1. Poultry

2. Introduction Poultry is one of the most common food items used in the catering industry with Chicken being by far the most popular. The flesh of poultry is more easily digested than that of butchers’ meat. It contains protein and is therefore useful for building and repairing body tissues and providing heat and energy. It is low in fat and contains a high percentage of unsaturated acids

3. Approximately 850 million Chickens are processed every year for the retail and commercial market, demand for Chicken is far greater than any other meat with the average person consuming 23kg of Chicken per year. Currently only 6% of Chicken production is described as organic.

4. It is easy to see then why the preparation of poultry, and especially Chicken, is probably one of the most common tasks you will come across in the preparation section. For this reason it is important to be aware of what quality points should be looked for both in the raw unprepared state, and also when the preparation has been out-sourced and the poultry is purchased pre-prepared.

5. Being aware of these quality points and knowing what to look for cannot only ensure that good quality items are delivered for use, but that the first stage of the critical control point procedures, that of delivery, is also being controlled correctly. This is especially important as poultry, and Chickens in particular, are a high risk food items and precautions must be taken to avoid possible risks of cross contamination. Good quality prepared poultry will mean that the kitchen is more likely to produce good quality finished dishes.

6. Type of poultry - Poussin Weight range 450g – 550g Age / use 4 – 6 weeks old Yields 1 portion

7. Type of poultry – Double Poussin Weight range 800g – 900g Age / use 8 – 10 weeks old Yields 2 portions Roast Grill Pot-roast

8. Type of poultry – Spring Chicken Weight range 900g – 1.25kg Age / use 3 months old Yields 3 – 4 portions

9. Type of poultry – Corn Fed Chicken Weight range 1.25kg – 1.5kg These are free range birds and tend to be more expensive

10. Type of poultry - Roaster Weight range 1.5 – 2kg Age / use 6 – 12 months old Yields 4 – 5 portions

11. Type of poultry - Boiler Weight range 2 – 3kg Age / use 12 months and over Require long slow cooking (2 – 3 hours) to make them tender

12. Type of poultry - Capon Weight range Up to 4.5kg These are neutered cock birds. They are very plump and white. These are specially fattened to yield large amounts of breast meat. Yields 10 – 12 portions

13. How to check that the poultry meets requirements There are a number of ways that you can check that the delivered poultry meets the requirements. These are: Check the delivery temperature. Fresh poultry should be delivered in a chilled environment as it is a high risk food and should therefore ideally not be above 5-8 º C. Checking the temperature can be the first step in the critical control point procedure. Check that the delivered poultry is what has been ordered. Look at the order book and the delivery note to confirm this.

14. Check that the delivered poultry is exactly what is recorded on the delivery note. Once you have signed for it you have accepted it, even if some items are short in number or weight. Poultry is particularly susceptible to contamination by Salmonella bacteria, which causes food poisoning. It is vitally important that poultry be handled and prepared carefully

15. What you should do if there are problems with the poultry or other ingredients. There are a number of occasions where you may find a problem with the poultry or other ingredients given to prepare and it is important to know what action to take in such events.

16. If you find any problems with the poultry at the delivery point, such as poor quality, short weight, poor packaging or the delivered order not matching the placed order then you must notify your line manager as soon as possible. You will not have the authority at this level to make any decisions about accepting orders which are not correct.

17. If when given the poultry or other items to prepare, you find they are of poor quality you should not carry on with the preparation but confirm with your line manager the action to take, or whether it is acceptable to carry on. If you suspect that the poultry has past its best and smells or feels slimy you must also bring this to the attention of your line manager rather than carrying on preparing it.

18. General quality points. In the current climate of accountability it is best to use poultry from a reliable source which can be traced back to its origin. All fresh poultry should have a pleasant smell and look clean in appearance with no excessive amounts of quills remaining in the flesh.

19. General quality points. If any poultry or poultry portions have been delivered vacuum packed then remove them from the packaging and allow any moisture to drip away before use. The skin on all poultry should be intact and not bruised or broken nor feel sticky to the touch.

20. General quality points. Leg bones should not be broken nor show signs of blood clots around the joints. Mass production and slaughter techniques can sometimes lead to damaged birds, especially Chickens.

21. Quality points to look for in fresh Chicken Chickens come in a variety of sizes from small single Poussins to large boiling fowls. The most common Chicken is the medium roasting Chicken weighing approximately 1.5kg, this is a fully grown bird and is evenly proportioned and gives 4 even sized portions whether cooked whole or jointed.

22. The general quality points apply plus look for firm flesh, white skin, a pliable breastbone and plump breasts. Corn fed Chickens will have a yellow tinge to the skin with darker coloured flesh. The scales on the feet should be pale in colour and there should be no dark colouring on the scales around the ‘ankle’ joint as this will indicate that the Chicken has effectively been sitting down on the ground too much rather than moving around.

23. How to check and prepare the cavity to meet the requirements of the dish Part of the preparation of poultry is the checking of the cavity, this is important if the whole bird is to be prepared, for example before trussing ready for roasting. There are two main parts to check and remove if present when checking the cavity. The first is the naturally occurring fat layer found just inside the opening; this fat can be easily pulled out and discarded.

24. The second is checking that any internal organs left behind in the carcass are removed, very often you will find that part of the kidneys remain attached to the carcass where they have not been removed. Insert two fingers into the cavity and draw them along the base of the carcass to free any parts then rinse the cavity out and drain before seasoning inside. The internal cavity of Chickens should never be stuffed before trussing as this becomes a potential high risk area for food poisoning bacteria to survive.

25. How to prepare the poultry by seasoning/marinating to meet the requirements of the dish The main purpose of seasoning or marinating is to develop flavour. Marinating can also help improve tenderness although the majority of poultry is not tough so marinating is not really used for this purpose.

26. Marinades are usually made up of three parts, an acid, oil and flavourings such as herbs or spices. The acid helps to partially denature (change) the proteins which creates openings in the structure of the flesh into which the other flavours go into. When heat is applied this extra flavour is incorporated into the natural flavour of the poultry. As the flesh of poultry is finely textured it takes time for the marinade to penetrate into the flesh so if a deep marinade is required it is best to marinate the item overnight.

27. The most common type of marinade is a liquid which usually involves wine as the acid base, although some acidic fruits can be used, especially for dark fleshed poultry such as Duck. Most poultry that is being marinated will be cut into portions so it is easy to fully cover the item being marinated with the marinade to ensure even flavouring.

28. A notable exception is the popular Tandoori Chicken where a yoghurt marinade base is well flavoured with spices and the marinade is brushed all the over bird with slits made in the flesh to ensure even penetration.

29. Seasoning and marinating There is an increase in the use of dry spice type marinades which can be moistened to help coat the surface, these are simply the addition of extra flavour to poultry items without the use of an acid and the flavours remain on the surface to increase the finished flavour. When these are being used it is important to ensure that the poultry portion items are evenly covered or coated. A tray is ideal to place the ingredients in then the portions can be laid in and turned over if items such as suprêmes or drumsticks are used.

30. Diced poultry is best placed into a bowl with the ingredients and turned with the fingers to ensure even coating. Seasoning is the addition of salt and pepper to increase natural flavour. Note that the seasoning of poultry, either whole or in portions, should not take place until just before cooking as the salt will draw out the natural moisture present in the poultry and could cause it to dry out.

31. These are the final pieces when cut for sauté without the carcass

32. There are eight pieces that are used. Four white meat and four dark meat. The portion allowance is as follows. Drumstick and breast served together. Thigh and wing served together. The winglets are not usually served.

33. Quality points to look for in fresh Duck Ducks are usually purchased ready for use having been ‘dressed’, (pre-prepared, removal of feet, head and internal organs) but can occasionally be purchased whole and intact in a state known as ‘rough plucked’, ‘New York dressed’ or ‘long legged’, these terms mean that the Duck has been plucked but still has its feet, head and internal organs.

34. It is unlikely that you will come across whole fresh Ducks unless purchasing them from specialist suppliers, but if you do they should have webbed feet which are yellow in colour and the webbing will tear easily when cut. The upper beak should be pliable and tinged pale yellow.

35. Ducks are often plucked using the wax method which makes the removal of their feathers easier, you should check that no wax remains on the skin before preparing them and that all quills and feathers have been removed. All Ducks should have breasts that are full and plump but this is not so easy to see on Ducks as in Chickens because the breast is long with the legs being tucked on the side.

36. The breastbone should also be pliable. All other general quality points also apply to Ducks. Quality points to look for in fresh Turkey. Turkey also comes in a range of sizes ranging from 3-4kg up to 20kg. All Turkeys should have full and plump breasts and smooth legs. As the bird gets older the scales on the feet become more abundant and harder and the spur on the foot gets larger, the flesh becomes softer and the breasts begin to sag. All other general quality points also apply to Turkeys.

37. Revision - Prepare and cook poultry Q. State five quality points that should be looked for when buying a whole fresh chicken. 1. Plump breast 2. Breast bone should be pliable 3. Good aroma 4. No bruising / broken bones / blood clotting / broken skin 5. Dry to the touch (not slimy or sticky)

38. Revision - Prepare and cook poultry Q. Name six commonly used cuts of poultry. 1. Breast / Supreme 2. Thighs 3. Drumsticks 4. Legs 5. Cuts for sauté 6. Dice

39. Revision - Prepare and cook poultry Q. What is meant by Marinating?. The main purpose of seasoning or marinating is to develop flavour. Marinating can also help improve tenderness.

40. True or Falsetick the correct answer