Chapter 12Chapter 12
Understanding Poultry & Game BirdsCopyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Composition and Structure
• Poultry is the generic term for domesticated birds
• Poultry is generally the least expensive and most versatile of all main dish foods
• It can be cooked by almost any cooking method, and its mild flavour goes well with a variety of sauces and accompaniments
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The flesh of poultry and game birds is muscle tissue.
• Muscle tissue is composed of:
• Water (about 75%)
• Protein (about 20%)
• Fat (up to 5%)
• Other elements, including carbohydrate, in small quantities
• Muscles consist of muscle fibers held together in bundles by connective tissue.
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Composition and Structure
The tenderness of a piece of poultry is related to connective tissue.
• Connective tissue increases with
• Use or exercise of the muscle
• Maturity or age of the animal or bird
• Use or exercise is of less concern in poultry.
• Maturity is a major consideration when selecting poultry, meaning, as bird gets older, bird gets tougher.
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Composition and Structure
Maturity and Tenderness
• Young, tender birds are cooked by dry-heat methods, such as broiling, frying and roasting, as well as by moist heat methods.
• Older, tougher birds need slow, moist heat to be made palatable.
• Maturity is the major factor in categorizing each kind of poultry
• Skin color is determined by diet and is not related to the flavor or tenderness of the poultry.
• Birds that fly have only dark meat 5
Composition and Structure
Maturity and Tenderness
Most chickens on the market are:• Produced by large operations
• Housed indoors in carefully controlled environments
• Fed scientifically monitored diets
• Free-range chickens are allowed to move around freely and eat outdoors in a more natural environment.
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Composition and Structure
Free-Range Chickens
• No legal definition of free-range
• Free-range chickens are considerably more expensive than ordinary chickens.
• Many people feel free-range chickens are more flavorful and worth the extra cost.
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Composition and Structure
Free-Range Chickens
Organic: defined by the National Standard of Canada for Organic Agriculture as food produced without using:• Most conventional pesticides
• Fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge
• Bioengineering
• Ionizing radiation
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Composition and Structure
Free-Range Chickens
Chicken and Turkey• “Light meat”: breast and wings
• Less fat
• Less connective tissue
• Cooks faster
• “Dark meat”: legs (drumsticks and thighs)
• More fat
• More connective tissue
• Takes longer to cook9
Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Duck, goose, and squab have all dark meat.• The same differences
in connective tissue hold true
• Breast muscles have more Myoglobin (see next slide) and thus are darker.
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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Myoglobin: a protein that stores oxygen for muscles to use during periods of great activity
• Dark color of dark meat is due to Myoglobin.
• Breast muscles of birds are used for flying.
• Chickens and turkeys rarely, if ever, fly; therefore, these muscles do not need a great deal of Myoglobin.
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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Cooking whole birds• A major problem in roasting poultry is cooking the legs
to doneness without overcooking the breast.
– Roast breast side down for part of cooking time to draw moisture/fat to breast, not away
– Baste with fat only, it protects from drying out (liquid will wash away protective fat
– Barding small birds with pork fat
– Seperating breast from leg section and roasting for different times, this is done with large turkeys
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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Cooking poultry parts• Recipes take into account the different cooking
characteristics of each part.
– For example, flattened chicken breast can be sauteed quickly and still be juicy and tender, turkey wings must be braised and have gelatin to make a rich sauce
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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Poultry is subject to federal inspection and grading
• Inspection
1. A guarantee of wholesomeness (fit for human consumption)
2. Indicated by a round stamp
3. Required by Canadian law
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Inspection and Grading
Poultry is subject to federal inspection and grading
• Grading
1. Based on quality
2. Indicated by a shield stamp and letter grade
3. Not required by Canadian law
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Inspection and Grading
The following terms are used to classify poultry:
• Kind: the species, such as chicken, turkey, or duck
• Class: the subdivision of kind, depending on age and sex
• Style: the amount of cleaning and processing
• Live: almost never purchased in food service
• Dressed: killed, bled and plucked (also rarely seen in food service)
• Ready to cook: dressed and eviscerated with head and feet removed
• Whole
• Cut up, or parts
• State of refrigeration: chilled or frozen
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Classification and Market Forms
Chicken• Most popular and widely eaten poultry in the
world
• Contains white and dark meat
• Can be cooked by almost any cooking method
• Readily available fresh and frozen
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Classification and Market Forms
Chicken Classes
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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Rock Cornish Game Hen
Young breed of chicken, tender
5 weeks or less
¾ - 2lbs
Broiler/Fryer Either sex, tender flesh, flexable cartilage
6 – 12 weeks Broiler: 1 ½ - 2 ½ lbsFryers: 2 ½ - 3 ½ lbs
Roaster Ether sex, tender flesh, less flexable cartilage
3 – 5 months 3 ½ - 5 lbs
Capon Castrated male, very tender, well flavoured, big breast
Under 8 months
5 – 8 lbs
Hen or fowl Mature female, tough flesh, hardened cartilage
Over 10 months
3 ½ - 6 lbs
Cock or rooster Mature male, tough dark meat
Over 10 months
4 – 6 lbs
Turkey• Turkey is the second most popular
poultry in Canada• Has both white and dark meat• Has a small amount of fat• Young turkey lends itself to being
prepared in almost any manner
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Classification and Market Forms
Turkey Classes
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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Fryer-roaster Young bird, either sex, flexable cartilage
Under 16 weeks
4 – 9 lbs
Young turkey(hen or tom)
Young bird, either sex, less flexable cartilage
5 – 7 months 8 – 22 lbs
Yearling turkey Ether sex, fully mature turkey, fairly tender
Under 15 months
10 – 30 lbs
Mature turkey or old turkey (hen or tom)
Old turkey with tough flesh Over 15 months
10 – 30 lbs
Duck• Young duckling is most often used in foodservice
operations
• Has only dark meat with a large percentage of fat
• High percentage of bone to meat
• One duck will feed two people, a 4lbs duck yields 1lbs raw lean meat (4lbs chicken yields 2lbs)
• Most ducks in Canada are White Pekin, specialty item called magret (mah-gray) is breast of moulard breed
• Magret breast is thicker and meatier
• Breast typically cooked rare, and leg braised or confit21
Classification and Market Forms
Duck Classes
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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Broiler or Fryer Young tender bird, either sex, soft bill and windpipe
Under 8 weeks
2 – 4 lbs
Roaster duckling Young bird, either sex, less flexable cartilage
Under 16 weeks
4 - 6 lbs
Mature duck Ether sex, tough flesh and hard bill and windpipe
Over 6 months
4 – 6 lbs
Goose• Has a large percentage of very fatty skin• Has only dark meat• Usually cooked at high temperatures to render
the fat• Popular at the holidays and often served with
an acidic fruit-based sauce
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Classification and Market Forms
Goose Classes
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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Young goose Young bird with tender flesh Under 6 months
6 – 10 lbs
Mature goose Tough old bird Over 6 months
10 – 16 lbs
Guinea• Domesticated descendant of a game bird• Flavour is similar to pheasant• Has both light and dark meat• Tastes like a flavourful chicken• Very lean so will benefit from barding
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Classification and Market Forms
Guinea Classes
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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Young guinea Domestic relative of pheasant, tender
3 – 6 months ¾ - 1 ½ lbs
Mature guinea Tough old bird Up to 12 months
1 – 2 lbs
Pigeon• Young pigeon is commercially referred to as
squab• Has dark meat and is well suited for broiling,
sautéing or roasting• Squab has very little fat so it will benefit from
barding• Rich dark meat typically served rare• Has gamy flavour that combines well with
flavourful brown sauces
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Classification and Market Forms
Pigeon Classes
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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Squab Very young pigeon with tender meat
3 – 4 weeks Under 1 lbs
Pigeon Older pigeon with tough, dark meat
Over 4 weeks 1 – 2 lbs
Game Birds
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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Weight Range
QuailFr: caille
Small birds, meaty breasts but legs have little meat, gamy, 2 birds for 1 main course
4 – 5 ounces
PartridgeYoung Fr: perdreauMature Fr: perdrix
Similar in size to cornish hen, tender when young
Around 1 lbs
PheasantFr: faisan
Delicate light coloured meat, similar to chicken, dry if overcooked
2 – 2 ½ lbsYoung: under 1lbs
Ratites• Ratites are a family of flightless birds with
small wings and flat breastbones
• They include– Ostrich (native to Africa, largest bird)– Emu (native to Australia, second largest bird) – Rhea (native to South America)
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Classification and Market Forms
Ratites
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Classification and Market Forms
Ostrich Emu Ostrich Meat Chart
Ratites• Ratite meat is classified as red meat
• It has a cherry-red colour with a flavour similar to beef but a little sweeter, and a soft texture
• The meat is low in fat and calories
• The birds are normally slaughtered at 10-13 months of age
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Classification and Market Forms
Ratites• Ratite meat is prepared like veal or wild
game
• Because it is low in fat, care must be taken to avoid overcooking
• Ratites are best cooked to rare to medium
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Classification and Market Forms
Fresh poultry is extremely perishable• It should arrive in vacuum packs or be packed in ice
and kept in ice until used
• Ideally, use poultry within 24 hours of receiving
• Never hold it for more than 4 days
• Poultry often carries salmonella bacteria.
• Wash all equipment and cutting surfaces after handling poultry to avoid contamination of other foods.
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Handling and Storage
Fresh Poultry
Store frozen poultry at 0°F (–18°C) or lower until it is ready to thaw.
• Thaw in original wrapper in refrigerator
• Allow 1 to 2 days for chickens
• 2 to 4 days for larger birds
• If pressed for time, thaw in cold, running water in original wrapper
• Do not refreeze thawed poultry.
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Handling and Storage
Fresh Poultry
Internal temperature, as tested with a thermometer, is the most accurate guide to doneness.
• The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest muscle of the inner part of the thigh, away from the bone.
• The recommended safe internal temperature for roast whole poultry is 185°F (85°C)
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DonenessIntro to Poultry
Large Roasted Birds
When cooked by any method, doneness is determined by:
• Looseness of joints• The leg moves freely in its socket
• Clear juices• Juices inside the cavity of a roasted bird are clear yellow
rather than cloudy and red or pink.
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Doneness
Smaller Birds
When cooked by any method, doneness is determined by:
• Flesh separating from bone• Muscles begin to pull away from bones, especially
breastbone and leg bones
• Excessively shrunken flesh means it is overcooked and dry
• Firmness to touch• Test with finger pressure as you would a steak
• This method is especially useful for sautéed boneless chicken breasts.
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Doneness
Smaller Birds
Trussing: tying the legs and wings against the body to make a compact, solid unit
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Trussing Methods
• Trussing has two main purposes:
1. Even cooking
• Extended legs and wings cook too quickly
2. More attractive appearance
• Especially when presented or served whole or carved in the dining room
• Place the chicken breast up, with the neck end toward you. Tuck the first joint of the wings behind the back.
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Trussing Methods
• Press the legs forward and down against the body.
• Pass the center of a length of twine under the hip bone just ahead of the tail.
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Trussing Methods
• Bring the twine up and across the ends of the legs.
• Pass the twine under the ends of the legs as shown, and pull tight.
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Trussing Methods
• Bring ends of the twine toward the neck end of the bird. Pull firmly on the twine while pressing on the breast portions with the thumbs as shown.
• Tie the twine tightly.
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Trussing Methods
• The stub of the neck holds the twine in place, preventing it from slipping behind the back.
The Trussed Chicken
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Trussing Methods
• Hold the chicken up by the tail. Cut through the bones to one side of the backbone, all the way to the neck.
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Cutting Up Chicken
• Split the chicken open.
Splitting Chicken for Broiling
• Pull out the breastbone or keel bone—this helps the chicken lie flat and cook evenly.
• Cut off the back bone as shown.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Splitting Chicken for Broiling
• For a portion size of one-half chicken, cut the chicken in half down the center of the breast. Make a split in the skin below the leg and slip the end of the leg through it as shown to hold the chicken in shape.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Portion-size Cornish game hens
are left whole.
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Cutting Up Chicken
• Spread the chicken open and spread through the bones on one side of the backbone.
• Place the chicken on the cutting board breast up. Split the chicken down the center of the breast with a heavy knife.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in
• Cut through the skin between the leg and the breast.
• Cut off the backbone completely and save for stocks.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in
• To cut into eighths, cut the drumstick and thigh apart at the joint.
• Pull the leg back and cut off the entire leg section. Repeat with the other half. The chicken is now in quarters.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in
• The chicken cut into eighths. Note that the first joint of each wing has been cut off.
• Cut the breast and wing quarter into two equal pieces. Another method is simply to cut off the wing.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in