SELECTION OF YOUNG FOWL

The flesh of young fowl is smooth. The claws and feet are usually light yellow in color and are very supple. A breastbone which bends easily indicates young fowl. Fowl should be plump, but not over plump. If fowl is exceptionally fat at the crop, it indicates large inner organs. They weigh heavily, and therefore are poor purchases.

PREPARATION FOR COOKERY

Care should be taken that the fowl is drawn and thoroughly cleansed. This is often attended to by the local butcher, but special care and attention is also needed in the home.

The pin feathers must all be removed and the fowl singed. All blood clots, portions of lungs, etc., should be removed. Hold fowl under faucet, and let water from faucet rush through it to remove any clinging portions.

TERMS USED IN SELECTING FOWL

• Chicken—Term applied to fowls under ten months.
• Broilers—Young spring chickens about six months old.
• Fowl—Term including chicken, turkey, goose and duck.
• Pullet—Young hen. Term including fowl up to the age of one year.
• Capon—Specially fattened male chicken.

METHODS OF COOKING

Chicken and turkey being dry meat, require frequent bastings. The grease which accumulates in the roasting of geese must be poured off from time to time. This should be clarified and carefully saved for use in pastries and as spreads. Strips of salt pork or bacon if placed across turkey or chicken baste the fowl as well as flavor it.

Older fowl is best when stewed. The fowl should be put into boiling water, seasoning added, and gently cooked at the simmering point for several hours before the vegetables are added. Cook until the meat is very tender. Add dumplings the last twenty minutes.

Fowl that is to be broiled should be brushed well with oil and allowed to stand in cool place some time before broiling. Sprinkling with lemon juice also tends to make it tender as well as flavors the fowl. Strips of bacon laid across the top baste the fowl. Turn frequently to insure thorough cooking.

Select young fowl for frying. Long, slow cooking is needed to thoroughly cook the fowl. The portions are dipped in egg and crumbs to protect them from the high heat of the pan and so keep them tender. Use a shallow griddle and add bacon fat as necessary.

In order that the legs, wings, and neck of fowl will not dry out, it is well to truss the fowl for roasting.

Fold back the wings so that they form a “V” on the back. Fold the neck back so that it fits beneath the wings. Fasten with twine. Bend back legs and fasten them close to the rump. Also fasten joints close to the body. If dressing is to be used, stuff in body and then sew up the openings. A trussing or darning needle threaded with twine makes the matter of trussing quite simple.

If fowl is purchased frozen, thaw in pan of cold water or place in refrigerator for six hours and then dress in the usual manner. Frozen fowl handled by a nationally recognized food organization has been carefully selected and possesses a delicate flavor.

Fowl may be fried or stewed in the pressure cooker. The foods are made ready as in the ordinary method and are placed in the bottom of the cooker. Vegetables or cereals may be placed on the rack above and cooked at the same time. The lid is then adjusted and the pressure raised to about 18 pounds and then kept there for thirty minutes. Fowl that is old is quickly cooked tender in a pressure cooker.

WAYS OF SERVING LEFT-OVER FOWL

Fricassee, creamed chicken, chicken À la king, croquettes, soufflÉ of fowl, timbales, en casserole, salad, pilaff, patties, cold jellied loaf with vegetables, club sandwiches, hot chicken sandwiches, fritters, dumplings, pot pie, cottagers’ pie, pan roast, boned stuffed chicken, soup, country fried, pressed chicken, forcemeat, blanketed, curry, cutlets, gumbo, scalloped, stew.