Chapter 37: Poultry
Explain the nutritional role
Describe types and forms
Explain how to select and store
Describe, demonstrate methods of preparing
Define these terms:
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1. giblets—the edible internal organs of
poultry including the liver, gizzard
(stomach), and heart.
2. myoglobin—reddish protein pigment
where oxygen is stored in meat.
3. poultry—any bird raised for food.
4. truss—to close the cavity and bind the
legs and wings to the bird before roasting.
Answer the following
questions.
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1. Why is poultry often chosen for meals
instead of red meat?
Poultry is generally lower in fat and calories than
red meat.
2. What advantage is there to removing
the skin from poultry?
Most of the fat is just under the skin. Removing
the skin substantially decreases the amount of
fat eaten.
3. Why does poultry have both
light and dark meat?
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The coloring depends on the amount of
exercise a muscle gets while the bird is
alive. Muscles that get frequent,
strenuous exercise need more oxygen
than others. The oxygen is stored in a
red-dish protein pigment called myoglobin.
The more myoglobin the muscle tissue
has, the darker the color of the meat.
4. Predict what could happen
if a stewing chicken is cut up
and grilled.
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The meat will probably be tough and dry
because stewing chickens are large, less
tender birds that need moist-heat cooking.
5. What makes Rock Cornish
game hens different from other
chickens?
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They are young and small, with less meat
than other chickens.
6. How do free-range chickens
compare with chickens that are massproduced?
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Mass-produced chickens are kept in
coops with 1 square foot of space
allowed for each bird. Free-range
chickens have more space in the
coops and are allowed space to roam
outdoors. They are usually
considered to be more flavorful, have
more fat, and are more expensive.
7. Describe each of the
following:
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a) Hen turkey—a female turkey
weighing about 8-16 pounds
b) Tom turkey—a male turkey up to 24
pounds in weight
c) Self-basting turkey—a turkey
injected with broth, oil or butter, and
seasonings to make it moist and flavorful
8. Which types of poultry are
highest in fat?
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Duck and goose
9. How do you remove legs and wings
when cutting up a whole chicken?
Legs: Slice skin between body and thigh.
Bend leg to crack th4e joint. Then cut
through the joint and remove the leg.
Wings: Cut inside the wing joint. Cut
from the top down through the joint.
10. If the word meat is part of the
description for ground poultry, what
does that mean?
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The poultry was ground without the skin
and is leaner.
11. What are giblets?
The edible internal organs of poultry,
including the liver, gizzard, and heart.
12. What kinds of poultry would you
recommend for the following: Explain
your choices.
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a) casseroles—mature birds that need to be
cooked in moist heat such as stewing chickens;
also leftovers. Liquids are in the casserole.
b) soups—mature birds that need to be cooked
in moist heat such as stewing chickens; also
leftovers. Liquids are in the casserole.
c) barbecue—tender birds that are good for
baking or grilling such as broiler-fryer chickens
and roaster chickens. Barbecue is usually baked
or grilled.
13. What does “grade A” mean on
poultry?
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The poultry is practically free of defects,
has a good shape and appearance, and is
meaty.
14. What should you look for
when purchasing fresh poultry?
Look for plumb, meaty birds with smooth,
soft skin. Check the sell-by date.
15. How should frozen poultry
be thawed, and why?
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Frozen poultry should be thawed in the
refrigerator of in cold water to avoid allowing
dangerous bacteria to grow.
16. How do you prepare whole
poultry for cooking?
Remove the giblets and neck from the body and
neck cavities. Remove any foreign matter in the
cavity and rinse several times. Rinse whole bird,
drain, and pat dry.
17. What temperatures
indicate doneness in poultry?
Whole poultry and all parts except beast must
be cooked to 180 degrees F. Breasts are cooked
to 170 F. Stuffing and ground poultry require
165 F.
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18. Why do many people prepare
stuffing in a dish separate from the
bird?
Stuffing placed inside raw poultry is a breeding
ground for harmful bacteria, so experts
recommend cooking it separately.
19. Why do cooks often truss a
bird before roasting?
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It make the bird more compact, easier to
handle, and attractive to serve.
20. How is an oven-safe
thermometer placed in a whole
turkey?
The tip goes in the center of the inside
thigh muscle or the thickest part of the
breast meat, without touching bone or fat.
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21. How do you fry chicken?
Pour ½ inch cooking oil in skillet and heat.
Place chicken pieces skin-side down and
fry over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes.
22. When would you pressurecook and slow-cook poultry?
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Pressure-cooking is usually used for
tough, mature birds that cannot be
cooked in dry heat. Young, tender birds
fall apart in a pressure cooker.
Slow-cooking poultry allows the food to
cook slowly at a low temperature and
develop and blend the flavors.
 23.
Why should microwaved
chicken not be coated with
flour?
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Flour becomes gummy in the microwave.