Market Poultry - Parts Identification
Parts Identification
Further processing of whole carcasses has allowed poultry to be sold in many forms. Identifying poultry parts commonly found in a retail store is important to the consumer. Below are photographs and definitions for 24 of the more common chicken parts found in a meat display case. Parts from any of the three weight groups (broilers, heavy broilers, and turkeys) may be used in the contest.
1. Whole Breast
The WHOLE BREAST is the intact breast separated from the remainder of the chicken at the junction of the vertebral and sternal ribs. The sternal ribs remain attached to the breast bone and the vertebral ribs are attached to the back. May be displayed with skin-side up or skin-side down.
2. Breast with Ribs
The BREAST WITH RIBS is the intact breast separated from the backbone at the juncture with the back. The entire rib cage is attached to the breast. It may be displayed with the skin side up or skin side down.
3. Breast Quarter
The BREAST QUARTER is half of the breast with the wing and back portion attached.
4. Breast Quarter without Wing
As the name indicates, the BREAST QUARTER WITHOUT WING is the breast quarter with the back portion attached, but without the wing.
5. Split Breast
The SPLIT BREAST is the whole breast cut in half parallel to breast bone to create approximately two equal halves. One or both halves may be displayed with or without ribs.
6. Boneless Breast
The BONELESS BREAST is the whole breast with the bones removed. The skin can be attached or removed.
7. Boneless Split Breast
The BONELESS SPLIT BREAST is a half breast with the bones removed. The skin can be attached or removed.
8. Tenderloin
The TENDERLOIN is the inner pectoral muscle that lies up against the keel bone. It is the long slender muscle that is removed from the inner portion of the breast meat.
9. Leg Quarter
The LEG QUARTER is thigh and drumstick with a portion of the back attached. The tail may or may not be removed
10. Whole Leg
The WHOLE LEG is the thigh and drumstick with the back portion removed. The ribeye muscle or ‘oyster’ may be attached. The oyster is the piece of meat on the back that lies just in front of the hip joint.
11. Thigh with Back
The THIGH WITH BACK is the upper portion of the leg quarter that is separated at the knee and includes part of the back beyond the hip joint.
12. Thigh
The THIGH is the upper portion of the whole leg that is separated at the knee and hip joints. The back portion is not attached.
13. Boneless Thigh
The BONELESS THIGH is the whole thigh with the bone removed. The skin may or may not be attached.
14. Drumstick
The DRUMSTICK is the lower portion of the leg that is separated at the hock and knee joints.
15. Boneless Drumstick
The BONELESS DRUMSTICK is the lower portion of the leg that is separated at the hock and knee joints with the bone removed. The skin may or may not be attached.
16. Whole Wing
The WHOLE WING is the entire wing with all muscle, bone, and skin attached except that the wingtip may be removed.
17. Wing Drumette
The WING DRUMETTE is the part of the wing between the second and third joint (shoulder).
18. Wing Flat
The WING FLAT is the part of the wing between the first and second joints of the wing. This is the part of the wing with two bones between the wingtips and the drumette.
19. Back
The BACK is the back of the carcass beginning at the base of the neck and extending back to the tail. It includes the vertebral ribs, hip bones, and attached flesh. All or portions of the oyster may also be attached. The oyster is the piece of meat on the back that lies just in front of the hip joint. The tail may or may not be removed.
20. Neck
The NECK is composed of the neck bones with flesh attached. The skin may or may not be present.
21. Paws
PAWS is the whole foot with the cuticle removed and cut midway to the hock joint.
22. Gizzard
The GIZZARD is the thick-walled muscular organ that has been cross-sectioned into two halves.
23. Liver
The LIVER is the reddish-brown, wedge-shaped organ with four lobes of unequal size and shape.
24. Heart
The HEART is the triangular-shaped, four-chambered muscular organ.
