Poultry

The feathers must be plucked as soon as possible after killing-and the down singed off with lighted paper, the crop emptied by a slit cut in the back of the neck, the vent opened to clean out the entrails, the gall-bag carefully removed, and the liver and gizzard cleansed in cold water. The necks are to be cut off close to the body, the skin being pushed up above the part where it is cut, and afterwards drawn down and wrapped over the end of the neck. Before fastening it down, pour cold water through the body of the fowl. The back-bone and two bones leading to the pinions may be broken, and then the bird is to be trussed.

Carving

The carving-knife for poultry and game is smaller and lighter than that for meat; the point is more peaked, and the handle longer.

In cutting up wild-fowl, duck, goose, or turkey, more prime pieces may be obtained by carving slices from pinion to pinion without making wings, which is a material advantage in distributing the bird when the party is large.

How To Truss A Goose

Pick and stub it clean, cut the feet off at the joint, and the pinion off at the first joint. Then cut off the neck close to the back, leaving the skin of the neck long enough to turn over the back. Pull out the throat, and tie a knot at the end. Loosen the liver and other matters at the breast end with the middle finger, and cut it open between the vent and the rump. Draw out the entrails, wipe the body out clean with a cloth, beat the breast-bone flat with a rolling pin, put a skewer into the wing, and draw the legs up close; put the skewer through the middle of the leg, and through the body, and the same on the other side. Put another skewer in the small of the leg, tuck it close down to the sidesman, run it through, and do the same on the other side. Cut off the end of the vent, and make a hole large enough for the passage of the rump, as by that means it will keep in the seasoning much better. The best parts are the breast slices; the fleshy part of the wing, which may be divided from the pinion; the thigh-bone, which may be easily divided in the joint from the leg-bone; the pinion; and next, the side-bones. The rump is a nice piece to those who like it; and the carcass is preferred by some to other parts.

How To Truss A Turkey

When the bird is picked carefully, break the leg bone close to the foot, hang on a hook, and draw out the strings from the thigh; cut the neck close off to the back, taking care to leave the crop-skin long enough to turn over the back. Remove the crop, and loosen the liver and gut at the throat end with the middle finger. Cut off the vent, remove the gut, pull out the gizzard with a crooked wire, and the liver will soon follow; but be careful not to break the gall. Wipe the inside perfectly clean with a wet cloth, then cut the breast-bone through on each side close to the back, and draw the legs close to the crop, then put a cloth on the breast, and beat the thigh bone down with a rolling-pin till it lies flat.

If the turkey is to be trussed for ooil-ingi cut the first joint of the legs off; pass the middle finger into the inside, raise the skin of the legs and put them under the apron of the bird. Put a skewer into the joint of the wing and the middle joint of the leg, and run it through the body and the other leg and wing. The liver and gizzard must be put in the pinions, care being taken to open and previously remove the contents of the latter; the gall bladder must also be detached from the liver. Then turn the small end of the pinion on the back, and tie a packthread over the ends of the legs to keep them in their places.

If the turkey is to be roasted, leave the legs on, put a skewer in the joint of the wing, tuck the legs close up, and put the skewer through the middle of the legs and body; on the other side put another skewer in at the small part of the leg. Put it close on the outside of the sidesman, and push the skewer through, and the same on the other side. Put the liver and gizzard between the pinions, and turn the point of the pinion on the back. Then put, close above the pinions, another skewer through the body of the bird.

How To Truss Fowls

Fowls must be picked very clean, and the neck cut off close to the back. Take out the crop, and, with the middle finger, loosen the liver and other parts. Out off the vent, draw it clean, and beat the breast-bone flat with a rolling pin.

If the fowl is to be lotted, cut off the nails of the feet, and tuck them down close to the legs. Put your finger into the inside, and raise the skin of the legs; then cut a hole in the top of the skin, and put the legs under. Put a skewer in the first joint of the pinion, and bring the middle of the leg close to it; put a skewer through the middle of the leg, and through the body, and then do the same on the other side. Open the gizzard, remove the contents, and wash it well; remove the gall-bladder from the liver. Put the gizzard and the liver in the, pinions, turn the points on the back, and tie a string over the tops of the legs, to keep them in their proper places.

If the fowl is to be roasted, put a skewer in the first joint of the pinion, and bring the middle of the leg close to it. Put the skewer through the middle of the leg, and through the body, and do the same on the other side. Put another skewer in the small of the leg, and through the sidesman; do the same on the other side, and then put another through the skin of the feet, which should have the nails cut off.

The prime parts of a fowl, whether roasted or boiled, are the wings, breast and merry-thought; and next to these, the neck-bones and side-bones; the legs are rather coarse - of a boiled fowl, however, the legs are rather more tender than a roasted one; of the leg of a fowl the thigh is the better part, and therefore when given to any one should be separated from the drum-stick, which is done by passing the knife underneath, in the hollow, and turning the thigh-bone back from the leg-bone.

How To Truss Chickens

Pick and draw them in the same manner as you would fowls; but, as their skins are very tender, plunge them into scalding water, and remove, when the feathers will come off readily.

If they are to be boiled, cut off the nails, notch the sinews on each side of the joint put the feet in at the vent, and then peel the rump. Draw the skin tight over the legs, put a skewer in the first joint of the pinion, and bring the middle of the legs close. Put the skewer through the middle of the legs, and through the body; and do the same on the other side. Clean the gizzard, and remove the gall from the liver; put them into the pinions, and turn the points on the back.

If for roasting, cut off the feet, put a skewer in the first joint of the pinions, and bring the middle of the legs close. Run the skewer through the middle of the legs and body, and do the same on the other side. Put another skewer into the sidesman, put the legs between the apron and the sidesman, and run the skewer through. Having cleaned the liver and gizzard, put them under the pinions, turn the points on the back, and pull the breast-skin over the neck.

How To Truss Pheasants

Pick them clean, cut a slit at the back of the neck, take out the crop, loosen the liver, and gut the breast with the fore-finger; then cut off the vent, and draw them. Cut off the pinion at the first joint, and wipe out the inside with the pinion. Beat the breastbone flat with a rolling-pin, put a skewer in the pinion, and bring the middle of the legs close. Then run the skewer through the legs, body, and the other pinion, twist the head, and put it on the end of the skewer, with the bill fronting the breast. Put another skewer into the sidesman, and put the legs close on each side of the apron, and then run the skewer through all. If you wish the cock-pheasant to look well, leave the beautiful feathers on the head, and cover with paper to protect them from the fire. Save the long feathers from the tail; and when cooked, stick them into the rump before sending to table.

If the pheasants are for boiling, put the legs in the same manner as in trussing a fowl.

How To Truss Pigeons

Pick clean, take off the neck close to the back; then remove the crop, cut off the vent, and draw out the entrails and gizzard, but leave the liver, as a pigeon has no gall-bladder.

If for roasting, cut off the toes, cut a slit in one of the legs, and put the other through it. Draw the leg tight to the pinion, put a skewer through the pinion, legs, and body, and with the handle of the knife break the breast flat. Clean the gizzard, and put it under one of the pinions, and turn the points on the back.

If for boiling or stewing, cut the feet off at the joint, turn the legs, and stick them in the sides, close to the pinions. If for a pie, they must be done in the same manner.

How To Truss Wild Fowl

Pick clean, cut off the neck close to the back, and, with the middle finger, loosen the liver and other parts. Cut off the pinions at the first joint; then cut a slit between the vent and the rump, and draw them clean. Clean them properly with the long feathers on the wing, cut off the nails, and turn the feet close to the legs. Put a skewer in the pinion, pull the legs close to the breast, and run the skewer through the legs, body, and the other pinion. Cut off the end of the vent, and put the rump through it.

All kinds of wild-fowl are to be trussed thus:

How To Truss Woodcock, Plover And Snipe

If these birds are not very fresh, great care must be taken in picking them, as they are very tender to pick at any time; for even the heat of the hand will sometimes take off the skin, which will destroy the beauty of the bird. When picked clean, cut the pinions in the first joint, and with the handle of a knife beat the breastbone flat. Turn the legs close to the thighs, and tie them together at the joints. Put the thighs close to the pinions, put a skewer into the pinions, and run it through the thighs, body, and other pinions. Skin the head, turn it, take out the eyes, and put the head on the point of the skewer, with the bill close to the breast. These birds must never oe drawn.

How To Truss Small Birds

Pick well, cut off their heads, and the pinions of the first joint. Beat the breast-bone flat, and turn the feet close to the legs, and put one into the other. Draw out the gizzard, and run a skewer through the middle of the bodies. Tie the skewer fast to the spit when you put them down to roast.

How To Truss Hare Or Rabbit

A hare or rabbit should be paunched, or cleaned, as soon as it is killed. The inside should be kept dry and peppered. "When trussed, the sinews of the hind-legs must be cut, and the legs turned towards the head and fastened to the sides. The fore-legs must be turned to meet the hind-legs, and fastened, with slight skewers to the body. The head is thrown back and kept in place by a skewer passed through it. The stuffing is put in, and the skin sewed up. A string fastens all compactly together. The ears of a rabbit are to be cut off when roasted or boiled.