Why did the chicken stand on its head?
By AnjaP
@Rollo1 (16679)
Boston, Massachusetts
December 8, 2017 7:07am CST
I have something embarrassing to admit - I find it difficult to determine the proper orientation of naked, headless chickens. No, this isn't some weird, naughty, chicken obsession. I mean the kind you cook.
I cook whole chickens less often than a few times per year. I cook a turkey once a year, sometimes twice. I am used to getting chicken parts - which are clearly labeled - for everyday cooking. I am not an expert in chicken anatomy.
I roasted a whole chicken yesterday.
When it's time to roast a whole chicken or a Thanksgiving turkey, I seriously spend a crazy amount of time trying to decide which side is up. I mean, I want the breast to be on top and I have difficulty figuring out which side is the breast.
If they still had feathers and heads, the task would be simple. But these naked, headless birds confuse me.
Usually, I end up standing the bird up, on its legs, imagining how it stood in life. This helps me visualize which side is the breast. But in extreme cases, I have been known to search the net for images of roasted birds in order to see which way the wings lay and whether the legs point up or down.
I almost always figure this out without outside intervention, but once I did roast a chicken upside down and was completely aghast at how little meat there was on what I had supposed was the breast.
Am I the only one who finds naked chickens to be confusing?
16 people like this
11 responses
@sw8sincere (5204)
• Philippines
8 Dec 17
I love eating chickens but I am not very good of its anatomy.
2 people like this
@everwonderwhy (7303)
•
21 Jan 18
How did your roast turn out? I find marinated golden roasted headless whole chicken mouth-watering. With veggies on the side.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160611)
• United States
9 Dec 17
I rely on the pop up thermometer on the turkey. I do not remember the last time I roasted a chicken, but I do remember the same confusion.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
20 Apr 18
Squawk... Not quite sure whether or not you're joking, but you painted a funny picture. I don't remember ever questioning what side of the bird is up. Although, I don't know that I worry about which side is up when baking it either. I don't remember being taught about these birds, but they've not given me grief either.
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
8 Dec 17
I'll be completely honest and say that despite having roasted a fair number of whole chickens, I've never really thought about it. :)
1 person likes this
@peachpurple (13962)
• Malaysia
8 Dec 17
I had never chop a whole chicken, usually the butcher does it
1 person likes this