Understanding Poultry and Game Birds Chapter 12 Understanding Poultry and Game Birds

Chapter Objectives 1. Explain the differences between light meat and dark meat, and describe how these differences affect cooking. 2. Describe four techniques that help keep chicken or turkey breast moist while roasting. 3. Define the following terms used to classify poultry: kind, class, and style. 4. Identify popular types of farm-raised game birds and the cooking methods appropriate to their preparation. 5. Store poultry items. 6. Determine doneness in cooked poultry, both large roasted birds and smaller birds. 7. Truss poultry for cooking. 8. Cut up chicken into parts.

Composition and Structure The muscle tissue contains: Water (Approximately 75% water) Protein (20%) Fat (up to 5%) Small amounts of elements and carbohydrates Remember that muscles consist of muscle fibers held together by connective tissue. Young birds are almost always more tender than older birds Birds that do fly always have only dark meat

Maturity and Tenderness Remember, we learned that tenderness of a piece of meat or poultry is related to connective-tissue and that connective-tissue increases with Use or exercise of the muscle Maturity and age of the animal or bird Young, tender birds are cooked by dry heat methods, such as broiling, frying, roasting and moist methods; older tough birds are primarily cooked by moist heat

Free-Range Chickens Are allowed to go outdoors and move and eat freely in a natural environment NOTE: There is no legal description of free-range Many people think they are worth the cost A term related to free-range is organic

“Light Meat” and “Dark Meat” Dark Meat: Drumsticks and Thighs More Fat More connective Tissue Longer cooking time Light Meat: Breast and Wings Less fat Less connective tissue Cooks faster

Cooking Whole Birds A major problem with roasting is cooking the legs to doneness without overcooking the breasts. Consider: Roasting birds breast down for part of the time Basting with fat only Barding Roasting separately

Cooking Poultry Parts Many recipes have been developed to prepare poultry parts, like wings, drumsticks, and boneless chicken breasts.

Inspection and Grading of Poultry Like meat, poultry is subject to inspection and grading by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) Inspection ensures that products are produced under strict sanitary guidelines and are wholesome and fit for human consumption Inspection is required by Canadian law

Grading Grading is not required by law but is widely practised Grades have no bearing on tenderness or flavor Birds are graded according to their overall quality; grading is based on: Shape of carcass Amount of flesh Amount of fat Pinfeathers Skin tears, cuts, broken bones Blemishes and bruises

Grading Grades from the highest to the lowest Canada Grade A Canada Utility Canada Grade C

Classifications and Market Forms Kind - Species, such as chicken, turkey, or duck Class - The subdivision of kind, depending on age and sex Style - Amount of cleaning and processing: Live, dressed, whole, in parts, and ready-to-cook State of Refrigeration: Chilled or frozen

Poultry Poultry is the collective term for domesticated birds bred for eating. It includes: Chickens Ducks Geese Guineas Squabs Turkeys Goose Pigeon

Chicken The most popular and widely eaten poultry in the world It contains white and dark meat Can be cooked by almost any cooking method It is readily available fresh and frozen Poussin – a special bird, similar to Rock Cornish game hens, weighs 1 pound (454 grams); expensive

Turkey Turkey is the second most popular poultry in the united States It has both white and dark meat It has a small amount of fat A young turkey lends itself to being prepared in any manner Breasts can be cut into cutlets or scaloppine

Duck & Geese The roasting of duck & geese is done mostly in food service operations Duck & geese have only dark meat Duck & geese have a high percentage of bone to fat to meat ratio Duck & geese have a large percentage of fat

Squab (Pigeon) The young pigeon is commercially referred to as a squab It is dark meated and well suited for broiling, sautéing, or roasting Squab has very little fat so it will benefit from barding g

Guineas Are domestically raised Descendent of the pheasant Tastes like flavorful chicken

Game Birds and Specialty Products Quail Partridges Pheasant Wild Duck Ostrich Emu

Ratites Ratites are a family of flightless birds with small wings and flat breastbones They include Ostrich (native to Africa), and Emu (native to Australia) and Rhea (native to South America)

Handling and Storing Poultry can be purchased in many forms: Fresh Frozen Cut-up Portioned controlled (PC) Individually quick frozen (IQF) Extremely perishable Do not cross-contaminate Often carries salmonella bacteria

Handling and Storing (cont’d) All poultry is a potentially hazardous food Fresh chickens and small birds can be stored on ice or at 32 to 34°F (0 to 1°C) for no more than four days Frozen poultry should be held at 0°F (-18°C) and can be held for six months Frozen items should be thawed under refrigeration Do not refreeze poultry

Doneness Domestic poultry is almost always cooked well done (except for squab and sautéed duck breast). There is a difference between well done and overcooked.

Dry-Heat Cooking Methods Broiling Grilling Roasting The four methods used to determine doneness of poultry Touch Temperature Looseness of joints Color of the juices

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