Day 44

We spent the first part of class butchering chickens, trussing chickens,  and then roasting them. After that we used the butchered pieces to produce a boneless stuffed chicken leg and a roasted airline breast with glazed vegetables (carrots, turnips, and pearl onions), pommes anna, and tossed watercress. 

First a couple of notes in regards to the chicken and poultry in general. 

Free-range versus Cage-free? 

Cage-free simply means the birds aren't kept in cages, but they are kept indoors. To be called free-range, they must be allowed outdoors. 

Trussing? 

Trussing means tying the legs and wings against the body to make a compact, solid unit. It has two main purposes: even-cooking and it offers a more attractive appearance. 

Remember, no one likes soft skin on their chicken. Make sure you roast at a high oven temperature to ensure that you get a nice crispy skin on your finished product. Also, don't hold back on the seasoning...be generous with the salt and pepper!