Clean out a chicken carefully before cooking as certain organs contain toxins
Cleaning the bird does not just mean rinsing it with water, it means removing the guts from the inside so that it's ready for cooking. This might sound unpleasant -- and you're advised to wear gloves if you don't enjoy the feeling of soft animal organs in your hands -- but it's not difficult to do.
Instructions
1. Make a horizontal cut in the rear end of the chicken, wide enough to get two fingers in. Pull the hole open with both hands until it is big enough for you to squeeze one hand in.
2. Reach inside the bird as far as your fingers will go and gently grasp hold of the guts, taking care not to squeeze anything. Pull the guts out and check to make sure none of the organs have split, particularly the gall bladder which is a dark green color. If it does split the bile it contains will leak inside the bird and contaminate the meat -- you will have to discard it.
3. Cut around the intestine where it connects to the chicken, taking care not to cut into it.
4. Hold the chicken under a tap and pour cold water through the neck (the other way round can make bits of viscera stick to the neck). Pull out the bright red heart, bright pink lungs and dark red livers while the water is pouring as this makes removal easier. Make sure you remove all the organs.
5. Rinse the chicken under the cold tap. Pat dry with paper towels.
6. Cut chicken up into quarters for the soup. Use thighs and drumsticks, keeping breasts and wings for other meals.
Tags: chicken under, inside bird, taking care