Unit 251 Poultry

• Poultry is the collective term applied to

domestic birds reared for human
consumption and includes duck, goose,
turkey and guinea fowl.

• Each may be battery reared or free range

and is available oven ready.

• When using oven ready poultry always

ensure that the packaged giblets are
removed before cooking. Turkeys and
chickens are purchased by both weight and
number, for example, 5 oven ready 2 kg
roasting chickens.
SIZES OF FRESH CHICKENS

NAME WEIGHT PORTIONS

Single baby 250 gms (12 oz) 1
Double baby 400 gms (1 lb) 2
Small roasting 800 gms (2 lbs) 3-4
Medium roasting 1.5 kg (3 lbs) 4
Large roasting 2.5 kg (5 lbs) 8
Capon 3.5 kg (7 lbs) 12
Old fowl 3.5 kg (7 lbs)
 Quality points of Chicken

• The following list indicates the quality

points to look for when purchasing
poultry.
• Plump breasts
• White unbroken skin
• Pliable breast bone
• Pleasant smell
• Dry to the touch
 Hygiene
• When dealing with any aspect of preparing
raw poultry all the rules of hygiene, and
health and safety apply. Handlers must:
• have an excellent standard of personal
hygiene
• avoid all risks of cross contamination
• handle the poultry as little as possible
• make full use of refrigeration
• Ensure All Equipment Is Clean and Well
Maintained.

• Carry Out the Processes in Cool

Conditions.

• Seek Immediate First Aid for Any Cut

or Other Injury.

• Never Process Partly Defrosted Poultry.

 Danger From Salmonella
Infection.
• Most poultry harbour the risk of salmonella
bacteria contained in their gut.

• Anything coming into contact with poultry

intestines can easily become a carrier of
this bacteria, therefore, every effort must
be taken to minimise the spread by any
form of cross contamination.
• When poultry is drawn there is a danger of
salmonella bacteria contained in the gut
infecting the carcass and the flesh.

• Great care is needed to minimise this

threat and it is recommended that
evisceration is carried out by the supplier.

• Undrawn birds should be hung by the legs

until required and stored for a maximum of
three days in a cold room with a maximum
temperature of 3°C.
 If Drawing Is Carried Out on Your
Premises Always Follow These Guidelines.

• Always use a special working area separate

from the rest of the kitchen.
• Use the same equipment which is not used
for any other purpose.
• Take great care when cleaning equipment
which has been used for drawing poultry.
• Refrigerate all poultry as soon as possible
after the basic preparation.
• Constantly be aware of the risk of cross
contamination.
 Skinning.
• The skinning process can be carried out by
cutting the skin along the backbone and
then carefully pulling it away from the
flesh using fingers and a small knife.

• The skin over the ridge of the breast is

difficult to remove without damage as
there is no flesh under it. When the
winglet and feet are reached cut through
the ligaments to detach them from the
carcass.
 Preparing Chicken for Sauté

• Various jointing and boning processes

are necessary depending on how the
poultry is to be used, for example,
sauté, grilling, suprêmes, ballotines or
galatines.

• Link to NLN cutting chicken for sauté.

Cutting Chicken for Sauté.
 Trussing Or Tying.

• Trussing or tying means that the joint

or bird is tied to a suitable shape
with string.

• The term trussing is applied to

poultry only. A non slipping knot is
used to secure all strings.
• There are two methods used for
trussing poultry, one is used for
entrée and the other for roasting.
Both methods use two strings.

• When trussing for entrée the legs

are folded and inserted beneath the
breast skin. The feet have all but the
centre toe removed and the remaining
toenail trimmed off.
 Trussing for Entrée.

• When trussing for

entrée the legs are
folded and inserted
beneath the breast
skin.
• The feet have all
but the centre toe
removed and the
remaining toenail
 
trimmed off.
 Trussing for Roasting.
• When trussing for
roasting, the feet
are treated as
above but left
standing and not
inserted under the
skin of the breast.
 The Preparation Of A Turkey.
• Turkeys are cleaned and trussed in the
same way as chickens, but it is good
practice to remove the wishbone before
trussing to make carving the breast easier
which allows a greater number of regular
portions to be produced.

• It is also necessary to strip the sinews

from the legs using pliers and a sinew hook,
again to make carving easier and more cost
effective.
• If the legs are removed they should be
boned out and batted to form a flat shape
and any remaining sinews removed. A pre-
prepared and cooled stuffing may then be
added and the legs rolled and tied to form
a sausage shape.

• They can then be seasoned, coated with

melted butter and wrapped in cooking foil.
Any excess stuffing can also be made into
sausage shapes and cooked together with
the rolled legs.