Poultry is a menu favorite. Chicken, duck, Rock Cornish hen, and turkey are the main poultry items used in Navy messes.

TYPES

Various styles of chicken, duck and turkey are available for use in Navy messes.

All poultry is inspected to make sure it is free from disease and is slaughtered, dressed, and processed in a clean manner. Canned, boned chicken and turkey are also inspected for wholesomeness.

Poultry may also be graded as to quality. Grading is done according to overall appearance, meatiness, amount of fat, and the presence or absence of defects (torn skin, discoloration, bruises, and so forth). USDA grades A, B, and C are used to indicate poultry that has been officially graded. Grades B and C are not as attractive as grade A but are still wholesome. They may have defects and faulty conformation and be lacking in meat content and fat cover. Examples of grade stamps are shown i i r -

Chicken

Frozen broiler-fryer chickens weighing 3 to 3 1/2 pounds are procured in several styles:

Whole Cutup

Figure 6-6.-Inspection and grade stamps for poultry.

Quartered

Breasts

Legs

Thighs

Frozen Rock Cornish hens are young chickens weighing 20 to 25 ounces that have been produced by crossbreeding the Cornish chicken with other chicken species. They require only thawing and splitting in half and washing under cold water before cooking.

Canned, boned chicken offers space and weight savings. It needs no refrigeration and is usually stocked when freezer space is limited. Canned chicken may be used in recipes requiring diced chicken, such as chow mein, tetrazinni, baked chicken with noodles, and chicken salad.

Frozen chicken, breaded, precooked, drumsticks and thighs and/or breast halves, is available for reheating either in the oven or in the deep-fat fryer. The product can be reheated quickly and used as an entree item or on the speedline.

Frozen, chicken fillet, breaded, precooked, also can be reheated quickly and used for sandwiches or as an entree item.

Frozen, chicken fillet, unbreaded, precooked, also can be reheated quickly and used for sandwiches or as an entree item.

Frozen chicken fillet nuggets, breaded, precooked, can be reheated quickly and used as an entree item or on the speedline.

Turkey

Turkey for Navy messes is procured in the following styles:

0 Frozen, whole turkeys vary widely in weight. Hen turkeys have a minimum weight of 12 pounds; tom turkeys weigh 16 to 24 pounds. Self-basting and regular whole turkeys are procured. An 8- to 12-pound whole turkey is available for use aboard submarines.

0 Frozen, boneless, raw turkey rolls weigh 9 to 12 pounds and contain the same proportion of light and dark meat as whole turkey. Raw turkey rolls require cooking.

Frozen chicken and turkey giblets are available for preparation of giblet gravy. Thaw and use according to AFRS directions.

Duck

Frozen, whole roaster ducks weigh 3 to 5 pounds and require only thawing and washing before cooking.