1. Poultry
VRQ2 Theory Unit 710 UPK 710

2. Aim of the lesson Definition of poultry
Types of poultry with approx weights & portions
Food value
Storage
Purchasing and quality points
Preparation methods
Poultry offal

3. Definition
Domestic fowl reared for food not only for the use of their flesh but for their eggs and often their plumage.
It includes the different varieties and sizes of chickens, turkeys, ducks, goose, geese and guinea-fowl.
Reared Pigeon is classed as poultry, wood/wild pigeon will be classed as game.

4. Quality Points The breast of the bird should be plump
Vent end of the breast bone must be pliable
The flesh should be firm.
The skin to be white, unbroken with a faint bluish tinge
The legs should be smooth, with small scales and spurs
Old birds have large scales and spurs on the legs
Corn fed are yellow. Free range have more colour, firmer texture and more flavour
Bresse chickens are specially bred in France- 1st class

5. Poultry examples Chicken Turkey Squab Pigeon Goose Poussin
Barbary Duck
Guinea Fowl

6. A Chicken

7. Types of original fowl Type / Classification & Age Weight (Kg) (lb)
Portion
Single baby chicken } Poussin
Double baby chicken} 2-4 weeks
½-¾
¾-1
1-1½ 1 2
Small roasting chicken
5-6 weeks
1½-2
3-4
Medium roasting chicken
9-12 weeks
1-2
2-4
4-6
Large roasting or boiling chicken
3-5 months
2-3
6-8
Capon (castrated male)
Under 8 months
3-4½
6-9
8-12
Old boiling fowl
Over 10 months
2½-4
5-8

8. Other Poultry Type & Age French Weight (Kg) (lb) Portion Le dindonneau
Young turkey
5-7 months
Le dindonneau
4 ½
Up to 9
Turkey (female)
Under 15 months
La dinde
4 ½-12 ½
9-25
Turkey (male)
La dindon
Duckling
Under 16 weeks
Le caneton
1½-2
3-4
Duck
Over 6 months
Le canard
2-3
4-6
Goose
Under 6 months
L’oie
4-12
8-24
8-12
Guinea fowl
3 months
La pintade
¾-1¼
1½-2½
Pigeon
Over 4 weeks
Le pigeon
12oz-1lb
1-2

9. Food value
Poultry is easily digested then that of other butchers meat, it contains protein (building and repair of body, heat and energy)
Fat content is low, high percentage of unsaturated acids
No marbling of fat, generally contained under the skin, Poultry fat is soft.

10. Storage
Fresh and frozen poultry need careful storage due to its extremely perishable qualities.
Ideally fresh birds should be hung by the legs under chilled conditions between 3-5°C

11. Storage cont.
Frozen birds must be stored in its original packaging at ˉ12°c-ˉ18°c
Check the packaging is undamaged
No signs of freezer burn?
Frozen birds must be completely thawed before cooking. This procedure is essential to reduce the risks of food borne diseases?
Salmonella
Campylobacter

12. Thawing procedures
Frozen birds should be left in its own packaging and held under refrigeration. Never at room temperature.
Allow 2-4 days for thawing whole birds. (Refer to handout guide.)
After poultry has been cooked they will keep up to 4 days under refrigeration.

13. The Rolls Royce of Chicken
Poulet de Bresse

14. Goose and Geese
Goose
Geese

15. Squab
Squab
Cooked Squab

16. Preparation Methods Roasting Whole Boiling & Pot Roasting
Cutting for Sauté
Preparation for grilling
Quartering
Preparation of Suprêmes
Preparation for ballottines

17. Spatchcocking a Poussin

18. Approx roasting times Poussin 400g 25 mins. Per bird Just cooked
Chicken 20mins per 500g
plus 20mins extra just cooked
Capon 20mins per 500g
Duck 20 mins per 500g medium
Goose 20 mins per 500g well cooked
Turkey 20 mins per 500g
plus 20 mins extra just cooked
Guinea fowl 15mins per 500g just cooked
Pigeon 15 mins per bird Slightly underdone

19. Common Classic garnishes
Roasted Chicken – Roast Gravy, Bread sauce, game chips, watercress
Boiled Chicken – Supreme sauce
Roasted Chicken with dressing – fried crumbs with herbs, sometimes with the fried chopped liver added, left plain or baked.
Chicken sauté Chasseur – Demi glace flavoured with white wine, button mushrooms, tomatoes, tarragon & parsley
Spatchcock (prepared as for boiled not trussed then flattened)–Grilled garnished with watercress and suitable sauce i.e. devilled or a compound butter, frequently served with bacon rolls, tomatoes and mushrooms
Chicken fricasse – Cut for sauté, cooked with no colour in stock and finished with a liaison, chopped parsley, heart shaped croutons

20. Offal
Alternatively known as “Giblets”
Liver
Heart
Kidney
Neck
Gizzard

21. Questions ????