Monday, April 18, 2011

How to Pluck a Chicken

Once your chicken has been slaughtered and has bled out, you'll need to remove the feathers, or pluck the chicken. This is best done outside with a gas cooker. A large turkey frying pot works well. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken and bring it to a boil. Holding the bird by the legs, immerse the chicken into the water and leave it for about ten seconds. This will loosen the feathers and make them easier to remove.

You'll probably want to wear some thick rubber gloves while plucking. If you're not used to doing this task, your fingers can get pretty sore. Start removing the feathers. Don't try to pull out too many at one time, or you might rip the skin. This is especially true if the bird is young. After doing some chicken plucking, you'll develope your own style that works best for you.

Once all the major feathers have been plucked, you'll be left with some fine downy "hairs." These can be singed with a small torch or with a grill lighter. Once this has been completed, you're ready to move on to dressing the chicken.

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