• HOW TO TRUSS A BIRD


    • Trussing means to secure poultry or game with string or skewers so that it will keep its shape during cooking.
    It's optional, but it does make poultry look nicer for serving, and it's what we mean when we say 'tie legs together, tuck wings under


  • Here's how to do it

    • 1:Tie string around tail end of bird, then around legs, bring­ing string between legs and body towards wings.


    2:Wrap string around wings, turn bird over, tie string firmly between wings.


  • HOW TO BONE OUT A CHICKEN


    • To bone out a bird you remove the bones so the bird can be seasoned and rolled or whatever is specified, this is how you bone out a chicken.


    1:Using sharp knife, cut off wing tips at the second joint. Cut through skin of chicken along centre back. Using tip of knife,
    separate flesh from backbone on 1 side of chicken, cutting through thigh joint, then, following the shape of the bones, gradually ease flesh away from bone.
    Holding rib cage away from chicken, carefully cut the breast flesh away from the bone, cutting thmugh wing joint


    2: Hold up 1 thigh with 1 hand. To remove flesh, cut around top of bone, scrape down bone to next joint, cut around flesh again, scrape down to the end.
    Pull bone out and cut away. Repeat boning process with other half of chicken. Turn flesh of thighs and wings inside chicken.


    3:Spoon seasoning down centre of chicken (over filling or as specified in recipe). Fold 1 sideof chick­en over seasoning, then fold over other side to overlap by about 2cm.


    4: Sew overlapped edges together using a needle and dark thread (dark so it is easy to see for removal later) tie chicken with string to keep shape during cooking. Then follow individual recipe to cook and serve.


  • HOW TO CUT CHICKEN PIECES


    • A jointed chicken separates into 9 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts, 1 back. The back is not considered an individual serving portion, but can be used to ac­company another portion, such as a wing, or used to make soup.


  • 1: Cut thigh and leg portions from chicken. Separate legs and thighs.
  • 2:Cut wing portions from chicken.
  • 3: Using poultry shears, cut backbone
  • 4:Cut breast section in half.
  • 5:The chicken is now in 9 portions. section from chicken.
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  • HOW TO CHOP CHICKEN


  • For Chinese chicken dishes, chicken is cut into smaller pieces than for most other recipes. Here's the way to cut the chicken, using poultry shears (or scis­sors) and a cleaver:


  • 1: Place chicken on board, breast side up. cut through breastbone, a little to one side, and right through backbone.

  • 2: Cut both pieces of chicken in half

  • 3:Now cut between each wing and breast, cutting through joint. cut or chop between each leg and thigh. You should have 8 pieces.

  • 4: Chop each wing into 3 pieces.
    Chop each leg into 3 pieces
    Chop each breast into 3 pieces
    Chop each thigh 3 pieces.
    You should have 24 pieces as pictured.

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  • COOKING TIPS


  • To prevent over-browning when baking, cover legs, wings and breast (or whole bird) with foil if browning too quicky.


  • Don't baste too often unless specified in recipe. Frequent basting keeps the skin moist and you may not get the brown, crisp skin you want. As well, the temperature keeps dropping when you open the oven door.

  • Roasting a chicken is generally straightforward, put it on a rack in the baking dish or put it straight into the baking dish, cook for time required, watch for over-browning, and the chicken will be great; follow in­dividual recipes.

  • Duck is very fatty and skin should be pricked all over to release the fat during cooking Be careful to prick skin only not down into the meat, otherwise juices could run out and duck will be dry Prick once or twice more dunng cooking, or as specified in reci pe.
  • When roasting,. place duck on wire rack in baking dish and add about half a cup of water to the dish to stop the fat spatting
    A.lot of fat and liquid will drain into the dish so handle the dish. with care when removing it from the oven

  • Cooking a goose is similar to a duck; again, prick only the skin, not through to the breast.

  • Cooking a turkey is different be­cause turkey meat is dry and tends to dry but further during cooking. Don't prick skin unless specified in recipe. Add about half a cup of water to baking dish as this helps to keep the turkey moist.

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