Anneka Manning - Mastering the Art of Poultry, Meat & Game

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anneka Manning has spent more than 22 years in the food print media as a food writer and editor. She has worked for a range of leading food publications in Australia such as Australian Gourmet Traveller, VOGUE Entertaining + Travel, australian good taste, (which she helped to launch and make one of Australias most successful food magazines), The Australian Womens Weekly and Good Living (Sydney Morning Herald). In addition, Anneka has also compiled and written a number of successful, award-winning books, including good food and more good food. Anneka believes that the best food is simple food done well, relying on sound basics, simple techniques and good ingredients. Her food reflects the way she cooks, eats and entertains in her busy life. It is good food realistic, yet inspiring.

Contents

Introduction

To many, meat and poultry cookery can seem dauntingly complex associated with tricky techniques and equipment that only specialty kitchens have in their cupboards. However, once armed with a little meaty information, as contained in this book, this concept will quickly be dispelled.

Mastering the Art of Poultry, Meat & Game contains over 165 approachable, yet inspirational, recipes for both everyday eating and entertaining all with clear step-by-step instructions. The comprehensive information such as how to identify different cuts of chicken and how to choose the best quality meat, along with techniques, such as Frenching a rack of lamb, trussing a bird for roasting, carving a leg of lamb and making stock, support the recipes and will help build your poultry, meat and game preparation and cooking skills.

From cooking the perfect steak, to creating a traditional osso bucco, slow-cooking lamb shoulder or whipping up an Asian-inspired chicken stir-fry, Mastering the Art of Poultry, Meat & Game will be a constantly reliable companion in the kitchen.

Buying, storing and preparing poultry

Buying poultry

Poultry can be purchased fresh or frozen from supermarkets, speciality poultry stores and butchers. The price and quality will vary depending on the method of production: commercial, corn-fed, free-range or organic.

Commercial poultry (also called barn and cage poultry) are reared in large sheds in an artificially controlled environment and are the most common variety found in supermarkets.

Corn-fed poultry are also raised by the commercial method, but they receive a high level of corn in their diet which produces creamy-yellow flesh.

Free-range poultry are free to roam outside in a more natural environment during daylight hours and are provided with access to shade, shelter and food, however they are housed in sheds at night.

Organic poultry are free-range, chemical-free poultry that spend approximately 85 per cent of their time outdoors foraging in the grass. Standards are stringent and any feed grown with the addition of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides or genetic modifications is banned.

When poultry is labelled chemical-free it means, strictly speaking, it is free from added hormones (banned in Australia in the 1960s), but may contain other chemicals.

Fresh poultry generally gives a tastier result than frozen poultry. When choosing fresh poultry, either a whole bird or smaller cuts, always buy meat that has a healthy appearance with no defects. Look for light pink, moist and plump flesh. Choose packaging that contains no tears or holes and make sure that all meat is cool to touch. Frozen poultry should be solid and tightly wrapped.

Correct handling and storage of poultry is very important. Make it the last purchase on your shopping trip and put it in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible. Its a good idea to keep a chiller bag in the car to transport poultry home, not only when the weather is warm but even on cooler days, as cars are often warm enough for bacteria to multiply, potentially leading to food poisoning.

Storing poultry

For raw poultry, discard the original wrapping and pour off any juices. Loosely wrap in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag on a large plate to catch any moisture. Refrigerate for up to two days. To avoid cross-contamination, do not allow raw poultry to come into contact with other foods.

Cooked poultry can be refrigerated for up to three days, loosely wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. To avoid risk of contamination by bacteria, dont leave cooked poultry at room temperature for longer than an hour.

Freezing poultry

For raw poultry, place in a plastic freezer bag. Expel all the air, seal the bag securely, then label and date. Freeze poultry in small portions, taking into account the number of people you usually cook for, to hasten thawing and reduce waste.

Thaw poultry on a tray in the refrigerator, allowing 3 hours for each 500 g (1 lb 2 oz). Small packages of frozen poultry can be thawed in the microwave on the defrost setting and should then be cooked immediately, but thawing in the microwave is not recommended for whole birds due to uneven results. Never thaw poultry at room temperature, because bacteria that can cause food poisoning thrives in warm temperatures. For the same reason you should never thaw poultry in water or under running water. Never re-freeze thawed poultry. Cook poultry within 12 hours of thawing.

Cooked poultry dishes, such as casseroles, may be frozen in airtight containers or plastic freezer bags for up to two months. Reduce the temperature of cooked dishes as quickly as possible and cool completely in the refrigerator before packaging to freeze.

Preparing poultry

To prepare poultry, trim any excess fat and sinew from the meat, then rinse very briefly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Skin may be removed from some cuts of poultry to reduce the fat content, as fat lies in a layer just beneath the skin. However, cooking with the skin left on contributes to the flavour and tenderness of the meat.

When preparing a whole bird for roasting, remove the neck and giblets from the cavity and trim any pockets of fat. Every part of the bird can be used, so keep the neck and giblets for making stock. Indeed, the whole carcass is suitable for making stock, so think twice before discarding any bones. If you are going to be stuffing a whole bird, do so just before cooking, then truss the bird using kitchen string (see ). This will help the bird keep a neat shape during cooking and will ensure it cooks evenly.