"Warren H. Prince" wrote:
>
> In a recent thread, several of you mentioned using chicken feet in
> chicken stock. I was wondering how you prep the feet before use.
> Obviously, they have to be cleaned well, but I remember someone telling
> me they have to be peeled or skinned before use. Seems to me that
> peeling them would be more work than they're worth. Also, what ratio of
> bones (backs/necks/breast trimmings) to feet would you use? Just throw
> a few in a pot or a pound of feet to say five pounds of assorted bones?


Feet purchased from the store are already peeled and cleaned, and ready
for cooking. :-)

If you have "fresh" feet, (and I do if I am processing my own birds),
you need to peel them first.

Generally, when I am plucking a bird, it needs to be scalded, so I just
scald the feet at the same time by leaving them ON the carcass. Scalding
is similar to blanching. It makes the feathers come out _much_ easier. I
had a HELL of a time plucking ducks until someone from the poultry list
told me to add a little dish soap to the scalding water! Worked like a
charm. :-) Same goes for geese.

If you have just the feet, wash them well then dunk them in boiling
water for around 15 seconds. Not too long or they will break up when you
try to peel them!

The scales/skin and toenails peel off easily if you do it right and you
end up with nice clean feet. I've done chicken, guinea, duck and turkey
feet the same way. There is not much difference.

Emu feet are gross. I only did those once. Never, EVER again! :-P Those
get dried and given to the dogs as chews now.

I normally cook about 1 lb. of feet by themselves at a time. The stock
made from feet is so rich and delicious, I don't normally mix it with
other bones, but I don't see why you could not. :-)

The gel that comes from the cooked feet is yummy on it's own. <G>

I always add onions, garlic and celery to my initial stock before it is
cooked to add more flavor. And it smells better too. Cooking bones by
themselves with no other additions smells kinda funny.

Just my 2 cents.

K.

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