphic.

They described "bloody" joints, "bright red blood" oozing from joints and "pink" meat.

Neither said where the chickens were purchased.

They both commented on my original post in 2012 about the low quality of Costco's Kirkland Signature Seasoned Rotisserie Chickens:

Costco's rotisserie chicken makes great dog food 

Ken Kurose said:
"Ugh my mom bought rotisserie chicken today at costco. It was undercooked. Figured it out after I took the skin off and ate the wing then pulled the dark meat off at the bottom And saw how link [pink] it still was and how fat the skin was. I'm sitting on the toilet hating life. Ugh."
The second comment was anonymous:
"I love Costco's/Kirkland's rotisserie chicken but every time, it is bloody on the joints! I tried to bring it to their attention but I was told to just take my concern ( I take pictures) to the merchandise return counter and I will be refunded. I said my intention is to bring it to someone's attention so it will get fixed (not get refund every time). I was told, the thermostat for their rotisserie is fixed and set at supposed to be its perfect cooking setting that I cannot be adjusted any further. That I should just bring my bloody chicken pictures and I will get a refund. ONe would think I would enjoy my free super most delicious rotisserie chicken in the whole world. Not. I wish for them to fix it. How do I write to them? Thank you."
I suggested the second complainer post something on Costco's Facebook page, which appears to be monitored by company employees.  

This same person sent a second comment similar to the first with added detail:
"I have same experience. all the r. chicken I bought at Costco were bloody in the joints, and pink on the muscle areas. these areas as so undercooked that bright red blood oozes when i cut into the joints. i used to throw it away, until i thought i'd bring it to Costco's attention to fix it. apparently, they have been aware but could not anything bec their rotisserie thermostat is already set at what supposed to be a perfect setting. Costco encouraged me to just bring in my concern to their merchandise return desk and i will get a refund. I take pictures of the bloody chicken instead of bringing the actual bloody chicken. sure i get refunded, no questions asked. one would think how lucky i am for getting free r. chicken. but i am not. the problem is not fixed, and i can keep bringing pictures and get refunded everytime...but i hope they will eventually do it right. bec i love Costco's rotisserie chicken (just remove the fats)." 

The label is silent on the use of harmful antibiotics to raise the chickens. Ingredients include salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, potato dextrin, carrageenan, sugar and dextrose.

At the Teterboro warehouse today, this Costco employee said the seasoned chickens spend 90 minutes in the Hardt-brand rotisserie cases at 180 degrees, and if the skin is "light," he puts them back to cook for another 10 minutes. He said no Costco member has complained about undercooked birds.

34 comments:

  1. Another shopper reports on Costco rotisserie chicken:

    I also bought undercooked chicken recently at the Costco in Teterboro. It wasn't bloody, but not cooked properly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are under cooked, i just googled to see if there were any other complaints about Costco chickens. They are not supposed to be pink inside.....unless they want to poison us or make us sick....

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    2. You're absolutely right. I hope you took leftovers back and got a refund.

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  2. A cooked chicken would not be "bloody." It's not blood. You should educate them instead ofj ust passing it along.

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    Replies
    1. I haven't cooked or eaten chicken in more than five years, but yes, I've seen undercooked chicken with bloody joints and pink flesh. If it's not blood, what it it?

      Delete
  3. It's on the news today that costco's rotisserie chicken salad has sickened 19 people across seven states so far.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. That's right, my morning paper has a news brief:

      "The outbreak [E. coli outbreak] has sent five people to the hospital, with two of them developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday."

      There have been no deaths reported, the agency said.

      The evidence suggests that Costco Wholesale's rotisserie chicken salad was the likely source of the outbreak, the CDC said, and Costco said it removed the item from the shelves of U.S. stores and has stopped furhter production.

      The people who fell ill live in California, Colorado, Missouri, Montana,, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

      E. coli usually is caused by consuming feces in chicken, ground beef and other food.

      Delete
    2. Yep just bought one at Costco Aloha ( Beaverton) Oregon. Bleeding when I cut into it. I'm not buying the chicken EVER again.

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    3. I hope you took it back for a full refund.

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  4. We just bought Costco Rotisserie chicken 1/23/2016 at the Costco on north 27th Ave in Phoenix, Az. They still have not figured out how to fully cook a rotisserie chicken.
    At first my wife thought she cut herself only to find out that she didn't, chicken was pretty bloody on the inside pretty much at every joint.
    It didn't seem to faze them one bit when I returned it, for a refund.
    We've never had this bad of a undercooked bloody rotisserie chicken from anywhere else including Sams Club and Walmart. Sams and Walmart appear to know how long to leave the chickens in, maybe Costco should work on learning from them.

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  5. We just bought Costcos rotisserie chicken on 1/23/2016 at the North 27th Ave Costco in Phoenix, Az., it was undercooked and bloody. When I called that Costco they didn't seem fazed one bit, and told me to just come back in and get a refund.
    It appears Costco doesn't pay much attention to all of these reports, if they did I would think they would hire someone that knows how to properly cook these birds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mr. Collins sent in two comments, but I published both because they are slightly different.

      If you and other Costco customers continue to settle for a low-quality chicken that is raised on harmful antibiotics, you're only alternative is to bring a meat thermometer with you and buy a chicken that just came out of the rotisserie case.

      Then, you can test it before buying to ensure it is fully cooked.

      Delete
    2. I suppose you can also post your comments on Costco's Facebook page, which the company monitors and often has employees replying to concerns such as yours. Here is the link:

      https://www.facebook.com/Costco/

      Delete
  6. OK, Victor, you wanna knock Fairway, you wanna knock ShopRite, go ahead but leave my Costco rotisserie chickens alone! I practically live off those birds. Of course there's gonna be a few drops of blood when you get down to the bone, the reason they hardly cook them is so they can fly off the shelves, which they usually do the moment the workers put them out. And consumers don't have to worry about catching anything because they've been given plenty of antibiotics. Last week I called the doctor and said Doc, I think I'm coming down with a fever. He said "Eat two Costco chickens and call me in the morning."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL. You should trade that sit-down job for stand-up, Aaron.

      Delete
    2. I have had several bloody rotisserie chickens from San Diego's Fenton Parkwasy Costco. As a result I always cook them when I get them home.

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  7. You can eat all that undercooked bloody Costco chicken you want, as far as your doctor he's full of bs like you.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It appears that you give it out but can't take the heat.
    This isn't a joking matter, but apparently this blog is.
    By-By

    ReplyDelete
  9. I quit buying the Rotisserie chicken at Costco because they are never done. I have bought them at 3 different Costco's in Texas. Lewisville, Frisco and Plano stores all same issue. Also quit buying the Deli pizza they do not cook them long enough either tasted doughy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OK, thanks for your comment.

      Yes. You cannot get the pizza "well-done," which is the way I like it, because it is made on a conveyor-belt oven, and the time it cooks can't be or isn't adjusted.

      I actually bake the slices at home for 10 minutes on the rare occasion I buy one.

      Delete
    2. I posted one of the complaints about under-done chicken on Costco's Facebook page, and got this response from Mari: "Victor- Thanks for sharing this information with us. We'll be sure to bring this to the attention of the right team."

      She also advised shoppers to contact their local warehouse.

      Delete
  10. About two weeks ago we purchase one the Costco chickens and same problem it was under cooked, bloody joints. I should that we have also run across this with a Sam's Club chicken. Both stores were in Tulsa, OK. Never ran across this problem in Georgia or California. I think they need to calibrate their ovens or train their employees here in Tulsa. I took pictures and have not approaches the store as yet but next I go I will have to see what they can do about it.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment, Tom. It's deplorable.

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    2. I meant the situation is deplorable that Costco allows the problem to continue. I urge speak to them.

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  11. I bought 2 chickens at Costco they were bloody in the joints, and pink on the muscle areas. these areas as so undercooked that bright red blood oozes when I cut into the joints. My husband called customer service and was told this is a part of the cooking process, that is a bunch of B.S This is not the first complaint have seen online and the problem is not fixed, I took pictures but Costco web side/facebook page does not let you post pictures.
    I thought to have a easy dinner night but ended up spending about a hour to re-cook the chicken.Maybe somebody has to get really sick and sue Costco before this problem is taken care of. See the comlaints at: http://doyoureallyknowwhatyoureeating.blogspot.com/2015/11/costco-shoppers-see-red-in-bloody.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I hope you took a photo of the bloody joints, and returned to the Costco with the empty containers and got a full refund.

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    2. I also put your complaint on Costco's Facebook page. Where did you buy those chickens?

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    3. I did that and got a refund and took a print out from the pictures I took, the costumer service rep argued with me that it was normal that the chicken meet was pink at the bone/tendens, I pointed out on the picture that it was raw, she sad, o yes that's raw. This is an ongoing problem with Costo rotisserie chicken and they trying to sweep it under the carpet. there are a lot of complaints on the internet about this. I bought this at Costco in Cedar Park TX, just too bad I can not post the pictures.

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    4. Thanks. Why don't you send me the photo attached to an email. My email address appears at the top right of the opening page of Do You Really Know What You're Eating? I'll take a look and publish it. You could also try to put it on Costco's Facebook page.

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    5. My email address is vsasson7@gmail.com

      Delete

Please try to stay on topic.