The Different Cuts of a Chicken
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Knowing how to prepare chicken (how long does chicken last?) is essential to any cook. Whether in a 5-star eatery or right at home. Chicken is probably one of the most, if not the most versatile meat on the market today. The number of ways to prepare chicken is virtually endless, and I'm going to explain to you how each cut is preferably cooked and what it's used for.
Let's start with the whole chicken. Whole birds, although you've possibly only heard of roasting them, can be prepared in a number of ways. You can boil a whole chicken in a bath of spices, using the meat for a hearty sandwich and the leftover juices as a stock. If you're a fan of fried chicken you're in luck because frying whole birds is also a thing. The alternative to making the chicken whole is to flatten it, Or as it more popularly referred to as - spatchcocking.
White Meat Cuts
Basically, poultry can be split into two meat groups. The white meat (What wine goes well with white meat?) cuts and the dark meat cuts. White meat cuts consist of the wing and the breast of the bird. White cuts are made from the part of the bird that does not perform a specific function such as the breast or the tenderloin.
The Breast & Tenderloin
Remember how you read about chickens' versatility up there? Well, the breast is the most adaptable of the bunch. You can marinate and grill it, you can pan-fry, stir fry, roast, fill, bake, poach, put it in that hearty sandwich - the possibilities are close to endless.
Let's get into the difference between the tenderloin and the breast. Put simply, the tenderloin, or filet, is a long strip of meat that is removed to create the breast cut. They usually weigh between 0.80 and 1.40 lbs. Now generally you see the wing and breast separate, but a chicken breast with the drumette portion of the wing still attached is called a suprême.
Wings
Chicken wings can be broken down into three groups, wingtip, winglet, and wing drumette. The wing along with the drumstick is usually the cheapest cut of any poultry. They come best baked in a sweet glaze or fried.
Dark Meat Cuts
Dark meat cuts are basically just from the thighs and legs, which are also the most flavorful cuts. This has to do with the myoglobin in the meat which supplies more oxygen to those particular parts of the bird that have more muscle function. Since chickens are flightless birds and use their legs and thighs to get around much more, these cuts will inevitably end up being the darker cuts.
Drumstick/Leg
Me and my siblings would always fight over the leg of any roasted bird. For some reason that seems to be the "manliest" part, being able to take it by the hands and rip a big piece out with your teeth and declare yourself king of the castle. Unknown to all of us at the time it was the correct part to challenge each other over.
The leg can be a tricky one to cook on the stove because of its uneven shape, therefore I recommend you take it to the oven or the grill. It takes well to marinades and can retain moisture significantly better than the breast.kale
Thigh
The thigh needs no introduction. Since I started getting serious about cooking it's been my favorite part. Not just because of its rich chicken flavor but because of its high nutritional content. It's only natural that it would be since the leg, the thigh, in particular, is the most active set of muscles on the chicken.
Feet
Although not traditionally eaten in western countries chicken feet are a delicacy in some eastern countries. After an outer layer of skin is removed an edible group of tendons of exposed which gives it a very distinct texture. Method of eating ranges from bar snacks, soups, side, and main dishes, and cold or hot dishes. They are prepared a number of ways from steaming, boiling, deep-frying, roasting, grilling, etc. It truly is a delicacy and requires an acquired taste.
Giblets
The giblets of a chicken can provide amazing flavor and nutrition to as dish through things like stock and gravy, although some can be eaten directly with a little preparation. We've all heard of liver pate. While you'll always find someone who is disgusted by the thought of eating pureed liver, prepared correctly you can persuade anyone.
The giblets of a chicken are by far the most nutritious part. After all, they do provide the body's most important functions. Chicken giblets are generally made of the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards, and before you throw them away consider the good you can do by turning them into delicacies such as liver pate and pan-fried hearts, not just for you and your taste buds, but for the environment.
Bones
Chicken bones can be used to make the most delicious chicken stock. Throw it into a pot with a few spices and some vegetables, cover it with water, bring it up to a boil then simmer it for around 3-4 hours. If you want to learn to make fresh, freezable chicken stock read this. It greatly enhances flavor if you roast the bones in the oven at high heat (around 450°) for 45 minutes. It's an amazing way to utilize every part of the chicken with minimal waste.
