Chapter 12

Understanding Poultry & Game Birds

Copyright 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Composition and Structure
Poultry is the generic term for domesticated
birds
Poultry is generally the least expensive and most
versatile of all main dish foods
It can be cooked by almost any cooking method,
and its mild flavour goes well with a variety of
sauces and accompaniments

2
The flesh of poultry and game birds is muscle
tissue.
Muscle tissue is composed of:
Water (about 75%)
Protein (about 20%)
Fat (up to 5%)
Other elements, including
carbohydrate, in small quantities
Muscles consist of muscle fibers held together in
bundles by connective tissue.
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Composition and Structure
The tenderness of a piece of poultry is related to
connective tissue.
Connective tissue increases with
Use or exercise of the muscle
Maturity or age of the animal or bird
Use or exercise is of less concern in poultry.
Maturity is a major consideration when selecting
poultry, meaning, as bird gets older, bird gets tougher.
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Composition and Structure
Maturity and Tenderness
Young, tender birds are cooked by dry-heat methods,
such as broiling, frying and roasting, as well as by moist
heat methods.
Older, tougher birds need slow, moist heat to be made
palatable.
Maturity is the major factor in categorizing each kind of
poultry
Skin color is determined by diet and is not related to the
flavor or tenderness of the poultry.
Birds that fly have only dark meat

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Composition and Structure
Maturity and Tenderness
Most chickens on the market are:
Produced by large operations
Housed indoors in carefully controlled environments
Fed scientifically monitored diets
Free-range chickens are allowed to move around freely
and eat outdoors in a more natural environment.
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Composition and Structure
Free-Range Chickens
No legal definition of free-range
Free-range chickens are considerably more expensive
than ordinary chickens.
Many people feel free-range chickens are more flavorful
and worth the extra cost.
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Composition and Structure
Free-Range Chickens
Organic: defined by the National Standard of
Canada for Organic Agriculture as food
produced without using:
Most conventional pesticides
Fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or
sewage sludge
Bioengineering
Ionizing radiation
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Composition and Structure
Free-Range Chickens
Chicken and Turkey
Light meat: breast and wings
Less fat
Less connective tissue
Cooks faster
Dark meat: legs (drumsticks and thighs)
More fat
More connective tissue
Takes longer to cook
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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Duck, goose, and squab
have all dark meat.
The same differences
in connective tissue
hold true
Breast muscles have
more Myoglobin (see
next slide) and thus
are darker.
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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Myoglobin: a protein that stores oxygen for
muscles to use during periods of great activity
Dark color of dark meat is due to Myoglobin.
Breast muscles of birds are used for flying.
Chickens and turkeys rarely, if ever, fly; therefore, these
muscles do not need a great deal of Myoglobin.

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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Cooking whole birds
A major problem in roasting poultry is cooking the legs
to doneness without overcooking the breast.
Roast breast side down for part of cooking time to draw
moisture/fat to breast, not away
Baste with fat only, it protects from drying out (liquid will wash
away protective fat
Barding small birds with pork fat
Seperating breast from leg section and roasting for different
times, this is done with large turkeys

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Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Cooking poultry parts
Recipes take into account the different cooking
characteristics of each part.
For example, flattened chicken breast can be sauteed quickly
and still be juicy and tender, turkey wings must be braised and
have gelatin to make a rich sauce

13
Composition and Structure
Light Meat and Dark Meat
Poultry is subject to federal
inspection and grading
Inspection
1. A guarantee of wholesomeness (fit for
human consumption)
2. Indicated by a round stamp
3. Required by Canadian law

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Inspection and Grading
Poultry is subject to federal inspection and
grading
Grading
1. Based on quality
2. Indicated by a shield stamp
and letter grade
3. Not required by Canadian law


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Inspection and Grading
The following terms are used to classify poultry:
Kind: the species, such as chicken, turkey, or duck
Class: the subdivision of kind, depending on age and sex
Style: the amount of cleaning and processing
Live: almost never purchased in food service
Dressed: killed, bled and plucked (also rarely seen in food service)
Ready to cook: dressed and eviscerated with head and feet removed
Whole
Cut up, or parts
State of refrigeration: chilled or frozen
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Classification and Market Forms
Chicken
Most popular and widely eaten poultry in the
world
Contains white and dark meat
Can be cooked by almost any cooking method
Readily available fresh and frozen
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Classification and Market Forms
Chicken Classes

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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Rock Cornish Game
Hen
Young breed of chicken,
tender
5 weeks or
less
- 2lbs
Broiler/Fryer Either sex, tender flesh,
flexable cartilage
6 12 weeks Broiler: 1 - 2 lbs
Fryers: 2 - 3 lbs
Roaster Ether sex, tender flesh, less
flexable cartilage
3 5 months 3 - 5 lbs
Capon Castrated male, very tender,
well flavoured, big breast
Under 8
months
5 8 lbs
Hen or fowl Mature female, tough flesh,
hardened cartilage
Over 10
months
3 - 6 lbs
Cock or rooster Mature male, tough dark
meat
Over 10
months
4 6 lbs
Turkey
Turkey is the second most popular
poultry in Canada
Has both white and dark meat
Has a small amount of fat
Young turkey lends itself to being
prepared in almost any manner

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Classification and Market Forms
Turkey Classes

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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Fryer-roaster Young bird, either sex,
flexable cartilage
Under 16
weeks
4 9 lbs
Young turkey
(hen or tom)
Young bird, either sex, less
flexable cartilage
5 7 months 8 22 lbs
Yearling turkey Ether sex, fully mature
turkey, fairly tender
Under 15
months
10 30 lbs
Mature turkey or old
turkey (hen or tom)
Old turkey with tough flesh Over 15
months
10 30 lbs
Duck
Young duckling is most often used in foodservice
operations
Has only dark meat with a large percentage of fat
High percentage of bone to meat
One duck will feed two people, a 4lbs duck yields 1lbs
raw lean meat (4lbs chicken yields 2lbs)
Most ducks in Canada are White Pekin, specialty item
called magret (mah-gray) is breast of moulard breed
Magret breast is thicker and meatier
Breast typically cooked rare, and leg braised or confit
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Classification and Market Forms
Duck Classes

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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Broiler or Fryer Young tender bird, either
sex, soft bill and windpipe
Under 8
weeks
2 4 lbs
Roaster duckling Young bird, either sex, less
flexable cartilage
Under 16
weeks
4 - 6 lbs
Mature duck Ether sex, tough flesh and
hard bill and windpipe
Over 6
months
4 6 lbs
Goose
Has a large percentage of very fatty skin
Has only dark meat
Usually cooked at high temperatures to render
the fat
Popular at the holidays and often served with
an acidic fruit-based sauce

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Classification and Market Forms
Goose Classes

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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Young goose Young bird with tender flesh Under 6
months
6 10 lbs
Mature goose Tough old bird Over 6
months
10 16 lbs
Guinea
Domesticated descendant of a game bird
Flavour is similar to pheasant
Has both light and dark meat
Tastes like a flavourful chicken
Very lean so will benefit from barding

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Classification and Market Forms
Guinea Classes

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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Young guinea Domestic relative of
pheasant, tender
3 6 months - 1 lbs
Mature guinea Tough old bird Up to 12
months
1 2 lbs
Pigeon
Young pigeon is commercially referred to as
squab
Has dark meat and is well suited for broiling,
sauting or roasting
Squab has very little fat so it will benefit from
barding
Rich dark meat typically served rare
Has gamy flavour that combines well with
flavourful brown sauces

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Classification and Market Forms
Pigeon Classes

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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Age Weight Range
Squab Very young pigeon with
tender meat
3 4 weeks Under 1 lbs
Pigeon Older pigeon with tough,
dark meat
Over 4 weeks 1 2 lbs
Game Birds

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Classification and Market Forms
Class Description Weight Range
Quail
Fr: caille
Small birds, meaty breasts but
legs have little meat, gamy, 2
birds for 1 main course
4 5 ounces
Partridge
Young Fr: perdreau
Mature Fr: perdrix
Similar in size to cornish hen,
tender when young
Around 1 lbs
Pheasant
Fr: faisan
Delicate light coloured meat,
similar to chicken, dry if
overcooked
2 2 lbs
Young: under
1lbs
Ratites
Ratites are a family of flightless birds with
small wings and flat breastbones
They include
Ostrich (native to Africa, largest bird)
Emu (native to Australia, second largest bird)
Rhea (native to South America)

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Classification and Market Forms
Ratites

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Classification and Market Forms
Ostrich Emu Ostrich Meat Chart
Ratites
Ratite meat is classified as red meat
It has a cherry-red colour with a flavour
similar to beef but a little sweeter, and a
soft texture
The meat is low in fat and calories
The birds are normally slaughtered at 10-
13 months of age

32
Classification and Market Forms
Ratites
Ratite meat is prepared like veal or wild
game
Because it is low in fat, care must be
taken to avoid overcooking
Ratites are best cooked to rare to
medium

33
Classification and Market Forms
Fresh poultry is extremely perishable
It should arrive in vacuum packs or be packed in ice
and kept in ice until used
Ideally, use poultry within 24 hours of receiving
Never hold it for more than 4 days
Poultry often carries salmonella bacteria.
Wash all equipment and cutting surfaces after handling poultry
to avoid contamination of other foods.
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Handling and Storage
Fresh Poultry
Store frozen poultry at 0F (18C) or lower until it
is ready to thaw.
Thaw in original wrapper in refrigerator
Allow 1 to 2 days for chickens
2 to 4 days for larger birds
If pressed for time, thaw in cold, running water in original
wrapper
Do not refreeze thawed poultry.
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Handling and Storage
Fresh Poultry
Internal temperature, as tested with a
thermometer, is the most accurate guide to
doneness.
The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest
muscle of the inner part of the thigh, away from the
bone.
The recommended safe internal temperature for roast whole
poultry is 185F (85C)
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Doneness
Intro to Poultry
Large Roasted Birds
When cooked by any method, doneness is
determined by:
Looseness of joints
The leg moves freely in its socket
Clear juices
Juices inside the cavity of a roasted bird are clear yellow
rather than cloudy and red or pink.
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Doneness
Smaller Birds
When cooked by any method, doneness is
determined by:
Flesh separating from bone
Muscles begin to pull away from bones, especially breastbone
and leg bones
Excessively shrunken flesh means it is overcooked and dry
Firmness to touch
Test with finger pressure as you would a steak
This method is especially useful for sauted boneless chicken
breasts.
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Doneness
Smaller Birds
Trussing: tying the legs and wings against the
body to make a compact, solid unit
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Trussing Methods
Trussing has two main
purposes:
1. Even cooking
Extended legs and wings
cook too quickly
2. More attractive
appearance
Especially when
presented or served
whole or carved in the
dining room
Place the chicken breast
up, with the neck end
toward you. Tuck the first
joint of the wings behind
the back.
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Trussing Methods
Press the legs forward
and down against the
body.
Pass the center of a
length of twine under the
hip bone just ahead of the
tail.
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Trussing Methods
Bring the twine up and
across the ends of the
legs.
Pass the twine under the
ends of the legs as
shown, and pull tight.
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Trussing Methods
Bring ends of the twine
toward the neck end of
the bird. Pull firmly on the
twine while pressing on
the breast portions with
the thumbs as shown.
Tie the twine tightly.
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Trussing Methods
The stub of the neck holds
the twine in place,
preventing it from slipping
behind the back.
The Trussed Chicken
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Trussing Methods
Hold the chicken up by the
tail. Cut through the bones
to one side of the backbone,
all the way to the neck.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Split the chicken open.
Splitting Chicken for Broiling
Pull out the breastbone or
keel bonethis helps the
chicken lie flat and cook
evenly.
Cut off the back bone as
shown.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Splitting Chicken for Broiling
For a portion size of one-half chicken, cut the chicken
in half down the center of the breast. Make a split in the
skin below the leg and slip the end of the leg through it
as shown to hold the chicken in shape.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Portion-size
Cornish game hens
are left whole.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Spread the chicken open and
spread through the bones on
one side of the backbone.
Place the chicken on the cutting
board breast up. Split the
chicken down the center of the
breast with a heavy knife.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in
Cut through the skin
between the leg and the
breast.
Cut off the backbone
completely and save for
stocks.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in
To cut into eighths, cut the
drumstick and thigh apart at
the joint.
Pull the leg back and cut off the
entire leg section. Repeat with
the other half. The chicken is
now in quarters.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in
The chicken cut into eighths.
Note that the first joint of
each wing has been cut off.
Cut the breast and wing quarter
into two equal pieces. Another
method is simply to cut off the
wing.
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Cutting Up Chicken
Cutting chicken into quarters and eighths, bone in