The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-02-25
NO.. 81.
PREPARATION OF POULTRY.
Some Valuable Informa tion for the Caro-
full Cook.

some valuable Information for the Caro-
full Cook.
Spring chickens have long been a TAD
with many people, and broilers are .
among the luNuries of life. But all in
comes do not admit of these things,
and not every one is aware that in buy
ing such costly articles as hroilers a
good deal of money is expended with
very little to show for it.
A full-grown fowl is by fa'. more de.
srable than young one, provided the
cook knows how to handle it. 1t is
easier 20 prepare and yields much
more delicious food than the very best
immature poultry ever raised.
All fowls should be picked and drawn
as soon as they are killed. Poultry
breeders frequently dry-pick their
birds, but this is open to objections for
several reasons. Almost all poultry is
infested with parasites, and when the
fowls are dry-picked these have a
chance to scatter about and may be-
come very annoying. True, they will
not remain for any length of time upon
human beings, but while they do stay
they are extremely uncomfortable
guests; it is therefore much the better
way to scad the fowl, and this is done
hy immersing it in pailful of boiling
water. Water that is merely hot will
not answer. Dip the bird in all over,
feet and all, holding it under water for
| at least one minute. If the feathers
come off easily that is all that is nee
| cssary. Then take them off i'll great
handfuls, as in this way most of the pin
feathers will come with the larger ones,
| and the task is much more quickly COM
| pleted. When this part of the operation
| is done, the fowl may be dipped in clean
| hot water allowed to remain few set
| onds and then wiped off with a dry
cloth, after which it is singed over
| bright blaze without smoke. The en-
| trails are then removed. the crop aud
windpipe by small opening at the top
| Of the breast, the attachments being
severed by inserting sharp knife as
far as possible and making a clean cut.
Then take out the remainder through
en- opening made at the lower end of the
breastbone. Push the hand in as far as
possible, and grasp the pipes that were
| cut off at the throat. Bring with them
the heart, liver, gizzard and kidneys,
leaving the inside of the fowl clean and
smooth. The lungs are attached to tho
| inside of the ribs, and these must come
out also. Then cut off the legs and also
the oil bag from the top of the tail:
trim the ragged parts of the neck, and
the bird is ready to put into the pot for
the steaming process that all old fowls
require to make them at their best. A
large kettle, and dish that will fit in
side of it, is necessary. Place the fowl
ON the dish, which must be raised from
the bottom of the kettle by small wire
rack, then add water enough to boil
for two hours, or as much as the kettle
will hold without running over into the
dish in which the fowl is placed. The
heart should be freed from its casing
and washed The liver is to be cut care
fully away from the gall, which is dis
tinguished by it's green color, and tlc
gizzard is to be partly cut through on
the thick side until the inner lining is
severed, when the middle portion is re-
moved.
These giblets and the feet and legs
are put into q stewpan and allowed to
boil slowly for several hours. There
are many experienced cooks who do not
know that the feet of chicken con-
tain large amount of gelatine, and
are a most desirable addition to the
gravy. When the chicken is so well done
that a broom straw can be passed
through the meat to the bones, remove
it from the fire, and lift the fowl to n
plate, allowing all of the liquor to drain
off. This must be put away to become
cold, when the oil must be entirely re-
moved if the liquid is to be used for
soup, or SKINNED off at once if for a
gravy. 1t should then be poured over
the fowl and allowed to become cold.
The meat absorbs the juices and is sur
prisingly sweet and delicious. If the
" fowl is to be baked, the jelied liquor
: may be mixed with the dressing and
/, used in the gravy. If it is fried, ths
liquor may be added a little at a time
g when the meat is nearly done. One sue
= cessful experiment with mature fow
: will convince any one of its superiority
= to the best broilers that were ever SEN
n to market.-N. Y. Ledger.
To Keep the Eyes Bright.