Post by April B. on Aug 29, 2004 9:18:16 GMT -6
How To Chop Up a Chicken
One of the easiest ways to save in a supermarket is to do the preparation
yourself. Take chicken, for example: If you buy it cut up into serving-sized
pieces it's going to cost significantly more than a whole chicken because the
supermarket will pass on the cost of paying the person to cut up the chicken in
the back room. The obvious solution is to do it yourself; you'll need a cutting
board, a chicken, and a sharp thick-bladed kitchen knife.
Time Required: 5 minutes
1. Begin by removing the wing tips (just the final joint), and then the
chicken's tail, which contains an oil filled gland that will simply add to the
oiliness of stewed or fried chicken.
2. Next, put the chicken breast side down, and slice cleanly up the spine,
pressing down so the blade scores along the ribs. Turn the chicken upright,
with the neck pressed into the cutting board, and cut straight down along the
spine to open the chicken.
3. Open the chicken as if it were a book and press it flat against the
cutting board; the sternum will begin to split and you'll be able to remove its bony
central core by pulling it up. Cut through the center of the breast,
lengthwise, and you'll have two chicken halves.
4. One will have the neck attached; remove it by cutting through it with the
knife, pressing down on the back of the blade with your other hand.
5. To quarter the chicken, cut each half on a slight diagonal, to separate
the breast from the thigh. If you want eight pieces, cut the breasts in half
(again on a diagonal), and separate the drumsticks from the upper thighs by
flexing the legs and cutting through the knee joints.
Tips:
*The knife is important; it should be quite sharp, with an 8-inch (20 cm)
blade, and stiff enough that it won't twist.
*As with all manual tasks practice makes perfect; my father-in-law, who did
this for a living, quarters a chicken in about a minute.
*If you're making soup stock, add the trimmings (other than the tail) to the
pot.
One of the easiest ways to save in a supermarket is to do the preparation
yourself. Take chicken, for example: If you buy it cut up into serving-sized
pieces it's going to cost significantly more than a whole chicken because the
supermarket will pass on the cost of paying the person to cut up the chicken in
the back room. The obvious solution is to do it yourself; you'll need a cutting
board, a chicken, and a sharp thick-bladed kitchen knife.
Time Required: 5 minutes
1. Begin by removing the wing tips (just the final joint), and then the
chicken's tail, which contains an oil filled gland that will simply add to the
oiliness of stewed or fried chicken.
2. Next, put the chicken breast side down, and slice cleanly up the spine,
pressing down so the blade scores along the ribs. Turn the chicken upright,
with the neck pressed into the cutting board, and cut straight down along the
spine to open the chicken.
3. Open the chicken as if it were a book and press it flat against the
cutting board; the sternum will begin to split and you'll be able to remove its bony
central core by pulling it up. Cut through the center of the breast,
lengthwise, and you'll have two chicken halves.
4. One will have the neck attached; remove it by cutting through it with the
knife, pressing down on the back of the blade with your other hand.
5. To quarter the chicken, cut each half on a slight diagonal, to separate
the breast from the thigh. If you want eight pieces, cut the breasts in half
(again on a diagonal), and separate the drumsticks from the upper thighs by
flexing the legs and cutting through the knee joints.
Tips:
*The knife is important; it should be quite sharp, with an 8-inch (20 cm)
blade, and stiff enough that it won't twist.
*As with all manual tasks practice makes perfect; my father-in-law, who did
this for a living, quarters a chicken in about a minute.
*If you're making soup stock, add the trimmings (other than the tail) to the
pot.