Foods, their selection and preparation

In making stuffings, there are no hard and fast rules about proportions; amounts of in¬ gredients are much a matter of taste. Basic proportions, however, are these: to 1 quart crumbs or boiled rice, J to J cup fat, depend¬ ing upon the fatness of the bird, about 1 cup chopped celery, J cup each finely chopped onion and parsley, and salt, pepper, and seasoning herbs to taste. Remember that too little seasoning is always better than too much. For the amount of stuffing needed, figure on about 1 cup of crumbs for every pound of bird. For a five-pound chicken, usually a quart of crumbs, or for a 14-pound turkey, about three quarts of crumbs are sufficient unless more stuffing is desired than will go inside the bird. Boiled rice usually swells more than crumbs. When oysters, chestnuts, or mushrooms are added, decrease the amount of basic material ac¬ cordingly. The seasonings may be heated, not browned, in the fat in a large frying pan, and the basic material added and mixed well. [233] Poultry and Egg National Board Trussing a Roasting Chicken • ( Upper left) After stuffing as directed, bring neck skin to the back and fasten securely. Wings are brought to the back, with tips across the neck skin. This helps to hold it in place. ( Upper right ) Tie skin over leg joints; then bring drumstick ends to¬ gether and tie securely to the tailpiece. {Lower left) Brush with fat. Start breast down Before stuffing the bird, sprinkle the in¬ side with salt and pepper. Then fill the body cavity with the stuffing. Do not pack it in but allow room for it to expand during cook¬ ing, as it absorbs juices from the bird. It is best to put the stuffing in hot if the bird is to be cooked at once, since this will hasten the cooking. When more convenient to stuff the bird the day before it is cooked, the stuffing should be put in cold, the bird being kept well chilled to prevent any dan¬ ger of spoiling. If held overnight, the bird absorbs some of the flavor of the stuffing, which may be desirable. After stuffing turkeys, chickens, or guineas, tuck the legs under the band of skin. A cord may be wrapped around the legs and under the tail to hold the legs close to the body. After stuffing ducks or geese, or any bird with the cut made lengthwise rather than crosswise of the body, sew the edges of the skin together or lace them with twine and poultry pins; then tie the legs close to the body. Stuff the loose skin at the neck, again without packing, and fold the neck skin to the back and fasten with a skewer or poultry pin. Fold the wing tips back on the wings to hold them close to the body. Holding the wings and legs close against the body, so that the bird is compact, is called trussing. This is necessary because it keeps the bird in shape during cooking and prevents the wings or legs from overcooking. To complete a stuffed and trussed chicken, turkey, or guinea and make it ready for the roasting pan, rub the bird with fat. Another method to keep the skin soft is to cover the bird with a cloth dipped in melted fat. Ducks and geese need no added fat; in fact, they are sometimes pricked before and during roasting to let some of the excess fat drain out. The best place for pricking is in the deep fat layers around wings, legs, and thighs. f a