How to Pluck a Bird

Carefully pluck feathers from game birds to avoid tearing the skin.

It doesn't matter if you've got a pheasant, duck, grouse, chicken or wild turkey -- plucking a bird's feathers is a time-consuming chore. It's quicker to skin it, but the end result of plucking is a well-cleaned bird ready to be roasted; a succulent proposition.

Things You'll Need

• Large pot
• Cooking thermometer
• Tongs
• Newspapers
• Tweezers

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot half full of water and heat it to 140 to 160 degrees Farenheit.

2. Grab the bird by its feet and submerge it head-first in the boiling water for 60 to 90 seconds. This loosens the feathers from the skin.

3. Remove the bird with a pair of tongs and lay it on newspapers.

4. Pull the feathers from the body with even pressure, starting with the wings and finishing with the breast. Jerking feathers out can tear the skin.

5. Check the bird for any remaining pinfeathers and pluck them with a tweezers.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a pot large enough to cover the bird in boiling water without overflowing.

• If skin comes off with the feathers, pluck fewer feathers at a time.

• If you're cleaning a duck or turkey, use a dull knife to scrape off the down feathers (after the bird has been plucked).

• Feathers from a freshly killed (still warm) bird come out easily without submerging it in hot water.

• Don't leave the bird in the boiling water longer than two minutes; the over-softened skin will rip when you pull the feathers out.

References

• Mother Earth News: Easy Game- and Tame-Bird Plucking