Sophie Bennett
Chicken feet are a great source of collagen, calcium, protein, and cartilage. They are often used in Chinese and Thai cuisines, with the former usually braising them with bones and the latter deboning them before cooking. While deboning chicken feet can be tedious, it is possible to do so by first boiling the feet, then shocking them in cold water, and finally, making a cut along each toe to separate the skin from the bones.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cleaning chicken feet | Wash the feet thoroughly and remove the joint at the tips of the toes containing the nails/claws. |
| Pre-boiling | Boiling the chicken feet removes impurities in the form of scum and expands the skin, making it easier to remove the bones later. |
| Shocking with cold water | Removes residual heat, stops the cooking process, and helps lock in the chicken flavour by reducing moisture from seeping out. |
| Soaking | Soaking the chicken overnight in baking soda water tenderizes the chicken feet, making them soft enough to separate from the bone. |
| Removing bones | Make a cut along each toe and gently push the skin off the toe bones. Break the toe bones and remove the main bone. |
| Post-processing | The deboned chicken feet can be used immediately or divided into portions and stored in ziplock bags or airtight containers in the fridge for a few days. |
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What You'll Learn
Clean the chicken feet thoroughly
Cleaning chicken feet is an important step in preparing them for cooking. Here is a detailed guide on how to thoroughly clean chicken feet:
If you have access to the chicken before it has been butchered, it is ideal to let it spend the past 24 hours in clean straw or on fresh grass. This will help reduce the amount of manure stuck to the chicken's feet. After butchering, cut off the feet and stack them in a small pail of cold water, ensuring the exposed joints are not submerged.
When you're ready to clean the feet, start by trimming the toenails. You can use pruning shears or scissors for this step. Some people also recommend blanching the feet, which involves submerging them in boiling water followed by an ice water bath. This can help loosen the skin and make it easier to peel.
The next step is to peel the skin off the chicken feet. Start at the top of the leg and work your way down. The skin should come off relatively easily, along with the top and bottom of the foot. Sometimes, the toenails will slip off during this process, leaving soft, light pink flesh. If the skin is particularly tough or difficult to remove, you may need to use a knife to help loosen it.
After peeling, give the chicken feet a thorough rinse under running water to remove any remaining dirt or debris. Ensure that you clean your own chicken feet before and after using them for cooking.
Once the chicken feet are clean, you have several options for preparing them. You can choose to bag and freeze the feet with or without the skin on. Alternatively, you can immediately proceed to making bone broth by placing the feet in a stockpot, covering them with water, and simmering for an extended period until the tendons disintegrate.
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Boil the chicken feet
To remove the bones from chicken feet, the chicken feet must first be boiled. This process removes any impurities and cooks the chicken feet, making it easier to remove the bones later.
To begin, you will need raw chicken feet that have been thoroughly cleaned and had all nails removed. If there are any calluses, corns, or black spots, carefully remove them with a sharp knife. You will also need salt to season the chicken feet and water to boil them in. Baking powder or bicarbonate of soda is also required, with 1 tablespoon needed for every litre of water used.
Once you have your ingredients and chicken feet prepared, add the chicken feet and water to a wok or large pot. You will need enough water to fully submerge the chicken feet. Add salt to the water and place the wok or pot on medium heat. Once the water reaches a boil, stir the chicken feet to rotate them evenly. Cover the wok with the lid slightly ajar and continue to boil for another 8 minutes.
After boiling, you will need to prepare an ice bath to shock the chicken feet and stop the cooking process. Fill a large basin with cold water and ice. Remove the chicken feet from the boiling water with a strainer and gently shake to remove excess water. Then, place the chicken feet into the ice bath. This step helps lock in the chicken flavour and reduces moisture loss.
The chicken feet are now ready to be deboned. Simply break the main bone and discard it, then repeat with the smaller centre bones.
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Shock with cold water
Chicken feet are considered a delicacy in many countries. They are highly nutritious, packed with high levels of protein, calcium, collagen, and cartilage. The process of deboning chicken feet can be done in several ways, one of which is the "shock with cold water" method.
Firstly, it is important to clean the chicken feet thoroughly, removing any dirt or mud between the toes and in the folds of the skin. If there are any calluses, corns, or black spots, carefully remove them with a sharp knife. Nails should also be removed.
Next, pre-boil the chicken feet in water with a little salt. This will remove any impurities and expand the skin, making it easier to remove later. It is recommended to boil for 12 minutes, then stir the feet, and boil for another 8 minutes.
Once boiled, place the chicken feet in a strainer and gently shake to remove excess water. Then, add the feet to a basin of cold water to shock them and stop the cooking process. This will also help lock in the chicken flavour by reducing moisture loss.
After the feet have cooled, you can begin the deboning process. Make a straight incision on the top of the foot from the tip of the leg to the tip of the middle toe, then make smaller incisions on the other toes. With your thumb and index finger, push the skin off around the bone. Break the bones and remove them, starting with the toes and ending with the smaller centre bones of the foot.
Finally, place the deboned chicken feet in a bowl with ice. Repeat the process for each foot. You can use the chicken feet immediately, or divide them into portions and store them in airtight bags in the freezer.
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Soak in baking soda water
Soaking chicken feet in baking soda water is a crucial step in the deboning process. Chicken feet are full of collagen, calcium, protein, and cartilage, making them a nutritious food item. They are commonly used in Chinese and Thai cuisines, with the former often braising them with bones and the latter typically deboning them.
Before soaking chicken feet in baking soda water, it is important to clean and prepare them thoroughly. This involves removing any dirt or mud between the toes and in the folds of the skin. Nails, claws, or toenails should also be removed, and any calluses, corns, or black spots can be cut off with a sharp knife.
Once the chicken feet are cleaned and prepared, they are ready for boiling. Boiling the chicken feet helps remove impurities and cooks the meat, making it easier to debone. To boil, place the chicken feet in a pot or wok with enough water to fully submerge them. Add salt to taste and stir to distribute evenly. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. After the water reaches a rolling boil, continue boiling for an additional 8 minutes.
After boiling, the chicken feet are then shocked with cold water to stop the cooking process and lock in moisture and flavor. To do this, fill a large basin or bowl with cold water and ice. Place a strainer or colander in the basin and gently shake to remove excess water. Add the boiled chicken feet to the strainer and then transfer them to the cold water.
Now, the chicken feet are ready for soaking in baking soda water. Prepare the baking soda water by mixing 1 tablespoon of baking soda per litre of water. Ensure there is enough baking soda water to completely cover the chicken feet. Soak the chicken feet in this solution overnight. Soaking in baking soda water tenderizes the chicken feet, making them soft and pliable, which facilitates the deboning process.
After soaking overnight, the chicken feet will be significantly softer and more manageable. At this stage, the bones can be easily removed by hand or with the assistance of a knife. Start by removing the toe bones, then gently pull out the main bone. Check the "palm" of the chicken feet and remove any remaining bones. Once deboned, the chicken feet can be cooked immediately or stored in ziplock bags in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Remove the bones
Removing the bones from chicken feet is a tedious process. However, it can be done by following these steps:
Firstly, ensure the chicken feet are raw and clean, with all nails removed. If you are butchering the chicken yourself, it is recommended to let the chicken rest for 24 hours in clean straw or on fresh grass. This will reduce the amount of manure stuck to the feet. After slaughtering the bird, remove the feet at the joint below the leg feathers. Clean the feet by scrubbing them with cold water and a small brush to remove any dirt.
Next, prepare a pot of boiling water. Blanch the feet in the boiling water for 30-60 seconds, then immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This will make it easier to remove the skin and bones. Once the feet are cool enough to handle, peel off the scaly layer of skin to expose the fleshy layer underneath.
Now, you can begin removing the bones. Make a cut along each toe of the chicken foot and gently push the skin off the toe bones. Break and remove the toe bones, then gently pull out the main bone from the skin. Ensure all bones are removed from the "palm" of the chicken foot.
Finally, place the deboned chicken feet into a bowl of ice to keep them cool and fresh. The deboned chicken feet are now ready to be used in various dishes, such as Thai Chicken Feet Salad. It is recommended to use the deboned chicken feet immediately or store them in ziplock bags in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Alternatively, you can pre-boil the chicken feet before removing the bones. Boil the feet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to an ice bath. This method helps remove impurities and expands the skin, making it easier to remove the bones. Soaking the chicken feet overnight in baking soda water further tenderizes the meat, making it softer and easier to separate from the bones.
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Frequently asked questions
Removing bones from chicken feet is a tedious process. First, you need to clean the feet and remove the claws. Then, you can either boil the feet and shock them in cold water or blanch them to make the skin peel off. After this, you can make a cut along the bone and gently push the skin off the bone.
You can use a pair of pruning shears or scissors to snip off the claws from the chicken feet.
Shocking the chicken feet in cold water after boiling removes the residual heat and stops the cooking process. This helps to lock in the chicken flavour by reducing the moisture from seeping out.
Removing the bones from chicken feet can make eating the dish more enjoyable as you don't have to worry about eating around bones. It also makes the chicken feet easier to cook.
