Poultry should be handled with strict sanitary measures during both cooking and preparation. Preparation

Thaw frozen chicken, Rock Cornish hen, turkey, and duck before cooking. All poultry must be thawed at chill temperatures (36F to 38F). Never thaw in water.

Thawed poultry should never be refrozen. Refreezing lowers quality and promotes bacterial growth.

Use thawed poultry as soon as possible. Do not hold in refrigeration more than 24 hours. Longer holding lowers quality and risks spoilage.

Whole turkeys, Rock Cornish hens, ducks, and chickens are wrapped in plastic bags. Remove whole poultry from the shipping containers, but leave in the plastic bag. To speed thawing, spread them out so that air can circulate. Cutup or quartered chickens should be thawed in the intermediate carton. If this carton has an overwrapping, remove it.

Turkeys weighing more than 16 pounds require 3 to 4 days to thaw, at 36F to 38F. Turkeys weighing under 16 pounds require 2 to 3 days. Whole chickens and ducks require 18 to 24 hours and Rock Cornish hens need 12 to 18 hours.

Clean all poultry after thawing by removing any spongy, red lung tissue inside the back, loose membranes, pinfeathers, and skin defects. Wash poultry inside and out under cold, running water and drain. Refrigerate until needed.

NOTE: All cutting boards used for preparing poultry must be thoroughly sanitized after each use.

Cooking

Procedures for cooking whole turkeys, Rock Cornish hens, chickens, and ducks are described in the AFRS. Poultry maybe cooked using either moist or dry heat. These methods and their variations are explained as follows.

DRY HEAT METHODS.- Care should be taken to prevent the poultry skin from becoming too hard and dry while it is roasting. To prevent dryness, rub the skin of the chicken or turkey with salad oil or shortening. This is not necessary for duck because of its high fat content. If self-basting turkey is supplied, follow the package instructions for cooking. Place the poultry in an open pan, breast side up, on a V-shaped rack if available. A low oven temperature (350F) should be used for chicken and Rock Cornish hen. Duck and turkey are cooked at 325F.

If the bird starts browning too soon, aluminum foil may be placed over it to prevent overbrowning. The formation of a hard, dry crust can be prevented by occasionally basting the bird with pan drippings during roasting.

The Navy procures boneless, frozen, cooked, and uncooked turkey rolls. These rolls consist of light and dark meat. The instructions for preparing each type are included with the specific turkey roll and recipes in the AFRS. The boneless turkey roll is equal in quality and flavor to whole turkey, and it is easier and faster to prepare. It also permits accurate portion control, saves storage space, and eliminates waste. However, roast whole turkeys are often prepared for special meals.

As turkey is larger than most other poultry, it is more difficult to cook to the well-done stage without overdoing it. Care should be taken to cook it no longer than necessary; overcooking will result in the loss of juices and stringy, dry meat. The use of a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh muscle will give the internal temperature of the turkey. When the thermometer registers an internal temperature of 180F to 185F, the turkey has reached the required stage of doneness. The AFRS contains a timetable for roasting unstuffed turkeys.

MOIST HEAT METHODS.- In moist heat methods, the water should simmer rather than boil to avoid the toughening effect of high temperature on the fibers.  Depending upon the cooking method used, temperatures will vary, but slow to moderate temperatures should be used at all times to develop maximum flavor, tenderness, color, and juiciness.

Intense heat will harden and toughen the protein, shrink the muscles, and dry out the juices, thus producing a less palatable product. All poultry should be cooked to the well-done stage. Follow the AFRS directions for preparation.

Panfrying.- To panfry poultry, wipe the pieces dry, season them with salt and pepper, and roll them in flour. If a heavier coating (crust) is desired, dip the pieces in batter or a milk and egg mixture and roll them in soft bread crumbs before they are fried. Put approximately one-half inch of frying fat in a heavy frying pan and preheat to a temperature of 360F to 365F. Add the pieces of poultry to the hot pan. Turn the pieces fiequently. Use tongs or two spoons to turn the pieces. Do not use a fork because puncturing the meat with the tines of the fork allows the juices to escape. Cook until well-done.

Oven Frying.- Dip the pieces of poultry in flour, milk and egg mixture, then into crumbs. Place poultry in a shallow pan. Pour the fat over the pieces to ensure an even coating. Cook in the oven.

Deep-Fat Frying.- To deep-fat fry poultry, wipe the pieces dry, season them with salt and pepper, and roll them in flour. If a heavier coating (crust) is desired, dip the pieces in batter or a milk and egg mixture and roll them in soft bread crumbs before they are fried. Place enough fat in the pan to completely cover the pieces of poultry. Preheat the fat to 325F, then carefully lower the pieces into the fat. Do not crowd. The chicken may be cooked until done, or it may be browned in deep fat and placed in the oven to complete the cooking. Always allow the fat to regain the proper temperature before reloading the fryer.

The giblets (gizzard, heart, and liver) need no preparation other than ordinary washing in cold water before cooking. One precaution-the liver should be inspected closely to detect any sign of bile contamination. The bile sack is often broken during its removal from the liver. Bile damage is easily recognizable by a greenish brown or yellow color on the liver. Any liver indicating bile damage is unfit to eat and must be discarded.

After washing the giblets in cold water, you should place them in just enough cold salted water to cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer approximately 1 hour or until they are tender. (Livers cook much faster than gizzards and should be cooked separately.) Save the stock and chop the giblets (do not grind) for use in the gravy or dressing. Refrigerate them until they are ready to use.