POULTRY: How-to Cut Up Chicken/Turkey/Etc.

I'm going to say this every time. If you're buying bird parts (e.g. chicken breast) and that's not the only part you eat. You should stop. Dismembering birds is easy and there's a use for every part, and it's just dollar-for-pound cheaper.

Yes, if you're doing something like hot wings, obviously use your judgement.

Okay straight to it.

What You'll Need

• Sharp knife

• Cutting board

• Paper towels

• A washed bird (How?)

If You're Daring (TLDR)

1. Cut along joints

2. Cut along skin to remove

3. Cut along breast bone to remove whole breasts

4. Clean up scraps

More Detailed Instructions

Extremities First

Grab a wing or leg and pull on it (hold the bird with the other hand). You'll see roughly where the limb is attached. Use your fingers and squeeze where it's attached while you wiggle it around and you'll feel where the joints are attached. That's where you want to cut.

Remove all four whole wings and legs. Then if you want, further break down the wings and legs.

Skin Optional

I love skin. It's fatty and amazing. I skin mine to save for yakitori. But I guess you can throw it out if you're weird.

Find any loose piece of skin that's not attached to the meat, pull up and stretch with your fingers. At this point you can cut it or leave it as is. Slide your knife under the skin (sharp edge away from hand always), right up against the underside of the skin. Now, while holding the knife almost flat against the skin, slide it away with firm but even pressure in a slicing motion. Your knife should slip out slowly as you cut. Repeat around the entire bird.

Remove Breast

If you don't know which side the chicken/turkey/duck/pigeon breast is on, just poke at it. It's the meaty side. If you're still confused, find the spine (weird long boney, jointy thing that turns into the neck) , the breast is on the other side.

Now then, breast side up, there's a big tent like bone holding the breasts, if you run your finger along the middle the long way, you'll feel it. On your non-dominant side, run the tip of your knife along that bone. Keep it as close as possible, pretty much scraping it - this is just to mark where it is and create an opening. Then do the same thing along the same cut but this time just a big deeper. Now if you did this right, the meat should be pretty clean off the bone. Get your hands in there and push your fingertips along the cut and you should be able to cleanly separate the breast from the bone. When you get to the end, simply run your knife along the bone and the last strip of meat to remove.

Lastly. Scraps.

If you're like me, you're not into wasting. This part is easy but can be time consuming. Find all the bits left behind and cut them out with the tip of the knife - just pull flesh with fingertips and cut along bones.

Now What?

There are plenty of ways to use bird meat. If you're too lazy to poke around the site, here are some of my go-tos linked:

• Roast whole

• Roast spatchcock

• Tagine

• Fried

• Curry

• Make stock

There you have it. Now go make something terrible.

-TC