The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-01-07
HOW TO DRAW A CHICKEN
Directions by Experts of Department
of Agriculture

| vi AHI
Following are the directions given
by the poultry-dressing specialists OF
the department of agriculture for
drawing a chicken at home:--
1) Hold the chicken by the legs
and run it quickly over the flame from
loosely-twisted lighted newspaper
which, for safety may be laid in a
coal bucket or ash tray. This will re-
move the fine hairs. Remove any pin
feathers with the aid of sharp small
knife blade. The charred hair may be
washed off later,
(2) Cut the legs off well below the
knee joint. If the legs are cut above
the knee joint the flesh on the drum
stick will be pulled back from the
end.
CD Cut the head off, leaving as
much of the neck as possible, then
push the skin of the neck back and cut
the neck off quite close to the body.
The envelope of the remaining skin
gives the dressed bird heater appear
ance. The neck bones with the adher-
ing meat make valuable addition to
the giblets. The gullet and windpipe
are, of course, on the neck and must
be pulled away.
(4) To remove the entrails, make an
incision about 21s inches in length
across the abdomen and as close to the
vent as possible. In making this in
cision, be careful not to penetrate the
intestine. Slip the fingers in first, and
gradually insert the whole hand
through the slit into the body cavity.
Work the viscera loose from its at
tachments by sliding the fingers over
the inner surface of the body walls.
In this way, after little practice,
the viscera can be removed quickly
and easily. The lungs will almost IN
variably tear, leaving shreds sticking
to the back. These, and the kidneys OF
the chicken, which are two long, dark
red bodies, lying each side Of the
backbone and firmly fastened, should
be removed in pieces. The rest OF the
viscera, including the crop which lies
far front and just under the skin of
the breast, when loosened will come
out in mass through the incision.
The intestine is still attached to the
bird at the vent. To separate IT
clearly, the tube should be picked up
Just as close to the vent as possible
and its contents pushed well back from
the vent. Then cut closely around the
vent, holding the intestine tightly be-
tween the fingers to insure cleanliness.
Run a stream of water through the
slit into the body cavity in such wise
that is flows through the vent and
cleans the short piece of intestine still
remaining. Then cut both vent and
intestine away, leaving neat, round
hole no larger than is necessary
To prepare the giblets, detach the
heart ,gizzard and liver, taking great
care not to break the little green gall
bladder attached to the liver, which
contains very bitter liquid which, II
allowed to escape, will give a bitter
flavor to the giblets and gravy. This
gall bladder is SO close to the liver
that some liver tissue must be cut
away to be one safe side. The color
of healthy chicken liver may vary
from yellow to dark red To prepare
the gizzard, hold it with the thin edge
toward the palm Of the hand and make
an incision the whole length along the
thick side, being careful merely tol
cut through the muscle, but not INTO
the inner sack. Then open the gizzard
as you would a pocket-book and re-
move the inner sack, which is full OF
gravel, if possible without breaking 1t.
Finally, wash the chicken and gib-
lets in clean, cold water, but do not
let the chicken soak in the water, be-
cause the finest favors OF the meat
and much nutritive material are DIS
solved in the water.
Once the chicken is dressed and
washed, put it at once in the coolest
place available and keep it there un-
iii il is TO be put on the fire. The
best way is to dress it just in time 70
90 into the stove.