understandunderstanding poultry and game birds.ppting poultry and game birds

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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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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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


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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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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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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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


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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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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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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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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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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Chicken Classes

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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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Turkey Classes

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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


Duck Classes

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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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Goose Classes

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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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Guinea Classes

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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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Pigeon Classes

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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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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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Ratites

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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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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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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

http://rouxbe.com/cooking-school/lessons/382-poultry-fundamentals

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


• 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


• 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


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