To cut a whole chicken apart, you can locate a cartilaginous joint and make a precise cut through it, separating major sections like the breast and back portions.
Making the Strategic Cut
When breaking down a whole chicken, a key step involves cutting through the joints that connect different parts. According to the provided reference, a specific cut can be made by finding a cartilaginous joint.
The process described involves:
- Moving down the chicken to locate the joint.
- Finding the cartilaginous joint – a point you can often feel or even hear when manipulated slightly.
- Cutting right through that joint.
Making this cut effectively separates the chicken into different sections. The reference notes that after making this cut, "there is the whole bone-in breast portion. And the back that remains." This indicates this cut is typically made to separate the breast and back section from other parts, or potentially to separate the breast from the back itself, depending on the specific joint targeted.
Why Cut Through Joints?
Cutting through the soft, cartilaginous joints is generally easier than cutting through bone. This technique is fundamental to breaking down a whole chicken into pieces for various cooking methods, whether you are separating leg quarters, wings, or working on the breast and back sections. Focusing on the joints ensures cleaner cuts and makes the process more efficient, requiring less force than sawing through hard bone.
