Poultry is the term used for domesticated birds - usually chicken and turkey - that have been reared especially for their meat, eggs or both. The quality will depend on a number of factors:

1. Type

2. Age

3. How well fed.

In general, quality points to look for are in fresh poultry

  1. Skin should be White unbroken skin with turkeys and chickens (unless com -fed)
  2. In geese and ducks, skin should be creamy white, and grayish white in guinea fowl.
  3. Flesh firm to touch.
  4. Plump breasts
  5. Leg and breast well fleshed.
  6. Young birds should have pliable breast bone.
  7. Older birds have coarse scales and large spurs on the legs and long hairs on the skin.
  8. Pleasant smell
  9. Skin dry to the touch

If Frozen:

  1. Wrapping is in good condition.
  2. No dry white patches - indicating freeze bum. When bird defrosts, not too much juices drain out.

Quality Points of Duck and Goose

  1. Plump breast
  2. Webbed feet that tear easily Yellow bill and feet Bend back

Season

Due to present methods, i.e. battery and deep freezing, poultry is available all year

Food Value

  • Flesh easily digested.
  • Contains protein, therefore is useful for building and repairing body tissues and providing heat and energy.
  • Low fat content.

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.

When trussing for entrée the legs are folded and inserted beneath the breast skin.

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

Poultry weights and portions

English / French / Weight / Portions
Single baby chick (spring) / Ie poussin / 360g -1 kg / 2
Double baby chicken / Ie poussin double / 1kg-1 ½ kg / 3- 4
Small roasting chicken / Ie poulet de grain / 1kg -1.2kg / 4
Medium roasting chicken / Ie poulet reine / 1.5 – 2kg / 4-6
Large roasting chicken! / la poularde / 2kg – 3 kg / 8
Capon / Ie chapon / 3 - 4 kg / 8 -12
Boiling fowl / la poule / 2kg - 4 kg / 8-12
Young turkey / Ie dindonneau / 3.5 kg / *
Turkeyla / dinde / 3.5 kg - 20 kg / *
Duckling / Ie caneton / 1-1.5kg / 2
Duck / Ie canard / 1.5-2.5 kg / 4
Gosling / l'oison / 2-2.5 kg / *
Goose / l'oie / 3.5kg –b 7 kg / *
Guinea fowl / Ie pintarde / 1 – 1 .5 kg / 4-6
Pigeon / Ie pigeon / .75 kg - 1 kg / 3

* Expect to find approximately 15- 20% bones in poultry

* Turkey and goose = kg undrawn weight per portion.

Portion control

  1. Number of covers
  2. Use on the menu
  3. garnish
  4. Cost of dish / menu
  5. Type of meal
  6. Type of customer
  7. Each portion should be of equal size/weightexperience of staff
  8. Standardised recipes

Preservation methods

  1. Chilling – preserves by reducing the temperature to slow down the multiplication of bacteria. This is a short term preservation method.
  2. -Vacuum packing – preserves by removing the oxygen from around the food and extends the storage life. Food still requires refrigeration.
  3. Freezing – preserves by reducing the temperature to -18C to stop the multiplication of bacteria. Once thawed the food must be treated as fresh.
  4. Salting –preserved by being covered in salt. Must be soaked prior to use to draw out the salt.
  5. Smoking – The fish is gently heated to dry and preserve it. Wood chips are often used to give a strong smoky flavour. Often used for herrings, salmon and trout.
  6. Pickling –may be pickled raw or cooked by placing in a vinegar pickling solution and preserved in a jar.
  7. Canning – preserves by cooking at a high temperature within the can to kill all bacteria and micro-organisms. This is a long term storage method.
  8. Curing –curing includes the preservation by drying, salting, smoking, or pickling, or by combinations of these processes. Flavourings are sometimes included.
  9. Drying - Preserves by removing moisture from the food in a warm controlled environment leaving a dried product, that can then later be re-constituted.

Accompaniments for:

Roast chicken - Game chips – Watercress - Bread sauce - Roast gravy

Roast Duck/ goose - Roast gravy - Hot apple sauce or gooseberry sauce - Game chips - Picked watercress - Sage and Onion stuffing

Roast Turkey - Bread sauce - Cranberry sauce - Parsley and thyme stuffing - Chestnut stuffing -Roast gravy

Chicken cut for saute

2 winglets

2Remove wings with a portion of breast

2 thighs

2 breasts

2 drumsticks

carcass cut into3

Preparation and cooking of poultry

  1. What is a poussin ?
  1. How many portions from a poussin?
  1. How many portions from a 1 ½ kg roasted chicken?
  1. How many pieces is there in a chicken cut for sauté?
  1. How many are actually served to customers?
  1. Name five cuts of chicken
  1. Why is poultry trussed before cooking?
  1. How should poultry be defrosted prior to cooking?
  1. What are the main food poisoning bacteria in poultry
  1. What are the accompiments to roast chicken