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De-Boning a Whole Chicken
Learn How to De-Bone a Whole Chicken
Widen the neck opening until you find the junction of the wing to the rib cage. Cut the ligaments with a sharp knife to separate the wings.
Using the fingers and a knife separate the wishbone.
When the wishbone is free . . .
. . . cut the cartilage that holds it to the breastbone.
Insert the hand in the neck opening, and separate the meat from the bones all around the ribcage and backbone, turning the chicken over as necessary.
Use a knife to cut the white cartilage from the skin.
Separate with a knife the rib cage from the skin and the breast meat where necessary.
Freed the wing bones and remove them.
Now all the the bones of the rib cage and the backbone are fully separated from the skin and can be removed from the bottom opening.
Cut the skin around the end of the legs to separate it.
From the bottom opening scrape the meat from the thighbones and remove them.
The chicken is now completely boned and ready to be stuffed.
Basics >> De-Boning a Whole Chicken
De-Boning a Whole Chicken
Stuffing a whole chicken has become a tradition for my family for Christmas. The first step before stuffing the chicken is to remove the bones.
Most professional chefs slice the chicken open to access the bones and remove them. Then they stuff the chicken and sew it back. My technique is different, a little more elaborate, but definitely more spectacular!
The bones are removed from the opening in the bottom of the chicken, without cutting or breaking the outer enclosure. The stuffed chicken keeps its shape!
I learned this technique for boning a whole chicken from my father, who was a very skilled butcher. It is not easy, but is definitely a recipe worth doing for a special occasion.
For the best result use a free range naturally fed chicken, about 5 - 6 lb (4 - 5 lb after boning.)