Chapter 12 - Understanding poultry and game birds. This chapter explain the differences between light meat and dark meat, and describe how these differences affect cooking; describe four techniques that help keep chicken or turkey breast moist while roasting; define the following terms used to classify poultry: kind, class, and style;. | Chapter 12 Understanding Poultry and Game Birds Chapter Objectives 1. Explain the differences between light meat and dark meat, and describe how these differences affect cooking. 2. Describe four techniques that help keep chicken or turkey breast moist while roasting. 3. Define the following terms used to classify poultry: kind, class, and style. 4. Identify popular types of farm-raised game birds and the cooking methods appropriate to their preparation. 5. Store poultry items. 6. Determine doneness in cooked poultry, both large roasted birds and smaller birds. 7. Truss poultry for cooking. 8. Cut up chicken into parts. Composition and Structure The muscle tissue contains: Water (Approximately 75% water) Protein (20%) Fat (up to 5%) Small amounts of elements and carbohydrates Remember that muscles consist of muscle fibers held together by connective tissue. Young birds are almost always more tender than older birds. Birds that do fly always have only dark meat. Maturity | Chapter 12 Understanding Poultry and Game Birds Chapter Objectives 1. Explain the differences between light meat and dark meat, and describe how these differences affect cooking. 2. Describe four techniques that help keep chicken or turkey breast moist while roasting. 3. Define the following terms used to classify poultry: kind, class, and style. 4. Identify popular types of farm-raised game birds and the cooking methods appropriate to their preparation. 5. Store poultry items. 6. Determine doneness in cooked poultry, both large roasted birds and smaller birds. 7. Truss poultry for cooking. 8. Cut up chicken into parts. Composition and Structure The muscle tissue contains: Water (Approximately 75% water) Protein (20%) Fat (up to 5%) Small amounts of elements and carbohydrates Remember that muscles consist of muscle fibers held together by connective tissue. Young birds are almost always more tender than older birds. Birds that do fly always have only dark meat. Maturity and Tenderness Remember, we learned that tenderness of a piece of meat or poultry is related to connective-tissue and that connective-tissue increases with Use or exercise of the muscle Maturity and age of the animal or bird Young, tender birds are cooked by dry heat methods, such as broiling, frying, roasting and moist methods. Older tough birds are primarily cooked by moist heat. “Light Meat” and “Dark Meat” Light Meat - Breast and Wings Less fat Less connective tissue Cooks faster Dark Meat – Drumsticks and Thighs More Fat More connective Tissue Longer cooking time 1. Cooking whole birds 2. Cooking poultry parts Free-Range Chickens Are allowed to go outdoors and move and eat freely in a natural environment NOTE: There is no legal description of free-range Many people think they are worth the cost A term related to free-range is organic A Major Problem with Roasting A major problem with roasting is cooking the legs to doneness without overcooking the breasts. Consider: .
