Mia Patel
When butchering a chicken, it is important to know how to cut out the tail. The tail is one of the least exercised parts of a chicken's body and is identified by the presence of connective tissues and fat. The tail meat is a darker shade of pink, indicating that it contains myoglobin. To cut out the tail, start by placing the chicken on its back and using a knife to slice above the cloaca at the tail end. Then, insert your fingers into the cavity and pull it open. Next, remove the internal organs by reaching into the cavity and pulling them out slowly and carefully. Finally, cut the triangular tail gland by curving your knife against the bone to retain as much meat as possible.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First Step | Cut off the feet and head and discard them |
| Second Step | Cut down the length of the neck, and pull out the esophagus and crop |
| Third Step | Cut off the neck, and then cut off the oil gland, which is a flap at the tail of the bird |
| Fourth Step | Make a slice above the cloaca at the tail end of the bird, and open the cavity with your hands |
| Fifth Step | Pull out the guts, heart, and lungs |
| Sixth Step | Grasp one leg in each hand, lift the chicken and bend back legs until bones break at the hip joints |
| Seventh Step | Remove the leg-thigh from the body by cutting (from tail toward the shoulder) between the joints, close to the bones in the back of the bird |
| Eighth Step | Repeat the previous step on the other side |
| Ninth Step | To separate thighs and drumsticks, locate the knee joint by bending the thigh and leg together |
| Tenth Step | With the skin side down, cut through the joints of each leg |
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What You'll Learn
How to cut the tail out of a chicken
To cut out the tail of a chicken, you must first butcher the chicken. Begin by cutting off the feet and head and discarding them. Then, cut down the length of the neck and pull out the esophagus and crop, a sac at the base of the neck. Next, cut off the neck and the oil gland, a flap at the tail of the bird.
Lay the chicken on its back and use a knife to make a slice above the cloaca at the tail end of the bird. Open the cavity with your hands, being careful not to slice into internal organs. With the cavity open, reach inside and pull out the guts, heart, and lungs. The heart is located at the center of the chicken's chest, and the lungs are attached to its backbone.
After removing the internal organs, locate the bones and joints before you start cutting. Dry the chicken off and lay it breast side down on your work surface. Starting at the wings, press down firmly to feel the bones beneath the flesh. Take note of how the backbone attaches to the wings, ribs, and thigh joints. These are the connections you will sever.
Now, grasp the triangular tail gland and carefully start to cut between the spine and the thigh, curving your knife to keep it against the bone and retain as much meat as possible. Continue to tug on the tail to maintain tension as you cut towards the bones. Separate the ribs from the spine and continue cutting around the wing and through the joint. Repeat this procedure on the other side.
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Locating the tail
The tail of a chicken is located at the rear end of the bird, opposite the neck and head. It is identified by the presence of connective tissues and fat, which give it a distinct appearance. The tail is one of the least exercised parts of a chicken's body, which contributes to the higher concentration of fat in this area.
When locating the tail, it is important to be mindful of the surrounding areas. Above the tail is the cloaca, which should be avoided when making any cuts. The cloaca is part of the digestive system, and cutting into it can result in leakage of feces. Therefore, precision is crucial when making any incisions near the tail region.
The tail is also in close proximity to the intestinal vent, which connects to the intestine. When handling the tail, ensure that the intestinal vent remains intact to prevent cutting into the intestine itself. This is crucial as it helps avoid contaminating the meat with intestinal contents.
In addition to the tail, another important landmark in the butchering process is the triangular tail gland. This gland is located near the base of the tail and is used as a reference point for making precise cuts. By grasping the tail gland with one hand, you can ensure a steady hold on the chicken while using your other hand to make cuts with a boning knife or kitchen shears.
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Removing the tail gland
To remove the tail gland of a chicken, you must first lay the chicken on its back on a large cutting board. Then, use a knife to make a slice right above the cloaca at the tail end of the bird. Be careful not to slice into any internal organs when making this cut.
Next, grasp the triangular tail gland with one hand and carefully start to cut between the spine and the thigh with the other hand. Curve your knife to keep it against the bone and retain as much meat as possible. You may need to switch to a heavier chef's knife or use kitchen shears for this step.
Continue to tug on the tail to maintain tension, which will help you cut towards the bones. Separate the ribs from the spine, and don't worry if you cut through some ribs in the process. Keep going up around the wing and through the joint to free one side of the chicken. Then, repeat this procedure on the other side.
Before proceeding, gently feel the rib ends for any sharp or ragged edges and trim them off with kitchen shears or a chef's knife.
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Cutting around the tail
To cut around the tail of a chicken, you must first cut off the feet and the head and discard them. Place the chicken on its back and use a knife to slice above the cloaca at the tail end of the bird. Make sure not to slice into the internal organs. Open the cavity with your hands and reach inside to pull out the guts, heart, and lungs.
Next, you will need to grasp one leg in each hand and bend the legs back until the bones break at the hip joints. Remove the leg-thigh from the body by cutting from the tail toward the shoulder between the joints, staying close to the bones at the back of the bird. Repeat this process on the other side.
Now, separate the thighs and drumsticks by locating the knee joint and bending the thigh and leg together. With the skin side down, cut through the joints of each leg.
Finally, remove the wings by cutting inside the wing just over the joint. Pull the wing away from the body and cut from the top down, through the joint.
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What to do with the rest of the chicken
After cutting the tail of a chicken, there are several steps to follow to prepare the rest of the chicken for cooking or storage. Firstly, it is important to rinse the chicken thoroughly, using an outdoor sink if possible to avoid mess. Place the chicken directly under a stream of cold water and pull out any remaining feathers. Shake off the excess water, then pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
Next, you can cut the chicken into parts. To do this, grasp one leg in each hand and bend the back legs until the bones break at the hip joints. Then, remove the leg-thigh from the body by cutting between the joints, close to the bones at the back of the bird. Repeat this process on the other side. To separate the thighs and drumsticks, locate the knee joint by bending the thigh and leg together, then cut through the joint with the skin side down.
With the chicken on its back, remove the wings by cutting inside the wing just over the joint. Pull the wing away from the body and cut from the top down through the joint. The wings are made up of three parts: the drumette, the wingette, and the wing tip. Cut through each joint and keep the drumette and wingette, discarding the wing tip or reserving it for stock.
To separate the breast and back, place the chicken on its neck end or back and cut through the joints along each side of the rib cage. The breast can be left whole, or cut into halves by placing it skin side down and cutting the wishbone in two at the V of the bone. Finally, place the chicken on its back and cut it in half along the breastbone. Pull the two sections apart, breaking the ribs away from the backbone, and finish cutting with a knife.
The chicken can now be cooked or stored in a refrigerator or cooler. If you plan to cook it later, make sure to use it within four months to avoid freezer burn.
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Frequently asked questions
Place the chicken on its back and use a knife to make a slice above the cloaca at the tail end.
Insert your fingers into the hole and pull to enlarge the cavity. Be careful not to slice into the internal organs.
Remove the guts, heart, and lungs. The guts can be removed by placing one hand on the chicken's breast area and reaching into the cavity with the other hand.
Grasp the triangular tail gland and use a knife to cut between the spine and the thigh, curving the knife to retain as much meat as possible.
You can continue to cut through the ribs and around the wing to separate one side of the chicken. Repeat this process on the other side.
