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Boning Birds

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:24 pm
by onewheeler
Perhaps I should re-phrase the title? :oops:

I've recently done a boned and stuffed chicken (à la Wheels posting somewhere downstream, following the youtube of Jacques Pepin). It was easier than I thought (mostly) and came out rather well.

It's now time to move on to bigger things. There's a turkey in the freezer which is coming out for an anti-Christmas dinner on 25 June. I'd like to bone and stuff it.

The only thing that is causing me concern are the legs [1]. Turkey legs are full of ligaments (or tendons?) Whatever, one gets the impression they have feathers growing on the inside. Could anyone give tips on how to get them out please?

Martin/

[1] There may be other things that should cause me concern which I've not thought of, so any pre-warning of these would also be helpful.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:31 pm
by wheels
Martin

I did a boned and rolled turkey for my daughter's Christening some 25 odd years ago. I recall that the tendons were a real swine. It's a long time ago to recall it all but if I was doing it now I think I would just use to the thigh and cut the drum-stick off to use for something else.

I remember that I layered it with a minced pork and sausage meat stuffing with grated lemon rind in it, layers of ham, roasted red pepper, sliced mushroom and then parsley in the middle, and then I did the layers in reverse. Sliced cold an 8lb turkey along with a piece of ham served about 20. (and an 8lb turkey's mainly bone!).

The recipe was from a 'freezer magazine' of Pauline's mum's. I can see it in my mind's eye even now, but regrettably it's been long since thrown away.

The only other thing I recall is that I did it the evening of the day before and that it was a problem slicing it. Do it a couple of days in advance so that it has time to set up.

I hope this helps.

Phil

PostPosted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 5:45 am
by saucisson
Sounds like a good idea Phil, I boned a raw drumstick once and it was only good for stir fry :)

PostPosted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:51 pm
by wheels
IIRC I sort of turned the thighs inside out so as not to have them protruding from the outside - for ease of slicing.

It's a long while ago but I remember it didn't slice as neatly as I would have liked, hence the suggestion to give it longer to set up (above). I think if I was doing it now, I would add some form of filler to the minced meats to make it firmer.

Phil

PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:06 pm
by onewheeler
Thanks chaps. I'll have an experiment with the drumsticks before probably chopping the meat off and rearranging it inside.

M/

PostPosted: Mon Jun 27, 2011 8:46 pm
by onewheeler
Well, I boned the turkey (which caused some amusement when my son had to explain to his Mum why he thought it was funny :oops: ), legs and all. The drumsticks didn't seem to have any problems with tendons. Maybe it was a young bird and the tendons weren't too tough. It seems that they calcify with age. It didn't seem any more difficult than doing a chicken.

I made a stuffing based on QWF's porchetta fugazi recipe, using ready-minced pork from the supermarket and about half of the original recipe's spice mix plus a slack handful of chopped prunes. The bird was originally 4.5 kg, came down to 3.5 kg after boning and had 1 kg of stuffing added back.

It took about 3 hours in the AGA to get to 75 C in the middle, then rested in the simmering oven for a couple of hours. Wish I'd taken a photo, it looked magnificent, but tasted even better. The stuffing had kept it moist all the way through, and its spicing went very well. Served it with some chipolatas based on Phil's Thurlaston recipe, mashed spuds and an assortment of veg. It did 25 portions quite nicely. padded out with some generous canapes and starters.

Cheers!

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 4:25 pm
by wheels
Superb, I'm glad that it worked OK, did you take any photos?

Phil

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:48 pm
by ssorllih
The only way i have heard of to remove the tendons form turkey legs is done before the feet are cutoff. As I recall I was told that a hook is used to catch the tendons at the ankle joint and the carcass was twisted on the hook ripping the tendons from the meat.
I debone drum sticks to be able to grind the meat but for that I use pliers and scrape the meat off with a sharp knife. I can't image how it could be done and leave the leg intact. Each tendon is the terminus of a muscle.
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