Understanding Rice

The eating habits of most nations place a great deal of importance on a category of most foods we call
starches. In the Philippines, the most important food is rice.
Because we eat them often and have devised a many ways of preparing them, starchy foods require some
extra study beyond that which we have given to other food items.

Market forms of Rice

In nature there are basically two varieties of rice; each one cooks up differently.
1. Long grain rice. Light and fluffy, with separate distinct grain.
2. Pearl or round rice. Cooks into a moist, sticky product. It is also called short or medium-grain rice.

Other popular forms of rice

1. Regular white rice or polished rice that has been milled to remove the hull, germ, and practically all of the
bran.
2. Enriched rice. White rice that contains added vitamins and minerals.
3. Parboiled rice. Treated rice in a special steam pressure process before milling. In this process the vitamins
and minerals are forced into the hull, bran, and germ into the starchy part of the grain.
4. Converted rice. A parboiled made by patented process. It has a creamy color but it is not fluffy as regular
white rice.
5. Packed precooked rice. Long grain rice that has been cooked and dried. It takes less preparation time than
regular white rice, but it costs more.
6. Brown rice. Whole grain rice from which the hull and the small amount of the bran have been removed.
The most nutritious form of rice.
7. Wild rice. It is not rice but the seed of a grass that grows wild in shallow lakes and marshes. It is dark
brown, has distinctive flavor, and costs considerably more than other types of rice.

Other grains cooked like rice

1. Barley. - Pearled barley has been milled to remove outer bran layers. It is commonly used in soups, but it
can be cooked by the pilaf method and served like rice, although it has a longer cooking time.
2. Bulgur. - A type of cracked wheat that has been partially cooked or parched.
3. Kasha. - Refers to the whole buckwheat grouts, which are especially popular in eastern European cuisine
Pointers in Buying Cereals
1. Check how clean the rice is.
2. Look closely for the proportion of broken kernels.
3. Detect off-odors.
4. Note the presence of seeds, stones, weevils, larvae, etc.
5. Buy by weight.

Storage
To store cereal grains, keep in tightly-covered containers to prevent entrance of rodents, insect
infestation, moisture absorption, and mold growth.
Cold storage prolongs shelf-life of most foods and cereals are no exception. The presence of bran
and germ portions shortens the shelf-life of dry cereals due to oxidative rancidity of the oil they contain.
The principles of cooking cereals are:

1. Proper ratio of water to dry cereal.

2. Temperature control for complete gelatinization, softening of cellulose to increase digestibility and
varying kind of cereal used.
3. Method of cooking and adding other ingredients to improve palatability factors such as color, flavor, and
texture.

Cooking procedures for rice

A. Range top method

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy pot. Bring to boil. Stir. Cover and cook over very low heat, observing
these cooking time:
Long- and medium grain rice – 15 to 20 minutes
Parboiled rice – 20 to 25 minutes
Brown rice – 40 to 45 minutes
2. Test the rice doneness. Cook 2 to 4 minutes more if necessary.
3. Turn the rice into a hot pan. Fluff it with fork or slotted spoon to let the steam escape.

B. Oven method
1. Bring salted water to boil. Combine all ingredients in a shallow steamer pan. Cover with foil. Place 375 F
oven. Use this cooking time
Long- and medium grain rice – 25 minutes
Parboiled rice – 30 to 40 minutes
Brown rice – 1 hour
2. Test the rice doneness. Bake 2 to 4 minutes more if necessary.
3. Fluff the rice with fork or slotted spoon to let the steam escape.

C. Steamer method
1. Bring salted water to boil. Combine all ingredients in a shallow pan. Place uncovered pan in steamer for
cooking time recommended by equipment manufacturer. Cooking time depend on type of steamer.
2. Test the rice doneness. Steam 2 to 4 minutes more if necessary.
Fluff the rice with fork or slotted spoon to let the steam escape

Macaroni products or pastas are popular alternatives to other starch foods. The name “pasta” is the Italian word
for “paste”, so called because pasta is made from a mixture of semolina flour and water and sometimes eggs and
other pureed vegetables.
Western pasta is made with water and hard durum winter wheat flour, which is rich in gluten and
stronger than ordinary flour. Semolina is fine pasta flour milled from durum wheat.

Kinds, Characteristics and quality Factors

1. Commercial pasta is made from dough that has been shaped and dried.
 Macaroni refers to pastas made from flour and water. These include spaghetti, lasagna, elbow macaroni,
and many other shapes.
Egg pastas contain at least 5.5% egg solids in addition to the flour and water. They are usually sold as flat
noodles of various width.
2. Fresh egg pasta is made from flour and eggs and sometimes a small quantity of water and or oil.
Name Description Suggested uses
Spaghetti Long, round With variety of sauces especially
tomato
Spaghettini Thin, long round Especially with olive oil and
seafood sauces.
Linguine Looks like flattened spaghetti Popular with clam sauces
Macaroni Long, hallow narrow tubes Good for hearty meat sauces
Elbow macaroni Short, bent macaroni Cold, salads, baked
Penne Hallow tubes cut diagonally Baked with meat sauce or
tomato sauce with cheese
Lasagna Broad, flat noodles often with Baked with meat, cheese or
rippled edges vegetable filling

Cooking Pasta
Pasta should be cooked al dente or to the tooth. This means that cooking should be stopped when the
pasta is still firm to the bite. Much of the pleasure of eating pasta is its texture, and this is lost if overcooked.
Testing Doneness
Many suggestions have been made for testing doneness of pasta, but none is reliable than breaking off a
small piece and tasting it and if there is no more white dot at the center of the pasta. As soon as the pasta is al
dente, the cooking must be stopped at once. Half a minute extra is enough to overcook it. Cooking time differs for
every shape and size of pasta. Timing also depends on the kind of flour used and its moisture content. Time
indicated in the package is nearly always too long.

Fresh egg pasta, if it is not been allowed to dry, takes only a minute and a half to cook after the water has
returned to a boil. Pasta is best if cooked and served immediately. Fresh pasta cooks quickly.

Local noodles
Home made pasta is made with all-purpose flour and eggs and oil.

1. Miki – flat yellow noodles is made from a dough mixture of wheat flour, lye, salt, water and fat.
2. Sotanghon – cellophane noodles. These are long, thin, wiry translucent noodles made from mung bean
starch.
3. White bihon – these are thin noodles made from rice and corn or rice only.
4. Pancit Canton – these are egg noodles made from duck’s eggs, salt and soda and is pre-cooked..
5. Miswa – it is called hairy noodles made from cassava and wheat flour.
6. Instant noodles – pre- cooked noodles similar to pancit canton.

Proper Cooking of noodles

1. Dried bihon and sotanghon – may be quickly washed with water to remove dust, just before cooking. The
noodle may be cut into shorter strands. Cook the noodle in boiling broth until tender. It should not be
soaked in water prior to cooking.
2. Miswa – do not wash. With its fine, fragile strands is best cooked by dropping into boiling broth or stock.
Remove pot immediately from heat; stir gently to distribute miswa and keep covered for about 5 minutes.
 This noodle should be served immediately otherwise it will get mushy and the mixture becomes thick and
sticky.
3. Canton – which is precooked by frying in deep fat needs less liquid and shorter time for cooking compared
to bihon and sotanghon?

Functions of Starch and Application in Foods

Functions of Starch Types of Food Preparation Examples of recipe
Thickening Sauces, gravies, pie fillings, soups Sweet sour sauce, dessert fruit
sauces, etc
Gelling Gum drops, puddings and other Candies, Bread Pudding, Maja
starchy gelled desserts. Blanca, Cassava Bibingka, Sapin-
Sapin, Kutsinta, Bibingkang
Galapong
Structural Framework for baked goods using Breads, cakes, pastries, etc.
flour mixtures
Binding and Filling Processed meats and as meat Meat loaf, sausages, croquettes,
extenders ukoy, meat balls, fish or shrimp
tempura
Stabilizing Beverages, syrups, salad dressings Chocolate drinks, cooked dressings
Moisture-retaining Cake fillings, candies Various types of cakes and candies
Coating or dusting Breads and candies Yeast breads, biscuits, candies
Diluents Baking powder formulations Baking powders
Coloring As dextrin, for its characteristic color Polvoron, lechon sauce, kare-kare
and flavor sauce
Starches as thickening Agents
Thickening Uses and Precautions Effect of Other Characteristi
Agent In Mixing Temperature Factors Of the Gel cs
Quality Required** Affecting
Thickening
Flour Thin soup or Disperse in Heat to 90oC or Heating with acid Opaque
Sauce: 2T cold liquid or in above to obtain causes thinning. paste
(16 g) per fat or mix with maximum High sugar
Pt of liquid; sugar before thickening. concentrations
Medium adding hot Viscosity retard thickening
Sauces: 4 to liquid. Stir increases on power
5 T per pt liquid while cooking cooling
Cassava or 1T arrow-root Same as flour Reaches for Same as flour; Pastes very
Arrow-root starch=2 T flour, maximum thinning also transparent
starch suitable for starch- thickening at 70o brought about by
egg mixture or fruit to 80o C; higher excessive stirring.
sauces where higher temperatures or
temperature are not further heating
desired. causes very
marked thinning.
Cornstarch 1 T cornstarch or rice Same as flour Same as flour Same as flour Pastes more
and rice starch = 2 T flour translucent
starch than flour
paste.
Waxy rice Frozen sauces and Same as flour, Maximum Heating with acid Opaque
flour (sweet gravies; to prevent but less likely thickening at 70o and homogenization paste
 rice flour) curdling and liquid to lump to 80o C; little cause thinning.
separation 4 to 5 T difference
per pt of liquid. Also between hot and
prevents gelation of cold viscocity.
thickened canned
products

Waxy cereal Prevent gelation and Same as flour Similar to waxy Thinned by heating Waxy
starches syneresis of canned rice flour with acid. starches give
products during somewhat
storage – may be ropy
used in combination translucent
with flour pastes
Potato starch 1 T potato to starch 2 Same as flour Reaches Same as flour; Pastes are
T flour, suitable for maximum thinning also very
starch egg mixture of thickening at 70o brought about by transparent
fruit sauces to 80o C; higher excessive stirring
temperatures are not temperatures or
desired. further heating
causes very
marked thinning
Tapioca Puddings: 3 T per pt Mix in cold or Bring only to boil. Stir while cooking. Pastes
quick-cooking of liquid hot liquid; no Mixture thickens Over stirring while transparent,
Fruit pie fillings: 1-1/2 soaking as tapioca cooling tends to non-
to 3 T for 8- or 9-inch necessary particles swell disrupt tapioca homogeneou
pie. and become particles, resulting s (particles
Soup: 1-1/2 to 3 T per transparent. It in a sticky remain
qt of liquid. continues to gelatinous mixture. distinct).
thicken while Mixture
cooling. thickens as it
cools.
Especially
satisfactory
for fruit pie
fillings.
Tapioca, About twice as much Soak several Cook until tapioca Same as quick- Same as
pearl as quick-cooking hours before is transparent cooking tapioca quick-
tapioca cooking cooking
tapioca.

STRUCTURE and COMPOSITION OF POULTRY

Learning Objective: After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:

1. Value the nutritional importance of poultry to the meal.

2. Comprehend the structure and composition of poultry meats.
Nutritional Importance Poultry
 Poultry like fish and red meat contains an abundance of high quality of proteins. Proximate composition
of chicken, turkey, duck and pigeon do not vary significantly except for the fat content. The mineral and vitamin
content of poultry is similar to that of fish and red meats.

Young poultry contains less fat and therefore has fewer calories than most meat especially if the skin is
removed. Fat resides mainly under the skin and may be stripped to make it less fatty. Poultry is a good source of
protein for people on a diet.

The popularity of poultry over the years has increased because of its reputation as being healthier than
red meats.

STRUCTURE and COMPOSITION OF POULTRY MEATS

Poultry meat has distinct dark and white muscles. The dark muscles are those which are more active.
Wild birds which are very mobile consist only of dark meat. Dark chicken meats are richer in riboflavin, poorer in
niacin and have fatter and connective tissues than white meat does. Chicken fat is yellow mainly because of the
presence of caratenoids, xanthophylls and carotene. This is directly related to chicken feed used. The higher the
carotene in the feed, the more yellow the chicken fat.
PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF THE DARK MEAT OF CHICKEN

Per 100g edible portion (table recommended for use in the Philippines)
COMPONENT CHICKEN TURKEY DUCK PIGEON
Moisture (g) 45.3 76.6 68.6 64.6
Protein(g) 22.6 20.3 20.5 14.6
Fat(g) 0.1 2.1 9.9 22.1
Ash(g) 1.0 1.0 1.0 .07
Calcium (mg) 4 8 65 10
Phosphorus (mg) 86 141 156 218
Iron(mg) 1.0 1.0 2.1 0.6
Retinol (mcg) 5 - 40 -
B-Carotene(mcg) Trace - 35 -
Thiamine(mg) .11 .09 .14 .15
Riboflavin(mg) .07 .28 .32 .41
Niacin(mg) - 5.2 4.7 4.4

CLASSIFICATION OF POULTRY

Learning Objective: After reading this information sheet, you must be able to
Classify poultry, game and game items in accordance with enterprise standards.

Poultry refers to several kinds of fowl that are used as food and it includes chicken,
turkey, duck, goose, pigeon, squab and quails. These are usually domesticated birds raised mainly for
meat and eggs. Chicken is the largest poultry group. Poultry is inexpensive compared to most meat
because it is now mass produced and available all year round.

Birds such as snipes that are hunted for food as delicacy are called games.

Classification of poultry

Chicken and other poultry may be divided into classes which are essentially of the same
physical characteristics associated with age, sex, live weight and/or breed. The following classes of
chickens are arranged in their increasing order of age and live weight but decreasing order of
tenderness.

A. Chicken

1. Rock Cornish Game Hen or Cornish Game Hen – is a young immature (usually 5 – 7 weeks old)
chicken weighing not more than 0.9 kilos ready to cook weight, which was prepared from a
Cornish chicken or the progeny of a Cornish Chicken cross with another breed of chicken. This
is available here in the Philippines as an imported item from the U.S.A.
 2. Broiler or Fryer – is a young chicken, usually 9 to 12 weeks of age, of either sex, is tender-
meated with soft, pliable, smooth textured skin and flexible breastbone cartilage.

3. Roaster – is a young chicken, usually 3 to 5 months old, of either sex, is tender-meated with
soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin and breastbone cartilage that may be somewhat less
flexible than that of a broiler or fryer.

4. Capon – is a surgically desexed male chicken usually 8 months of age, is tender-meated with
soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin. It is much larger than the average chicken, so it is usually
processed as chicken ham.
5. Stag – is a male chicken under 10 months old, with coarse skin, somewhat toughened and
darkened flesh, and considerable hardening of the breastbone cartilage
6. Hen or Stewing chicken or fowl – is a mature female chicken, usually more than 10 months old,
with meat less tender than that of a rooster, and non-flexible breastbone tip. It can also be a
culled layer.
7. Cock or rooster – is a mature male chicken with coarse skin, toughened and darkened meat,
and hardened breastbone tips.
8. Jumbo Broiler – is a large chicken weighing about 4 kilos dressed weight. The size is equivalent
to a small turkey.

B. Turkey

1. Fryer – Roaster – 16 week old weighing about 4 pounds

2. Young Toms – 12 – 16 pounds in weight, male
3. Young Hens - 12 – 16 pounds in weight, female
4. Yearling – turkey marketed less than 15 months of age.
5. Old toms/Hens – used for casserole dishes. They are usually breeding stock….

C. Duck

1. Broiler or Frying Duck – young tender duck with bill and windpipe, less than 8 weeks old.
2. Roaster duckling – young and tender duck with bill and windpipe just starting to harden.
3. Mature duck – old duck with tough flesh

Peking duck – is a breed of duck originated from China and is noted for its tender and
flavorful meat.

Itik – local duck popular in the country.

 D. Goose

1. Young goose – young bird with tender flesh under 6 months old.
2. Mature goose – old bird over 6 months.

E. Pigeons

1. Squab – immature pigeon that have never flown,

F. Guinea Fowl

1. Young guinea – related to pheasant family and has a gummy flavor… Young birds are tender
which weigh 1 – 1 ½ pounds

2. Mature guinea – up to 12 months old and have tough flesh.

MARKET FORMS OF POULTRY

Learning Objective: After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:
1. Identify the different market forms of poultry.

Market Forms of Poultry

1. Live poultry – all types of poultry and games are generally in this form when marketed. When selecting
live poultry, choose those birds that are alert, healthy, well feathered and well formed. They should have
a good fat covering, free of tears, broken bones, bruises and blisters.
2. Whole poultry– these are slaughtered bird that have been bled and defeathered. The head, feet and
viscera are still intact. When buying whole poultry it should be clean, well fleshed, have a moderate fat
covering, free from pin feathers and show no cuts, bears or missing skin. There should be no off odors and
discoloration
3. Dressed poultry – these are slaughtered birds that have been bled, defeathered, and the visceral organs
removed. This is the most common market form of poultry.
4. Ready to cook – the dressed birds may be cut up and marinated or seasoned ready for cooking. These are
chilled or frozen and available in supermarkets.
5. Poultry parts – in this form, several pieces of a single poultry part are usually packed in one carton,
wrapped and are chilled or frozen. The various poultry parts are divided into any of the following:
Dark meat – drumsticks, thighs, wings, neck, back and ribcage
White meat – breast
Variety meats – gizzards, heart, and liver,
6. By-products of poultry – chicken feet are good source of collagen and chicken flavor and are used in soups
and stocks. Head, neck and the small intestines are sold as street foods fried or grilled. Braised chicken
feet are a Chinese delicacy which is very popular.
Quality Criteria of Poultry
Normal poultry carcasses vary as a result of age.
1. Carcasses and parts of poultry used for human consumption should be inspected by authorities assigned.
This is to protect the public health by ensuring that the carcasses and poultry parts are wholesome, not
adulterated and properly marked, labeled and packed.
2. Poultry must be slaughtered in accordance with standard commercial practices.
3. Dressed poultry should be free from pin feathers.
4. Poultry feet are cut from the hock joints.
5. Viscera must be completely withdrawn.
6. Firmness of the flesh, its color and sheen depend on the age of the bird. The flesh and organ color tones
are generally brighter in younger birds.
7. Select poultry that has healthy appearance, color, plump bodies, perfect skin and free from imperfections
such as cuts, bruises and broken bones.
8. Buy your poultry only at reliable source.
9. Frozen poultry should be extremely hard to touch and show no signs of freezer damage.
FREEZING AND THAWING POULTRY

Learning Objective: After reading this information sheet, you must be able to:
1. Prepare poultry and game for freezing
2. Thaw poultry and game

Freezing of Poultry

Meat, poultry, and wild game provide a healthy and nourishing food source, but in order to preserve
quality, it is important that it be handled and preserved carefully, especially wild game and poultry. The flavor and
texture of the final product depends upon the manner in which the meat is handled during slaughter. The purpose
of this fact sheet is to provide suggestions for safely preserving wild game, meat, and poultry.

Freezing meat and fish is the most acceptable way to maintain quality. The meat should be chilled without
delay to 40 degrees F or lower to prevent spoilage. Then, freeze meat using proper freezer wrapping materials (be
sure freezer wrap is designed for freezing). Wrap meat tightly, pushing out as much air as possible. Freeze and
store at 0 degrees F or lower. Most frozen wild game will keep up to one year without loss of quality.

Large Game
Deer, antelope, moose, and other large game can be handled for freezing like any other meats. Trim and discard
bloodshot meat before freezing. Package meat, seal, and freeze.

Small Game
Rabbit, squirrel, and other game should be skinned, dressed, and then chilled. Refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours
until meat is no longer rigid. Cut meat into serving size pieces or leave whole. Package, seal, and freeze.

Game Birds
 Dove, duck, pheasant, quail, and other game birds should be dressed and gutted immediately after shooting.
Cool and clean bird properly. Remove any excess fat on wild ducks and geese because it becomes rancid very
quickly. Freeze the same as directed for poultry. Do not stuff game birds before freezing them. Bacteria grow
quickly when game birds are thawing or freezing. Commercially stuffed frozen birds have special procedures to
insure safety.

Poultry
High-quality fresh poultry is best for freezing. Poultry should be eviscerated, cleaned, and cooled before
packaging. Remove organs and membranes, and clean inside of the cavity. Make certain to wash all the pieces and
pat dry. Freshly killed and dressed poultry should be cooled to 40 0 F or lower for 24 hours before freezing.

Whole Birds
Fryers or broilers are the best whole birds to freeze. For storage of a month or less, whole birds can be
packaged in a plastic freezer bag and sealed tightly. For longer storage, wrap the bird in a freezer plastic film,
pressing out all the air, and over wrap with freezer paper or foil for an airtight seal. Make the body as compacted
as possible, lock wings against the body or tie together. Ends or protruding bones may puncture package so
consider padding them with freezer paper or foil.
After packaging, seal, label, and freeze immediately.

Halves, Quarters, and Pieces

Split or cut up birds into desired pieces. Place a double layer of freezer wrap or waxed paper between
each piece. Package the same as whole birds. After packaging, seal, label, and freeze poultry. Arrange pieces into
as compact and square a shape as possible so they will stack better in the freezer. Pack as for whole birds in
freezer packaging. Seal, label, and freeze immediately.

Cooked Poultry
After cooking poultry, remove as much of the fat as possible. Place in plastic freezer safe containers or on
aluminum foil trays covered tightly with foil and then packed in plastic freezer bags. Seal air tight. Label and
freeze immediately. Vacuum packaging can also be used for freezing poultry.

Store-Bought Poultry
Store-bought packaging for poultry is not sufficient for moisture-vapor proof freezing. Poultry may suffer
from reduced texture, color, and increased potential for freezer burn and change of flavor over time. All store-
bought poultry should be repackaged.

Storage
Maintain freezer at 0 degrees F or less. Frozen ground poultry should be used within 3 months. Meat
such as beef, lamb, veal, and venison can last 6 to 9 months. Poultry, game birds, and rarities can last up to 12
months
To Defrost Poultry
To defrost in the fridge

This is by far, the most advisable way to defrost. However, it does take time, so plan ahead. Never thaw
poultry at room temperature.

To help the juices drain, take a fork and prick the underside of the whole chicken while still wrapped. This
is important as the juice from the chicken must never come into contact with the body of the chicken. Put a plate
upside down into the roasting pan and place the chicken onto the plate. Finally, transfer the chicken to the fridge
to defrost: and leave it overnight or longer.

To defrost in water

To safely defrost your chicken or chicken pieces is to place the unwrapped chicken into a airtight bag;
carefully pressing as much air out of the bag as you can to avoid the bag floating. Submerge it into cold water,
preferably the sink, and turn the chicken around a few times during its thawing time. This will ensure that the
whole chicken thaws completely. This will take 2-3 hours. Also, the water should be changed every 30 minutes, to
help along the process. You must cook the chicken immediately after defrosting when thawing this way!

Hygiene

Whenever dealing with chicken, make sure that after working with it, you wash your hands and utensils
thoroughly in hot, soapy water. Never put cooked foods onto a dish that has held raw poultry, unless the dish has
been well washed in hot water. Always keep hot foods above 140ºF or 60ºC, and cold foods below 40ºF or 4ºC.

The correct temperature

One of the major factors in controlling bacteria is by heat. Therefore, using a thermometer is the only
reliable way to ensure safety. The thermometer should always be inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, to
ensure that all the bacteria have been killed. To be safe the chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature
of 85ºC to 90ºC, for thigh meat, the thickest part of the chicken.

HANDLING CHICKEN SAFELY

Learning Objective: After reading this information sheet, you must be able to handle and keep poultry and game
efficiently and hygienically to minimize food spoilage and contamination.
Fresh Chicken
Chicken is kept cold during distribution in retail stores to prevent the growth of bacteria and to increase
the shelf life. Chicken should feel cold to touch when purchased. Select fresh just before checking out at the
register. Put packages of chicken in disposable plastic bags to contain any leakage which could cross contaminate
other foods.
Place chicken immediately in the fridge that maintain 400F and use within 1-2 days.
Chicken may be frozen in its original package. If freezing longer than two months, cover wrap with porous
store plastic package with airtight heavy duty foil, plastic wrap or freezer paper or place them in a freezer bag.
Proper wrapping prevents “freezer burns” which appears as grayish-brown leathery spots and is caused
by air reaching the surface of the food. Cut freezer burned portions away either before or after cooking the
chicken. Heavy freezer burned products should be discarded for they might be too dry or tasteless.
Ready-Prepared chicken
 When purchasing fully cooked rotisserie or fast food chicken, be sure that it is hot at time of purchase.
Use it within two hours or cut it into several serving pieces and refrigerate in shallow, covered container. Consume
within 3-4 days, either cold or reheated to 165-0F (hot and steaming). It is safe to freeze ready-prepared chicken.
For best quality, flavor and texture, use within 4 moths.
METHODS OF POULTRY COOKERY

Learning Objective: After reading this information sheet, you must be able to identify the different methods of
cooking poultry and games

Poultry is cooked to improve its palatability and tenderness and to destroy harmful bacteria and
parasites present. Poultry should always be cooked thoroughly. It may be cooked by dry heat or moist heat
methods. Most poultry is cooked well done, except for few varieties such as duck. Small birds, including squab are
best cooked at high temperature to speed cooking and reduce drying out.
Dry heat methods
1. Barbecuing – poultry can be barbecued on a grill, over hot coals or in an oven. Chicken is popular
barbecue item. Poultry should be cooked at least 6 inches from the heat. Thick parts or those basted with
a sauce high in sugar should be placed 10 inches higher or more from the heat.
2. Broiling – chicken commonly broiled are made flat as possible for an even cooking. Before broiling,
chicken can be dipped in oil, paprika, salt and pepper or any other spices as desired.
3. Frying – Poultry can be fried in shallow or deep fat. Pan-frying or sautéing is done in about ¼ cup of fat. It
can be dipped in batter, roiled in flour or bread crumbs.
4. Roasting – smaller birds may have to be trussed before roasting. Brush fat on the inside and out, add
seasonings. Pans should be full but birds should not touch one another. Large poultry may be cooked at
reduced temperature for extended periods of time.
Moist heat methods
For poultry cuts of lower grade or tend to be tougher due to the cut, moist heat is the preferred method
of cooking used. Cooking by this method requires lower temperatures (just above 200 0F) and much longer coking
time. Braising and pot roasting are both moist heat cooking methods where meat is cooked in close container with
added water. Seasonings, sauces and others may be added during cooking to enhance the flavor and texture of the
final product. Moist heat cooking is best recommended for stewing purposes.
Microwaving
Microwaving is an extremely rapid method of cooking. The use of lower power is recommended for more
uniform cooking especially for larger meat cuts. Less tender cuts of meat are not recommended for microwaving as
it does not tenderize the meat as slower cooking methods do. Meats which are suitable for microwave cooking
are:
Processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon and meat loaves
Pre-cooked items
Some boneless meat cuts