Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
heart, liver, and gizzards, sort through the internal mass that you just removed, and separate
the organs you want to save. Once you do that, double-check to make sure the cavity is clear
of debris. Take the chicken back to the sink or water source and rinse it inside and out. Refri-
gerate your bird as soon as possible.
Spray down the cutting area with disinfectant or bleach cleaner, and use rags or paper towels
to dry the area well. Spray down the area a second time and repeat the process. Be thorough in
your cleaning, as some diseases can live on countertops and surface areas. Clean the kill cones
by soaking them in warm bleach water to disinfect, then rinse them well. Wash your rubber
gloves and aprons by spraying them with bleach and rinsing. Clean your hands every time you
come into contact with the carcass or pieces of the bird. Good sanitation is important for you
and your family's safety.
Cutting your chicken
After your bird is plucked, clean, and processed, it is ready to cut. You may not have the skills
of a professional butcher, but you can cut your chicken similar to the way you would find it
packaged. The simplest way to cut your chicken is to begin with cutting the chicken in half
lengthwise, which means down the breast, and then cutting the parts away width wise. You
will need a very sharp chef's knife and a pair of very sharp kitchen shears. In just a few
simple steps, you can have your chicken completely cut up.
• Step one — With your kitchen shears, cut the chicken in half along the breastbone. You
need to make sure your kitchen shears are very sharp in order to accomplish this.
• Step two — Flip the chicken over, and cut along both sides of the bone to remove it from
the breasts. You can either discard the bone or save it, storing it in the freezer so you can
use it to make your own stock.
• Step three — Now you should be staring at two halves of the chicken. The next thing to
do is flip one of the halves over so that it is laying skin side up. Then, using your sharp
chef's knife, cut halfway between the wing and the leg. If you are having difficulty cut-
tingit,thenyoucanplacetheknifeinthespotthatyouwanttocutitandpushdownonit
with your other hand. Repeat this same process with the other half of the chicken. If you
want to, you can cut the remaining pieces in half a second time.
Professional Butchering
