Geese. — The legs should be yellow and pliable,
and the webbing of the feet easily torn. The bill
should also be yellow and pliable and with few
bristles, and the under bill easily broken when
bent. The breast should be plump, but without
too much fat, and the skin smooth. A goose should
always be eaten young. When over a year old,
it is not good for table use.
Turkeys. — A good turkey will be recognised by
the whiteness of its skin and flesh and its smooth
black legs. The wattles should be a bright red,
the breast broad and plump, with the end of the
bone tender. Beware of those with long hairs and
flesh of a violet hue. A moderate-sized bird should
be chosen. A hen is preferable for boiling on
account of the whiteness of the flesh, but the cock
is usually chosen for roasting.
If freshly killed, a turkey should be kept for
at least three or four days before cooking, or it will
neither be white nor tender. It should be hung-
up to bleed.
Norfolk turkeys are considered particularly fine.
Pigeons. — A dark-coloured one is thought to
have the highest flavour, and a light-coloured one
the most delicate. The legs should be of a pinkish
colour ; when they are large and deeply coloured
the bird is old. The breast should be fat and
plump. The tame pigeon is smaller than the wild
species and is better for cooking. Tame pigeons
should be cooked at once, as they soon lose their
flavour, but wood pigeons may be hung for a few
days.
A squab is a young pigeon.
TO KILL A FOWL
Dislocation of the neck, if properly done, is un-
doubtedly the most humane method of killing a
275
POULTRY, RABBITS, AND GAME
fowl The system of “ wringing the neck ” is not
to be recommended, an easier and more certain
mode being to hold the bird by the legs and give
it a very sharp blow at the back of the neck with
a small but heavy stick. For the average poultry
hand, who does not understand correct dislocation,
perhaps the best way of all to bring about a merci-
ful and instantaneous death is to pierce the brain
with a knife. The bird must be hung up by the
legs, the mouth opened, and the blade of a pen-
knife thrust firmly through the back part of the
roof of the mouth. An incision should be made
in the neck, and the bird left hanging for a
short time until the blood has drained out, if
great whiteness of flesh is desired ; but bleeding
is not absolutely necessary.
The best time to kill is the first thing in the
morning before the early meal, as the intestines
will then be free of food. A fast of not less than
three hours is* absolutely necessary, or the birds
will not keep well, and the flesh wifi lack firmness.
PREPARATION OF POULTRY FOR TABLE
Page 438
Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Geese. — The legs should be yellow and pliable, and the webbing of the feet easily torn. The bill should also be yellow and pliable and with few bristles, and the under bill easily broken when bent. The breast should be plump, but without too much fat, and the skin smooth. A goose should always be eaten young. When over a year old, it is not good for table use.
Turkeys. — A good turkey will be recognised by the whiteness of its skin and flesh and its smooth black legs. The wattles should be a bright red, the breast broad and plump, with the end of the bone tender. Beware of those with long hairs and flesh of a violet hue. A moderate-sized bird should be chosen. A hen is preferable for boiling on account of the whiteness of the flesh, but the cock is usually chosen for roasting.
If freshly killed, a turkey should be kept for at least three or four days before cooking, or it will neither be white nor tender. It should be hungup to bleed.
Norfolk turkeys are considered particularly fine.
Pigeons. — A dark-coloured one is thought to have the highest flavour, and a light-coloured one the most delicate. The legs should be of a pinkish colour ; when they are large and deeply coloured the bird is old. The breast should be fat and plump. The tame pigeon is smaller than the wild species and is better for cooking. Tame pigeons should be cooked at once, as they soon lose their flavour, but wood pigeons may be hung for a few days.
A squab is a young pigeon.
TO KILL A FOWL
Dislocation of the neck, if properly done, is undoubtedly the most humane method of killing a
fowl The system of “ wringing the neck ” is not to be recommended, an easier and more certain mode being to hold the bird by the legs and give it a very sharp blow at the back of the neck with a small but heavy stick. For the average poultry hand, who does not understand correct dislocation, perhaps the best way of all to bring about a merciful and instantaneous death is to pierce the brain with a knife. The bird must be hung up by the legs, the mouth opened, and the blade of a penknife thrust firmly through the back part of the roof of the mouth. An incision should be made in the neck, and the bird left hanging for a short time until the blood has drained out, if great whiteness of flesh is desired ; but bleeding is not absolutely necessary.
The best time to kill is the first thing in the morning before the early meal, as the intestines will then be free of food. A fast of not less than three hours is absolutely necessary, or the birds will not keep well, and the flesh will lack firmness.
PREPARATION OF POULTRY FOR TABLE