Chicken Fabrication and Characteristics PDF

**🐓 Chicken Fabrication and Characteristics** **Chicken Fabrication** - The process of fabricating a chicken involves breaking it down into its individual parts, including the breast, legs, thighs, and wings. - The breast can be further broken down into an airline breast, which is a...

**🐓 Chicken Fabrication and Characteristics** **Chicken Fabrication** - The process of fabricating a chicken involves breaking it down into its individual parts, including the breast, legs, thighs, and wings. - The breast can be further broken down into an airline breast, which is a boneless, skinless breast with the bone sticking out. - The wing can be broken down into three parts: the wing tip, the flat, and the drumette. **Chicken Characteristics** - **Muscle Tissue**: The flesh and poultry of game birds is primarily composed of muscle tissue. - **Water Content**: Chicken is approximately 75% water, which can make it prone to drying out if overcooked. - **Protein and Fat Content**: Chicken is approximately 20% protein and 5% fat. - **Connective Tissue**: The muscle consists of muscle fibers held together and bundles by connective tissue. **Connective Tissue and Tenderness** - **Connective Tissue**: Increases with the use or exercise of the muscle, the maturity or age of the bird. - **Tenderness**: Related to the amount of connective tissue present in the meat. - **Dark Meat vs. Light Meat**: Dark meat (legs and thighs) has more connective tissue than light meat (breast) due to increased exercise and use. **Chicken Classifications** **Classification** **Description** -------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Young Tender Birds Cooked by dry heat (broiling, frying, roasting) Older Birds Cooked by moist heat (braising, stewing) **Cooking Methods** - **Dry Heat**: Broiling, frying, roasting - **Moist Heat**: Boiling, braising, stewing - **Braising**: A combination cooking technique that involves searing the meat, then cooking it in liquid. **Chicken Maturity and Tenderness** - **Maturity**: Affects the tenderness of the meat, with younger birds being more tender. - **Age**: Chickens are typically harvested between 7-9 weeks old. **Skin Color and Diet** - **Skin Color**: Determined by diet, not flavor or tenderness. - **Free Range**: A term that refers to chickens that are not raised in cages, but may not necessarily have access to a large outdoor area. **Food Safety** - **Salmonella**: A risk associated with eating undercooked or raw chicken, due to the bird\'s habit of eating its own feces. - **Duck vs. Chicken**: Ducks can be eaten medium rare, while chickens should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure food safety.\#\# 🐓 Poultry and Meat Characteristics **Free Range Chickens** - Free range chickens are allowed to move more freely and eat outdoors in a more natural environment. - However, there is no legal definition of free range, so the quality of free range farms can vary greatly. **Organic Labels** **Label** **Definition** -------------------------------- --------------------------------- Organic No pesticides used USDA Organic 95% or more organic ingredients Containing Organic Ingredients 50% or more organic ingredients *\"USDA Organic is the most reliable label, as it ensures that at least 95% of the ingredients are organic.\"* **Myoglobin** *\"Myoglobin is a protein that stores oxygen and gives meat its dark color. It is found in higher concentrations in muscles that are used for movement, such as the legs and thighs of birds.\"* - Myoglobin is responsible for the dark color of meat. - It is not blood, but rather a protein that stores oxygen. - Myoglobin is found in higher concentrations in muscles that are used for movement. **Cooking Poultry** - The major problem in roasting poultry is that the legs are not done before the breast is done. - To solve this problem, cooks often tie the legs together to ensure even cooking. - This technique is called **trussing**. **Cooking Techniques** - **Quali**: a technique where the skin is left on, the breast is seared, and then finished with butter, garlic, and thyme. - **Trussing**: a technique where the legs are tied together to ensure even cooking. - **Pan sauce**: a sauce made with a white stock that is thickened with a roux. **Meat Characteristics** **Type of Meat** **Characteristics** ------------------ -------------------------------------------------------- Dark Meat More fat, more connective tissue, takes longer to cook Light Meat Less fat, less connective tissue, cooks faster - Dark meat is found in muscles that are used for movement, such as the legs and thighs of birds. - Light meat is found in muscles that are not used for movement, such as the breast of birds.\#\# 🍗 Poultry Inspection and Grading Poultry is subject to federal inspection and grading. Inspection is a guarantee of wholesomeness and that the poultry is fit for human consumption. *\"Inspection is not a guarantee of quality, but rather a guarantee that the poultry is safe to eat.\"* The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) is responsible for inspecting poultry. While inspection is mandatory, grading is not. **Grading** Grading is a voluntary process that evaluates the quality of poultry. A grade is indicated by a shield stamp and a letter grade (A, B, or C). Grading is based on the quality of the poultry, and a higher grade can result in a higher price. **Types of Poultry** **Type** **Description** ---------- ------------------------------------------------------- Chicken A domesticated bird commonly raised for meat and eggs Duck A type of waterfowl commonly raised for meat and eggs Turkey A type of bird commonly raised for meat **Subdivision of Kind** Poultry can be subdivided based on age and sex. For example: - Roasters: 2-3 pound chickens - Capon: A castrated male chicken - Broilers: Young chickens raised for meat **Style** Poultry can be purchased in different styles, including: - Whole: The entire bird, including head and feet - Dressed: The bird with head and feet removed, but still containing internal organs - Eviscerated: The bird with internal organs removed - Cut up and parts: Various cuts of meat, such as breasts, thighs, and wings **State of Refrigeration** Poultry can be purchased in two states: - Chilled: Stored at a temperature of 32°F (0°C) - Frozen: Stored at a temperature of 0°F (-18°C) or lower **Handling and Storage** - Fresh poultry should arrive well chilled and be used within 24 hours of receiving - Never hold poultry for more than 4 days - Store frozen poultry at 0°F (-18°C) or lower - Thaw frozen poultry in the fridge or cold water, never hot water - Do not refreeze thawed poultry unless it has been cooked or changed in state (e.g., made into meatballs) **Internal Temperature** - The recommended safe internal temperature for cooked poultry is 165°F (74°C) - Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature, inserting the probe into the thickest part of the breast or thigh. **🏆 Hot Food Team Tryouts 🏆** - Date: November 2nd - Time: 6:00 AM - Location: Alumni - Parameters: - 4 tornays - Tomato concasse - Julienne - Small diced onion *\"Tornays are a type of cut that can be challenging, but with practice, you\'ll master it. Jeff Hommel will be holding a workshop to help you improve your skills.\"* **🍗 Determining Doneness of Chicken 🍗** To determine if chicken is cooked, use the following methods: **Method** **Description** ------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probing Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The temperature should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast or thigh. Checking Joints The leg should move freely in its socket. Juices The juices should run clear. If the juices are red or pink, the chicken is not done. Flesh Separation The flesh should separate from the bone, especially in the breast and leg. Firmness The chicken should be firm to the touch. *\"When you cook chicken, the proteins coagulate, making the meat firm. This is why a well-done steak is firmer than a medium-rare steak.\"* **📊 Trussing a Chicken 📊** Trussing a chicken is a technique used to: - Promote even cooking - Keep the wings and legs in place - Prevent filling from escaping - Create a visually appealing presentation To truss a chicken: 1. Take the wing tip and tuck it under the body. 2. Make an \"X\" shape with the legs. 3. Pull the top tight and tuck the wingtips in. **🍗 Splitting Chickens for Broiling 🍗** The American Culinary Federation recommends an 8-cut method for splitting chickens. This method is used to: - Create a uniform cut - Promote even cooking - Make the chicken easier to handle *\"As a student of the American Culinary Federation, you can graduate with a certification and become a Certified Culinarian (CC). The student fee is \$60 per year, and you can sign up on the ACF website.\"\#\# 🍗 Chicken Fabrication* **Cutting Techniques** There are several ways to cut a chicken, including: - Splitting the chicken for broiling - Making a boneless, skinless chicken - Creating an **Airline Breast** or **Supreme** **Cutting Technique** **Description** ------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Splitting for Broiling Cutting the chicken in half along the keel bone, ideal for broiling Boneless, Skinless Removing the bones and skin from the chicken Airline Breast Cutting the chicken breast with the wing tip and tenderloin attached, often used for sautéing or grilling **Cooking Techniques** **Broiling** - Broiling involves cooking the chicken under direct heat from the top - Chicken should be broiled at a lower temperature than steak to prevent overcooking the outside and undercooking the inside - If broiled at too high a temperature, the outside will be cooked while the inside remains rare to raw **Braising** *Braising is a combination cooking technique that combines sautéing and poaching to create a tender and flavorful dish.* - The first step in braising is to sear the chicken in a hot pan - The pan is then filled 2/3 of the way with liquid, such as stock or sauce, and cooked in the oven - Braising results in a more tender and moist chicken than regular cooking methods **Chicken Inspection** - **Inspected** chicken means that it has been checked for wholesomeness and is fit for human consumption - Inspection ensures that the chicken is safe to eat and meets certain standards for quality **Chicken Classification** - **Classification** refers to the categorization of chicken based on factors such as kind, style, and size - Understanding classification is important for selecting the right type of chicken for a particular recipe or cooking method **Chicken Nutrition** **Cut of Chicken** **Fat Content** -------------------- ----------------- Breast Low Thigh High - The breast has the lowest amount of fat in the chicken **Cooking Small Birds** - To check if a small bird is done, use the following methods: - Check the internal temperature - Check the juices for clarity - Check the texture of the meat **Myoglobin** *Myoglobin is a protein found in muscle tissue that stores oxygen and helps to regulate movement.* - Myoglobin is more prevalent in dark meat than in light meat - It is responsible for the red color of meat and helps to regulate the movement of oxygen in the muscles