Cutting up chicken pieces

[TdeV]

Been reading some African recipes which discuss using "authentic" chicken meat, which has been cut up into small pieces, possibly using an axe. In many dishes in many Chinese restaurants, I've had small pieces of duck--where the bone has been cut across.

 

I've just asked DH if he could cut up some chicken for me and he was dubious.

 

I'm wondering if this meat is cut when frozen? If not, what kind of force is needed for the cleaver?

[Okanagancook]

Yes, a cleaver and be prepared to pick out the bone splinters.  'Authentic' chicken would likely not be frozen but that's perhaps a good idea to partially freeze it before chopping...like making thinly sliced meat for a stir fry.  Let us know what happens.

Above all, watch those fingers!

[Anna N]

4 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

Above all, watch those fingers!

And the potential for spraying your kitchen with salmonella. 

[gfweb]

I think I'd sacrifice authenticity and cut out the bones lest you get injured

[Okanagancook]

I would make this in the summer when I can chop the chicken outside!  But is a pain to say at the table 'watch out for bones'....thinking to one's self...hope I got all the splinters out.

[liuzhou]

15 hours ago, TdeV said:

I'm wondering if this meat is cut when frozen?

 

 

Not in China or, I guess, most of Africa.

The poultry vendor in the market kills and chops the chicken or duck for me, although many people take the live birds home and deal with it themselves. Supermarkets sell pre-chopped on the bone birds, too. Chinese people like "on the bone".  Me, too!

Edited February 7, 2020 by liuzhou (log)

[TdeV]

@liuzhou, "on the bone" means that the meat is cut through the bone, right? I imagine this makes a tastier stock. How do vendors in China keep bone splinters out of the meat?

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

@liuzhou, "on the bone" means that the meat is cut through the bone, right? I imagine this makes a tastier stock. How do vendors in China keep bone splinters out of the meat?

 

Yes. "on the bone" means exactly what you say.

I've never experienced the bone splinter problem in the market or at home. A good heavy cleaver won't splinter the bones, I guess. Maybe better knives; maybe better chickens. I don't know.

[Anna N]

Just now, liuzhou said:

 

Yes. "on the bone" means exactly what you say.

I've never experienced the bone splinter problem in the market or at home. A good heavy cleaver won't splinter the bones, I guess. Maybe better knives; maybe better chickens. I don't know.

I have watched them do it here in the markets and they wield that cleaver with such confidence and speed that I don’t think the bone would dare splinter. 

[liuzhou]

Just now, Anna N said:

I don’t think the bone would dare splinter. 

 

They certainly scare me.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

My Chinese butcher will cut up meat and fowl by running it through a dedicated (by kind of meat) power saw.   

 

I have several substantial cleavers acquired over time, but no indoor place to use them without destroying counters, table top, flooring.    I can take it outside to a retaining wall...but that seems overkill.

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

My Chinese butcher will cut up meat and fowl by running it through a dedicated (by kind of meat) power saw.   

Wuss!  What happened to Theatrics?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

30 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Wuss!  What happened to Theatrics?

Fewer splinters this way.

[weinoo]

Hacked chicken.

 

C'mon, it's easy with the right cleaver and a big, heavy cutting board.

[AlaMoi]

does not appear to be frozen

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

2 hours ago, weinoo said:

C'mon, it's easy with ....a big, heavy cutting board.

 

Bingo.