When I was 12 years old Grandpa would let me help him pluck whole chickens after we had dipped them in scalding hot water in a washtub. That was the way he sold whole chickens to stores with his family business.

Figure 1. With a trash bag properly fitted around the chicken, clean up will be easy.

One day I asked Grandpa, “Isn’t there an easier way to dress out a chicken?” He showed me a method with no need to pluck feathers and no smelly stench from a wet chicken. It’s just a fast, easy way to put meat on the table.

Things you will need

1. A sharp knife, axe, meat cleaver, or machete for cutting off the head.
2. Rope. Cut 3 or 4 pieces of ¼-inch rope 12 to 18 inches long. One is to tie the chicken’s legs together tightly before you cut the head off; otherwise you will have a headless chicken running about the yard. The other is to tie the chicken’s legs onto your hook on a tree or cart.
3. A bowl. I use a stainless steel one but any large bowl or panwill do. Put your chicken in it once you cut it away from the carcass.



Figure 2. Front view showing where the cuts are made and how the skin is peeled away

4. A large bowl of water. Again I use a stainless steel one. It’s to keep my hands and knife clean while skinning the chickens.
5. I use two sawhorses for a table base, over which I placed a sheet of ¾-inch plywood 24 x 48 inches. If you have a small folding table you could use it.
6. A clean sheet of plastic or butcher’s paper big enough to cover your work table top. Tape it on or tuck it under the table top.
7. I use my trusty cart, setting it up on end. The handle bar is just the right height for me to hang the chickens from and skin. I put a concrete block in it while I’m pulling the skin downward so the cart will not fall on me.
8. A garden hose is handy to clean your knives and to pre-clean the chicken of any dirt or feathers before they are taken into the house for final cleaning and freezing preparation.
9. A large black garbage bag with two twist ties that hold the garbage bag on the cart. Cut the garbage bag two-thirds of the way down so that anything you cut off while skinning, such as the feathers and carcass, goes into the bag (Figure 1).

Figure 3. A view showing how to cut away the mini-wing drumstick

The process

Now you are ready to butcher and skin the chicken.

Tie the chicken’s legs together and cut off its head. Then hang the chicken up by its legs (see Figure 2) with the breast of the chicken facing you. Make the first cut around the yellow part of the leg joint only deep enough to separate the skin, but not deep enough to cut the leg tendon.

Cut and pull down the skin from the leg, cutting just deep enough that the skin will come loose from around the meat. Pull the skin of the chicken down laterally to each side, all the time cutting away the other skin to reveal the leg meat that you will cut off later.

Figure 4. The skinned carcass, ready for you to take the meat

Continue to cut and pull the skin all the way down and backwards around the upper thigh. Continue to cut and pull the skin down around the breast and cut the wing loose at the first joint of the wing (Figure 3). Some people may want to continue to clean and cut around the feathers of the wing for the small tip of the wing bones, but for me there is so little meat it is not worth it.

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3

Now we are ready to strip the skinned carcass (Figure 4).

First, cut the wings, or mini-drumsticks, off at the joint near the breast. By forcing them backwards and cutting as close to the breast and joint as possible, you will expose the wing joint and you can cut through and around it.

Next, cut the breast out. Lay your knife at an angle, starting the cut as close to the breastbone as possible. Take your knife and stay close to the rib cage while cutting downward and backward in an arcing direction as shown in Figure 5. Repeat the process on the other breast.

Figure 5. Side view showing where to cut the meat

You are ready to claim the legs and thighs all in one piece. If you want to separate them later you can do so. Go up to the ankle joint at about ¾ to 1 inch above the “leggin’s” (that’s what I call the scaly yellow part above the feet on the chicken), and cut through and around the joint so that each leggin’ and foot falls free. While holding the drumstick and thigh in the left hand, take your right hand and hold the carcass while at the same time pushing the thigh and drumstick backwards. This is like opening a set of French doors. You will both see and hear the thigh joint pop loose from the hip joint. Cut as close to the round point as possible (Figure 5).

To separate the thigh from the carcass, make the next and final cut at the back upper part of the thigh, just about 1½ to 2 inches next to the anus. You now have a complete thigh and drumstick.

Some folks might say that you are not getting all the meat, that you are leaving the two small bony pieces on the wing tip, the two little scraps of meat on the backbone, the liver, and the neck. I say if you like those parts, go for it.

Figure 6. The results of a freshly skinned and butchered chicken.

100+ years in our family

With this method, I have butchered chickens for more than 40 years, just like my grandfather did for 60 years before me. I can remember that Grandma’s chicken fried in a cast iron skillet beat Col. Sanders by a mile.

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Tomato Ketchup

• 24 lbs ripe tomatoes
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 3/4 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 3 cups cider vinegar (5 percent)
• 4 tsp whole cloves
• 3 sticks cinnamon, crushed
• 1-1/2 tsp whole allspice
• 3 tbsp celery seeds
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup salt

Yield: 6 to 7 pints

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Quarter tomatoes into 4-gallon stock pot or a large kettle. Add onions and red pepper. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes, uncovered. Combine spices in a spice bag and add to vinegar in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover, turn off heat and hold tomato mixture for 20 minutes. Then, remove spice bag and combine vinegar and tomato mixture. Boil about 30 minutes. Put boiled mixture through a food mill or sieve. Return to pot. Add sugar and salt, boil gently, and stir frequently until volume is reduced by one-half or until mixture rounds up on spoon without separation. Fill pint jars, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1.

This document was adapted from the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA, revised 1994.

Reviewed June 2006.

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Spaghetti Sauce without Meat

• 30 lbs tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped celery or green pepper
• 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 4-1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oregano
• 4 tbsp minced parsley
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Yield: About 9 pints

Please read Using Pressure Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Caution: Do not increase the proportion of onions, peppers, or mushrooms. Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water and slip off skins. Remove cores and quarter tomatoes. Boil 20 minutes, uncovered, in large saucepan. Put through food mill or sieve. Saute onions, garlic, celery or peppers, and mushrooms (if desired) in vegetable oil until tender. Combine sauteed vegetables andtomatoes and add remainder of spices, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered, until thick enough for serving. At this time the initial volume will have been reduced by nearly one-half. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1 or Table 2, depending on the method of canning used.

This document was adapted from the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA, revised 1994.

Reviewed June 2006.

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Tomato Paste

• 8 quarts peeled, cored chopped tomatoes (about 4 dozen large)
• 1½ cups chopped sweet red peppers (about 3)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon canning or pickling salt
• 1 clove garlic (optional)

Yield: About 9 half-pint jars

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Hot Pack - Combine first four ingredients and cook slowly 1 hour. Press through a fine sieve. Add garlic clove, if desired. Continue cooking slowly until thick enough to round up on a spoon, about 2½ hours. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Remove garlic clove and bay leaves.

Pour boiling hot paste into hot half pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner.

This document was extracted from "So Easy to Preserve", 5th ed. 2006. Bulletin 989, Cooperative Extension Service, The University of Georgia, Athens. Revised by Elizabeth L. Andress. Ph.D. and Judy A. Harrison, Ph.D., Extension Foods Specialists.

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PUMPKINS AND WINTER SQUASH, CUBED (Acorn, Banana, Buttercup, Butternut, Golden Delicious, or Hubbard)

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POTATOES, WHITE, CUBED OR WHOLE

Back to Table of Contents for Section 4

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POTATOES, SWEET, PIECES OR WHOLE

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PEPPERS Hot or Sweet, including Chilis, Jalapeno, and Pimiento)

Allow peppers to cool. Place in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. This will make peeling the peppers easier. After several minutes, peel each pepper. Flatten whole peppers. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each pint jar, if desired. Fill jars loosely with peppers and boiled water, leaving 1 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

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CARROTS, SLICED OR DICED

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BEETS, WHOLE, CUBED, OR SLICED

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BEANS, SNAP AND ITALIAN, PIECES (Green and Wax)

B

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I can beans every year. Do this in the winter because you can heat your house with the canning!!!! It is so nice to go get beans off the shelf and use them without so much planning ahead and soaking, etc....

Canning Dried Beans

Date: May 1988 (Revised June 1996)

Source: University of Wisconsin

Kidney, navy and other varieties of dried beans are good for canning or storage. In the home garden, mature beans left on the vine will dry naturally and you can store them in this way.

Water plays an important part in the final quality of canned beans. The harder the water used for soaking and blanching, the harder and firmer the finished beans. Excessive alkalinity will cause the beans to disintegrate somewhat, becoming soft and mushy. However, this will not be recognized until after processing.

To can dry beans, use one of the following methods: Place dried beans or peas in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 12 to 18 hours in a cool place. Drain water. To quickly hydrate beans, you may cover sorted and washed beans with boiling water in a saucepan. Boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, soak 1 hour an drain. Cover beans soaked by either method with fresh water and boil 30 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt per pint or teaspoon per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with beans or peas and cooking water, leaving 1 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a pressure canner.

Process in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 to 13 pounds pressure or at 10 or 15 pounds pressure in a weighted gauge canner. Process pints for 75 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes. Pressure required depends on the altitude where canning is being done.

If you require further information, please contact your county office of the NDSU Extension Service.

BEANS, DRY WITH TOMATO OR MOLASSES SAUCE

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PEACHES, HALVED OR SLICED

Quantity: An average of 17½ pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 11 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 16 to 24 quarts—an average of 2½ pounds per quart.

Quality: Choose ripe, fruit, ideal for eating fresh or cooking.

Procedure: Dip fruit in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds until skins loosen. Dip quickly in cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half, remove pits and slice if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in ascorbic acid solution. (See Maintaining Color and Flavor in Canned Foods, Section 1) Prepare and boil syrup desired as directed in this section or pack in water, apple juice, or white grape juice. Raw packs make poor quality peaches.

Hot Pack: In a large saucepan place drained fruit in syrup, water or juice and bring to boil. Fill jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid, leaving ½ inch headspace. Place halves in layers, cut side down.

Recommended Process:
Boiling-Water Bath
Pints—25 minutes
Quarts—30 minutes

Raw Pack: Fill jars with raw fruit, cut side down, and add hot water, juice, or syrup, leaving ½ inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Recommended Process:
Boiling-Water Bath
Pints—30 minutes
Quarts—35 minutes

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GRAPE JUICE

Quantity: An average of 24½ pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 16 pounds per canner load of 9 pints. A lug weighs 26 pounds and yields 7 to 9 quarts of juice—an average of 3½ pounds per quart.

Quality: Select sweet, well-colored, firm, mature fruit of ideal quality for eating fresh or cooking.

Procedure: Wash and stem grapes. Place grapes in a saucepan and add boiling water to cover grapes. Heat and simmer slowly until skin is soft. Strain through a damp jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth. Refrigerate juice for 24 to 48 hours. Without mixing, carefully pour off clear liquid and save; discard sediment. If desired, strain through a paper coffee filter for a clearer juice. Add juice to a saucepan and sweeten to taste. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Continue heating with occasional stirring until juice begins to boil. Fill into jars immediately, leaving ¼ inch headspace. (To sterilize empty pints and quart jars, see Section 1.) Adjust lids and process.

Recommended Process:
Boiling-Water Bath
Pints or Quarts—10 minutes
Half-gallons—15 minutes

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APPLESAUCE

Quantity: An average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 13½ pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 48 pounds and yields 14 to 19 quarts of sauce—an average of 3 pounds per quart.

Quality: Select apples that are sweet, juicy, and crisp. For a tart flavor, add 1 to 2 pounds of tart apples to each 3 pounds of sweeter fruit.

Procedure:Wash, peel, and core apples. If desired, slice into water containing ascorbic acid to prevent browning. (See Maintaining Color and Flavor in Canned Food, Section 1) Place drained slices in an 8- to 10-quart pot. Add ½ cup water. Stirring occasionally to prevent burning, heat quickly until tender (5 to 20 minutes, depending on maturity and variety). Press through a sieve or food mill, or skip the pressing step if you prefer chunk-style sauce. Sauce may be packed without sugar. If desired, add 1/8 cup sugar per quart of sauce. Taste and add more, if preferred. Reheat sauce to boiling. Fill jars with hot sauce, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.

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