In selecting poultry see that the flesh is firm, that there is a fair amount of fat underneath the skin, that the latter is whole and of a clear yellow color, and that the odor is good. Chickens and fowls have certain characteristics which make them readily distinguishable. Chickens have soft feet, a flexible breast bone, many pin feathers, and little fat, while fowls have hard and scaly feet, a rigid breast bone, long hairs, and a large amount of fat around the intestines.

Poultry is not classed as belonging to the slaughterhouse industry and does not come under the provisions of the meat inspection law.

The composition of poultry is essentially the same as that of meat. The light meat is composed of more tender fibers less firmly held together by connective tissue than the dark meat. Light meat also contains less fat. For these reasons, it is apt to be more rapidly digested, at least in the stomach, and is therefore preferable for persons having weak digestion.

Dressing and cleaning poultry. The "dressing" of chicken is often done now at the market. If it is necessary to do it, make an incision with a sharp knife just inside one of the legs, in the groin. Remove all entrails. Loosen skin at neck and remove crop. Wash thoroughly inside and out, holding the cavity under running water. Singe hairs by holding over burning paper or gas flame. Remove pin feathers with the point of a knife and cut the oil bag from the tail. If it is a fowl, take out the tendons separately, using a skewer. Cut the gall bladder away from the liver and cut off the outer coat of the gizzard. Place gizzard and heart in cold water; heat quickly to boiling and then simmer until tender. Add the liver a short time before removing the other giblets. The giblets may be chopped and added to the gravy.

Trussing poultry. Insert a skewer underneath the legs, then thrust another one through the wings and breast. With string, tie the ends of the legs together and fasten them to the tail. Wind the ends of the string fastened to the tail, around the ends of the skewer beneath the legs. Cross the strings over the back, and wind them around the ends of the skewer through the wings; tie the strings together at the back.

Boning poultry or birds. To bone birds, chickens, or turkeys, select undrawn birds with head and feet on. Remove pin feathers and singe. Draw tendons from the legs by making an incision just below the knee joint, and with a strong skewer draw the tendons out one at a time. Loosen the skin near the feet and cut off feet. Make an incision through the skin from the neck to the tail, the entire length of the backbone. Scrape the flesh from the bones until the shoulder blade is found, then continue scraping around the wing joint. Scrape down the backbone to the thigh, then around the second joint and leg, cutting tendinous portion when necessary. When one side of backbone is boned, bone the other, then remove flesh from breastbone, on either side of bird. When flesh is all separated from bone, discard carcass (i.e. the skeleton with entrails, etc.), wipe flesh and skin, and arrange in original shape. The birds may be seasoned and broiled, or stuffed, sewed into shape and steamed. Small birds are generally prepared the former way, and large birds the latter way.

Roast Chicken Time: 4 lbs. 1 1/2 hrs.

Fill cavity of a dressed chicken with stuffing (see below) and sew edges together. Truss and place on its back in a roasting pan. Dredge with flour, and salt, spread with butter, or lay strips of bacon across the chicken. Brown in a hot oven, then reduce temperature, cover and baste frequently until breast meat is tender.