STEP ONE: Pat your chicken dry with paper towels so it's not too slippery (washed or not doesn't matter*) grab a sharp carving knife and a cutting board along with a bowl or plate to put your pieces into.
STEP TWO: Pull the wing out to the side as far as possible and cut through the skin until you have exposed the joint closest to the body. Cut through the joint: you will need a little force with this one. Repeat on the opposite side.
STEP THREE: Flip the bird over and pull its leg as far out to the side as possible. Cut through the skin and then pull the leg out farther. You are looking for the spot where the thigh connects to the chicken's body. Once you have found it cut through the joint. Repeat on the opposite side.
STEP FOUR: With the breast side up hold the breasts up and cut down and slightly back towards the neck, separating the breasts from the rib cage and back.
STEP FIVE: Remove the skin from the breasts if you want skinless, if not keep it on. Depends on what you are doing with it. The breast bone separates the two breasts down the middle, cut along the side of the bone at a slight angle to separate the breast from the bone. Once you have cut as far as you can with the knife, you will need to carefully pull it the rest of the way off with your hands. Repeat on the opposite side.
That's it! You should have 2 breasts, 2 legs & thighs, 2 wings, and the back and rib cage. I save the back and ribcage in a large ziplock and place it in the freezer for chicken stock later. You can use whichever pieces you need and freeze the rest. Its up to you.
This chicken was turned into yummy chicken nuggets for the kids and yes the grown-ups too!
Good Luck:)
* You can rinse off your chicken if you want but it doesn't remove "germs" it does however increase the opportunity to spread them all over your kitchen. So it's up to you.
Photos by my wonderful husband Jon:)
So here's a question from another gal trying to feed males every day - how in the world do you keep the costs down when serving meat with every meal is a must?!? I stretch my chickens until they squeal, make meat sauces when I want to cheat, and I'm still struggling with this. Any great tips? - Abby
ReplyDeleteThat is a great question!! I have a friend who is MUCH better at stretching her dollar at the grocery than I am....hmmm maybe I should have her write one day on that topic? Anyway as for meat. Go when they are having a sale, don't be afraid to get the "manager's special" just be sure to cook it or freeze it that day. It just means it is labeled for quick sale usually because it is nearing it's expiration. But if you use or freeze immediately no problem. Also, don't be afraid to buy a cut that you don't recognize. You can ALWAYS make something delicious with it. In fact I have a book "the food lover's companion" that shows you where the different cuts of meat come from. I actually use it a lot. When you see a great deal buy a bunch and freeze it. The best investment we made was buying a deep freezer for the basement. They are surprisingly affordable! What do you do? You probably have better idea's than I do!
ReplyDeleteNice hands. Your husband carves a chicken with a surgeon's skill. Hmm...
ReplyDeleteHusband took the PICTURES! Wife cut the chicken!!
ReplyDelete