Save money cutting up your own chicken - AmericaNowNews.com

How to be your own butcher

It's time to put on your butcher cap and save a cleaver of cash.  Chef Leslie McKenna is giving a course in how to break down a whole chicken into its individual parts!

"When you buy a cut-up chicken it actually costs you two to three dollars more a pound opposed to buying a whole chicken that you're cutting up yourself," says Chef Leslie.

With that in mind, and a sharp butcher's knife in hand let's see how its done,

Step-by-step instructions on cutting up whole chicken

Step 1 - Separate the skin and make a little slit in the leg, between the leg and the thigh. Cut that down just lightly using the tip of your knife to break open the skin. Following down the bone. You'll be able to see where the muscles meet the breast and the thigh. Stay as close to the bone as you can while you're cutting. 

Step 2 - Remove the chicken wings. Follow the crease right into the joint and cut that down. 

Step 3 - Remove the backbone. You'll see a lot of flesh and a little vein of fat right there.  Cut right through the ribcage, pulling it back and cutting all the way down. 

Step 4 - Take the double breast and put the skin side down. You'll see the breastbone and some cartilage. Turn it so the point is toward you. Take your knife and put it between the bone and pull down through the cartilage. You will  hear that bone crack. Take the other side, and do the same thing, cutting right through the bone. 

Step 5 - Cut between the thigh bone and the leg bone where they meet. Cut right between the knuckle. Cut right through and snap that bone.

Chef Leslie recommends buying a few chickens when they're on sale so you can practice cutting them up.  You can freeze them in individual packets and pull them apart as you need them.

Cutting down your own chicken into parts of their own.  What could be an easier way to save money and satisfy your appetite too?

Copyright 2011 America Now.  All rights reserved.

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