How to break down 🥺, by Jose.elcook on YouTube. 1 min 7 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 7 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Let the chicken sit out of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes before you cut it. This lets the juices settle so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board.
Set the bird breast side up on the board and pull the legs away from the body with your fingers. Cut through the skin between the leg and the breast.
Push the leg outwards until the hip joint pops, then cut straight through that joint. Repeat on the other side and separate each thigh from its drumstick.
Hold a wing away from the body and slice through the shoulder joint close to the carcass. Do the same on the other side.
Find the ridge of the breastbone running down the centre. Cut down one side of it, keeping the blade close to the bone.
Slice the breast meat at a slight angle into pieces about 1 cm thick, cutting across the grain rather than straight down.
Repeat on the second breast, then check the underside for the small oysters of dark meat and cut them free.
Lay the pieces on a warm platter, spoon a little of the pan juices over them and serve straight away.
Tips and common mistakes
Use a sharp knife and let it do the work; a blunt blade tears the meat and crushes the skin.
Always cut through the joints, never straight through a bone, or you will get splinters and ragged pieces.
Keep your fingers behind the blade and curl your guiding hand into a claw as you slice.
Save the picked carcass in the freezer to make stock later.
Questions
Can I carve a chicken with kitchen scissors?
Yes, sharp poultry shears work well for the legs and wings. Use a knife for the breast so you get clean, even slices.
How do I find the hip joint?
Wiggle the leg and watch where it pivots against the body. That soft spot is the joint, and the knife should slide through it with little pressure.
What should I do with the carcass?
Cover it with cold water, add an onion and a carrot, and simmer for an hour or two to make stock. Freeze it if you are not using it that day.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
