How Do You Truss a Bird?
Trussing a bird is a must if you want juicy meat throughout the whole duck, or chicken, or turkey.The reason for this is that legs and wings have a tendency to dry out if they are spaced out away from the main body of the bird. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Take each wing and put it behind the neck of the bird. This is to tuck the wings in close to the body so they won't dry out.
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Take a length of butcher's twine and put the twine underneath the bird, at the end where the legs are.
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3
Cut the butcher's twine so both ends are even. Make sure you give yourself plenty of length, at least 12 to 15 inches on both sides, depending on the size of the bird.
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4
Take the butcher's twine on one side and wrap it around the bird's leg twice.
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Repeat Step 3 on the other leg.
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Stuff your bird. You will want to do it now, because once you pull the butcher's twine tight, there will just be enough of a hole to allow ventilation so that the stuffing will get cooked. You won't be able to fit the stuffing in.
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Take both ends of the butcher's twine and cross them under the keel bone, and then pull them tight. This is the tip of bone that is jutting out from the breast area between the bird's legs. It looks sort of like a V shape.
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Bring both ends of the butcher's twine along the top sides of the bird; then, while holding them tight, flip the bird over.
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Cross both ends of the butcher's twine on the bottom, and then take both ends over the tops of the wings before flipping the bird over again.
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10
Tie the ends of the butcher's twine in a knot on the top of the bird.
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Tips & Warnings
If you decide you want to add more basting or you want to put herbs under the skin on the top of your bird and don't want the butcher's twine tied on top to interfere with doing so, or you just don't want the line that will be there, then take the ends of the butcher's twine under the wings and then tie the knot on the bottom instead.
Always wash your hands, and any countertops, cutting boards, dishes or utensils that came into contact with your raw bird before using them again. You can get salmonella poisoning very easily from using the same things that have come into contact with the raw bird.
Resources
- Photo Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/603to212/3149550186/
