The Backyard Chicken Book by H. Lee Schwanz

Author:H. Lee Schwanz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (Perseus)
Published: 2013-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

Remove oil gland: Bird still suspended or on table. Start the cut one inch forward of the oil gland nipple, cut deep to the tail vertebra, then follow the vertebra to end of tail in a scooping motion.

Remove head: Cut off the head between the head and the first neck vertebra with a knife or shears.

Split neck skin: Insert knife through skin at the point of shoulders, then cut forward guiding the knife up the back of the neck.

Pull crop and trachea (windpipe): Pull skin loose from neck. Pull out crop and trachea. This can be done after removing lungs.

Remove neck: Neck can be cut off at this point or after chilling. Cut neck muscle with knife or shears, then remove neck by twisting. Remove neck flush with body junction. Wash and chill neck.

Abdominal openings

There are two kinds of cuts used for the abdominal opening: The midline cut, which is a vertical cut from the keel down to the vent; and the bar cut, which leaves a horizontal strap of skin across the abdomen. This can be used to restrain the legs when dressing is completed.

Midline cut: Gently pull abdominal skin and wall forward and up away from entrails (viscera), then make cut through the skin and wall starting with the knifepoint just to the right of the point of the keel (over gizzard) and extend cut to the tail alongside the vent. Make cut slowly and do not cut intestine. This can be done by not cutting deeply into the abdominal cavity or by holding the wall up and away from intestines. Don’t make deep, fast cuts. Complete the cut around the vent. The vent cut can be done easily and safely by keeping the knife next to the back and tail, as far as possible from the vent. This cut is routinely used on broilers and small roasters. Trussing materials are needed if capons or turkeys are opened in this manner.

Bar cut: This cut is especially useful for large birds such as turkeys and capons. This procedure does not work well on extremely short-legged birds or birds with large deposits of abdominal fat. The bar cut provides a natural and simple method of trussing the carcass after processing. The procedure is done in three steps:

Step 1: Preferably with the bird suspended by the hocks, make a half circle cut around the vent. Insert a short, thin-bladed knife into abdominal cavity above vent next to inner surface of tail vertebrae. Cut laterally in each direction to pin bones or slightly farther.

Step 2: Insert index finger into opening cut, up over intestine. Using finger as a guide, extend cut with shears on around to free the vent. Gently pull cloaca and a few inches of intestine out to prevent it from dropping into cavity.

Step 3: Complete bar cut by making a horizontal cut (side to side of bird) about three inches long. This cut should be about one and one-half to two inches below the point of the keel. Below this cut there will be a “bar” of skin about one and one-half to two inches wide.

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