Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-13

final processes in the preparation for
market or for the table. it should be
cooled without delay, but not frozen
in order that the animal heat may be
quickly driven from the body and
thus retard the decomposing action of
putrefactfve bacteria. In the larger
commercial poultry plants and in the
packing houses the cooling is accom-
plished by refrigeration, but on the
farms of the smaller producers the
dressed fowls are cooled in iced wa
ter. If the carcass is frozen during
the cooling process, it does not prop
erly cool throughout; the flesh hard
ems, and the natural flow of the body
juices, which. under normal condi-
tons. continues for some time after
death. is stopped. thus preventing the
escape of the animal heat at the sur
face.
The best practice in wet cooling"
is to dip the fowl, Immediately after
1T is pinfeathered. in tepid water, and
then wash the feet. shanks and mouth.
The clotted blood found in the
bleeding may easily be removed by
throwing it out The fowl is held
swinging by the legs. head down. 1t
is then swung upward in trout of the
body. then down to the side with
light jerk: too vigorous downward
swing will often cause the skin to
tear badly in front of the thigh joint
After the carcass has been washed
in the tepid water it is at once
thrown into iced water for one hour.
While this method of cooling is rea-
sonably satisfactory and ie In gem
eral use, largely because 1t is eco
nomicai and is available to most
pouitrymen. 1T is not as effective as
the cold air method. as, 1t increases
the susceptibility of the skin to the
action of bacteria. )
Furthermore, the flesh protein is lost.
as il dissolves in the water at the rate
of 4 per cent per hour and. accord
States bureau of chemistry, about four
times as much water is absorbed by
the body as there is protein dissolved.
To be exact. four and three-tenths
ounces of water are absorbed for
every ounce of protein dissolved. But
unfortunately the materials and ap-
planes .required/to cool by cold air
in all seasons are, because of the ex-
pense incident to their installation, out
of reach of the average poultry men.
AT the end of the hour. when the
carcass is taken from the cold water,
it is ready to be stored. packed or
drawn. for the table. Chickens are
now sent to market undrawn. as they
keep much better than those that have
been drawn When the fowl is cleaned
or drawn by the removal OF the in
testines and iother internal organs,
an opening leading into the body
cavity must of necessity be made. and
it is through this opening that the.
decompoSing organisms gain entrance.
Experiments have Ssbeen conducted
by Pennington. Pierce and Wilmer of
the United States bureau of chemis-
try to determine the comparative rate
of decomposition in drawn and un-
drawn poultry. In these experime nts
both full drawn and partially drawn
fowls were used in comparison with
others not drawn, and in no instance,
after a reasonable period had elapsed,
did the undrawn fowls show the pres
ence Of any appreciate number of
bacteria in the body cavity, while mil
ions were found in the bodies of both
the drawn and partially drawn birds.
Those that were partially drawn had
only the intestineS removed and these
were pulled out through minute open
lngS.
When drawing for Immediate use
first SINCE off the hairHke feathers
(feloplumeS by passing, tthe body
over fame. With the head in one
hand and the feet in the other. move
on all parts have been singed. The
alcohol flames do not Sdiscolor the
skin. while burning paper, though
often used. smokes the skin badly.
The gas fame is quite satisfactory.
After the smuggling Is completed cut
of the head near the base OF the
skull. Then pull back the neck skin
and cut of the neck bone close to
the body. Trim the skin to within
an inch and one-half of the body.
Find the crop ana pun ~ ava away non
cut off the shanks at the hook or
knee Joints Do not break the bones,
but cut the ligaments that bind the
two leg bones together at the joint.
This makes a clean cut, leaving no
jagged edges of bone and prevents
quality of the meat on the drum
sticks may be improved by taking out
the tendons of the legs before the
shanks are cut off. This 10 accom-
plished by first sticking a knife blade
through the shanks Just BACK Ss, OF ,nS
the tendon, and then making a clean
cut from the knee joint TO the foot.
An iron hook is then inserted IN the
slit around the tendon. and with q
hard, steady pull the tough oora Is
often found necessary to attach the
hook 10 the wall for support. The
tendons, being tougher and not 80
easily removed, a stronger pull Is
required.
After cutting of tho shanks stick
the knife through the skin just below
the vent and make q straight cut to
the end of the keel bone. Then re-
move the intsstines. liver and heart
through the opening thus made. If
the bird is young the crop will usu-
ally come out with the other organs.
but with the larger chickens and
adult fowls the crop may be taken
out through the neck opening. The
windpipe must also be pulled out at
the neck. The lungs which are light
red in color and which lie embedded
a against the ribs and back bone. and
the kidneys similarly placed, but
further down the back, should also be
removed through the rear opening.
For fancy individual trade. where it
is necessary to draw the fowl for the
Gus TONER, somewhat dinkrent
method is employed. The neckbone