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To Dress Poultry

Pick off the pin feathers; singe over a gas burner or burning paper to remove the hairs; cut off the head. Cut the skin at the side of the leg joint and very lightly over the top, bending the foot back to loosen the ligaments on the upper part of the leg; pull out each separately, using a wooden skewer. Then cut through the tough muscle until the hard ligaments on the back are reached and pull them out in the same way. Remove the foot and treat the other leg in the same way.

Make an incision below the breastbone just large enough to admit the hand. Keeping the fingers close to the breastbone reach carefully into the body until the heart is reached; loosen the membranes and remove the entrails. Be very careful not to break the gall bladder which lies imbedded in the liver, as even a slight break will make the whole chicken bitter. Save the heart, gizzard and liver; remove the gall bladder from the liver very carefully; cut the fat and membranes from the gizzard; make an incision through the muscle without cutting the little grist bag inside, and peel off the muscle; remove membranes and arteries from the heart. Remove the kidneys and lungs which adhere closely to the body wall; then cut the skin on the under side of the throat and remove windpipe and crop; remove the oil bag from the under side of the tail. Pull lown the neck skin and cut off the neck close to the body.

Be sure that every particle is removed; then wash by letting water run through. Do not soak in water, as water draws out the juices; but if there is a disagreeable odor, wash thoroughly in soda water. Wipe inside and out.