Hello folks,

My mom always used to cut up chickens "southern style" for frying. The
result is that each chicken produces two breast pieces plus a wishbone
piece. Does anyone know how to do this. Better yet, can anyone point me
to an online guide?

Thanks,

ET

I don't know if this is "southern style", but it is the way my mother
cut up a chicken and the way I still do it, a zillion years later.

I cut across the breast, between the breastbone and the wishbone. This
makes two large meaty pieces.

And, no matter how you cut it up, there is nothing better than fried
chicken!

jillie
Roseville, CA

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello folks,
>
> My mom always used to cut up chickens "southern style" for frying. The
> result is that each chicken produces two breast pieces plus a wishbone
> piece. Does anyone know how to do this. Better yet, can anyone point me
> to an online guide?
>
> Thanks,
>
> ET


The key is to say "Yall" each time you pick up the knife.

I usually started by cutting off the wings at the joint neareast the
body of the chicken. With the chicken laying on its back you can feel
the ridge where the wish bone connects to the breast, at that point
slice down until the knif stops. Tilt the knife blade and slice
upwards towards the neck. When the knif stops again lift the mostly
detached piece until the wishbone joints dislocate, then cut it
completely off at that time.

Cut off the thighs at the joint from the body of the chicken by
dislocating then cutting through the gristle. Separate the drumsticks
from the thighs. Turn the chicken end with the neck area downwards,
slice across through the body of the until the knife stops, then break
the back bone and cut off the back. Then split the ribs by slicing
downwards (or upwards) opposite the breast. You can then filet out the
breast (remove the keel and split it making two pieces, or break the
ribs so that the pice will lay flat for cooking and leave in the bones
and keel..

This will give you with 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs, 1 back, 1 wishbone,
and two pices of breast (or 1 if left whole.

If I left out any steps, it is because I am not cutting up a chicken at
this time, just describing the positions from memory. I prefer a
chicken cut into pieces instead of cleavering it because you don't get
the bone slivers because all cutting has been at the joints.

Best wishes, Nancy g.

On 14 Mar 2006 18:41:10 -0800, "jillie" > wrote:

>I don't know if this is "southern style", but it is the way my mother
>cut up a chicken and the way I still do it, a zillion years later.

I cut down one side of the back bone with shears, then up the other
side and reserve backbone for stock. Flip chicken over and cut breast
bone on the INSIDE. Crack open breast and remove cartilage, cut
chicken in half, then quarter.

wrote:

> My mom always used to cut up chickens "southern style" for frying. The
> result is that each chicken produces two breast pieces plus a wishbone
> piece. Does anyone know how to do this. Better yet, can anyone point
> me to an online guide?

My mother did something like that too, although she was originally a
Kansas farmgirl. In our family there were too many people hankering for
the white meat to have those great big 1/2 breasts.

Unfortunately I don't know exactly how she did it, and she doesn't live
in town.



Brian

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