Chicken and Meat Basics
Cooking Skills: Knife Skills 1
Chapter 7 · Chicken and Meat Basics
Skill goal
Handle, trim, joint and slice raw meat safely, and slice cooked meat across the grain.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Cutting raw meat is the same skill as cutting vegetables, with one big difference: hygiene. The knife, board and your hands will all be contaminated, and anything they touch next can be too.
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| A separate board for raw meat | Stops bacteria spreading to food that won't be cooked |
| Wash board, knife and hands before touching anything else | Cold water or a wipe doesn't remove bacteria |
| Never wash raw chicken | Splashing spreads bacteria around the kitchen; cooking kills them |
| Keep raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge, covered | Drips can't reach other food |
| Cut meat cold | Chilled meat is firmer and easier to cut cleanly |
| Cook poultry and pork until no pink and juices run clear | Bacteria can be right through the meat, not only on the surface |
Which way to slice: the grain
Muscle is made of long fibres, the grain. Slicing across the grain cuts them short and gives tender slices. Slicing along it leaves long, chewy fibres. Look for the direction of the lines, rest the meat before cutting it, and cut across them.
- A sharp knife matters more with meat: a blunt one tears fibres.
- Trim fat and sinew before cooking: silver skin and gristle don't soften.
- Kitchen scissors are excellent for cutting through chicken skin, bones and the backbone.
- Rest cooked meat for 5 to 15 minutes, depending on size, so the juices stay in when you carve.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
Chicken and pepper stir-fry (dicing chicken breast)
Chicken breast is easiest to cut when it is cold and a little firm. Use a board for raw meat only, and wash everything that touches it.
Ingredients (2 portions)
- 2 chicken breast fillets (about 300 g)
- 1 red pepper, cut into strips
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp cornflour
- Take the chicken from the fridge. Put it on a board that you will use only for raw meat. Trim off any fat and white sinew.
- Slice each breast along its length into strips about 1.5 cm wide, holding it with the claw, and then turn and cut across into 1.5 cm cubes. Don't wash the chicken.
- Put the chicken in a bowl and the board and knife straight into hot soapy water. Wash your hands. Slice the vegetables on a different, clean board.
- Mix the soy sauce, water and cornflour. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Stir-fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and white all the way through, then add the onion and pepper for 3 minutes, then the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then the sauce.
- Check the chicken: cut the biggest piece open. It must be steaming hot, white all the way through, with no pink and with clear juices.
Cook it through
Chicken must be cooked until steaming hot throughout, with no pink meat and clear juices. A probe thermometer should read at least 70°C for 2 minutes (or 75°C instantly).
Level 2 · Grain
Steak salad (slicing across the grain)
Meat is made of long fibres. Slice across them, so each slice has short fibres and chews easily. The slice direction matters more than the knife.
Ingredients (2 portions)
- 250 g sirloin or rump steak, about 2.5 cm thick
- 1 tsp sunflower oil
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 handful rocket or salad leaves
- 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 10 g parmesan, shaved
- Take the steak out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Pat dry, rub with the oil and season well.
- Heat a heavy frying pan until very hot. Cook the steak for 2 to 3 minutes a side for medium-rare, or longer for medium or well done. Rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes.
- Look for the lines of the muscle fibres running along the steak. Slice across them, at a slight angle, into slices about 5 mm thick, using a long, sharp knife and a smooth sawing motion.
- Dress the leaves and tomatoes with the olive oil and vinegar. Lay the steak slices on top and scatter with the parmesan.
Steak safety
A whole steak can be served rare because bacteria sit on the surface, and searing kills them. This does not apply to minced meat, burgers, sausages, rolled or tied joints or pork, which must be cooked all the way through.
Level 3 · Jointing
Jointed chicken traybake
Jointing a chicken is cheaper than buying pieces, and the bones make stock. Use a sharp knife, and cut at the joints, not through the bones. Kitchen scissors help with the backbone.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.5 kg)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme or paprika
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 lemon, halved
- 3 carrots, cut into chunks
- 2 onions, quartered
- Put the chicken breast-side up on a board used only for raw meat. Pull a leg away from the body and cut through the skin between the leg and the breast. Bend the leg back until the joint pops, then cut through it. Repeat with the other leg.
- Cut each leg in two at the joint (you will see a line of fat), giving a thigh and a drumstick.
- Cut off the wings, cutting through the joint where the wing meets the body.
- Cut along the breastbone to remove each breast, keeping the knife against the bone. Cut each breast in half, crossways, if large.
- Wash the board, knife and your hands in hot soapy water before touching anything else. Heat the oven to 200°C fan (220°C conventional, gas 7). Toss the vegetables in a tray with half the oil, and lay the chicken pieces on top, skin side up, with the rest of the oil, herbs and seasoning.
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes. The chicken must be steaming hot throughout, with no pink meat, with clear juices when you cut into the thickest part of the thigh (70°C for 2 minutes on a probe). Squeeze the lemon over.
Don't throw away the carcass
Cover the bones with water, add an onion and a carrot, and simmer for 1.5 hours for stock. Strain, cool and freeze or use within 2 days.
Level 2 · Trim
Pork medallions with mustard sauce (trimming and slicing)
A pork tenderloin has a tough, shiny 'silver skin' that doesn't soften in cooking. Trim it off with a thin, sharp knife, then slice into even medallions.
Ingredients (3 portions)
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 400 g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chopped sage or thyme
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 100 ml hot chicken stock
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
- On a raw-meat board, find the silver skin (a thin, shiny, silvery membrane). Slide the tip of a sharp, thin knife under one end, and with the blade angled slightly upwards cut along under the skin, pulling it away as you go.
- Cut the tenderloin across into rounds, 2 cm thick. Press each one lightly flat. Rub with oil, herbs and seasoning.
- Wash the board, knife and your hands. Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the medallions for 3 to 4 minutes a side, until golden and cooked all the way through, with no pink and clear juices.
- Lift out onto a warm plate. Pour the stock into the pan, scrape up the browned bits, and simmer for 2 minutes. Take off the heat, stir in the mustard and yoghurt, and spoon over the pork.
Pork must be cooked through
Pork should be cooked until steaming hot with no pink meat and clear juices (70°C for 2 minutes). Cut one medallion open to check.
Experiments
Experiment
With or across the grain
Taste the difference.
- Cook a steak, rest it, and cut half the slices across the grain and half along it.
- Eat both.
Look for: The across-the-grain slices are tender, the along-the-grain slices are chewy. It's the same meat.
Experiment
Chilled or part-frozen
Which cuts better?
- Cut one chicken breast straight from the fridge into strips. Cut another that has been in the freezer for 30 minutes (firm on the outside, not frozen solid).
- Compare how clean the cuts are.
Look for: The slightly firmed meat cuts into neat, even strips. The fridge-cold meat is softer and slides a little. Never leave raw meat out at room temperature to soften or to thaw.
Experiment
Scissors or knife
Which is easier for trimming?
- Trim fat off a chicken thigh with a knife, and trim another with kitchen scissors.
- Compare the control and the speed.
Look for: Scissors are quicker and safer for trimming skin and fat; the knife is better for precise slicing.
Experiment
Board hygiene test
What does wiping leave behind?
- Without raw meat: smear a little cooking oil mixed with flour on a board. Wipe one half with a damp cloth, and wash the other half in hot soapy water.
- Compare how clean each half is.
Look for: The wiped half is still greasy and smeared. Only washing in hot soapy water gets the board clean, which is why you wash after raw meat.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken and pepper stir-fry | ||||
| Steak salad | ||||
| Jointed chicken traybake | ||||
| Pork medallions | ||||
| With vs across grain | ||||
| Chilled vs part-frozen chicken | ||||
| Scissors vs knife | ||||
| Wiped vs washed board |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Meat slides about | Wet board, or warm meat | Pat dry; chill it; damp cloth under the board |
| Chewy steak slices | Cut with the grain | Cut across the fibres |
| Meat torn | Blunt knife | Sharpen |
| Pink chicken inside | Pieces too thick or heat too low | Cut smaller; cook longer; check with a probe |
| Cut chicken joints ragged | Cutting through bone | Find the joint; bend and cut through the gap |
| Cross-contamination worry | Same board or knife used | Use a separate board for raw meat and wash everything |
Raw meat and knife safety
Raw meat, poultry and fish: the Food Standards Agency advises using separate chopping boards and knives for raw meat, fish and poultry, for fruit and vegetables, and for ready-to-eat foods such as salad and cheese. Bacteria spread from raw meat to a board and knife, and then to the next food. Wiping a board with a cloth is not enough: wash boards and knives in hot soapy water (or a dishwasher) before they touch anything else, and wash your hands after handling raw food. Keep raw meat, poultry and fish covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge, where juices can't drip onto other food. Don't wash raw chicken: it splashes bacteria around the kitchen, and cooking kills them anyway.Knife safety: a sharp knife is safer than a blunt one, because it needs less force and slips less. Always cut on a stable board (put a damp cloth underneath), tuck your guiding fingertips back (the claw), carry a knife with the point down and the edge away from you, and never try to catch a falling knife: step back and let it fall. Wash knives by hand and dry them at once; never leave one in a sink of water where you can't see it. Store them in a block, on a magnetic strip or in guards, not loose in a drawer. A cut-resistant glove on your guiding hand is a sensible aid while you learn. If you cut yourself, apply firm pressure with a clean cloth, and get medical help for a deep cut or one that won't stop bleeding.
Cooking: chicken, pork, burgers, sausages and minced or rolled meat must be cooked until steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat and clear juices (70°C for 2 minutes with a probe). Whole cuts of beef or lamb, such as steaks, can be served rare because bacteria sit on the surface and searing kills them.
Leftovers: cool cooked food quickly (within 1 to 2 hours), keep it covered in the fridge, and eat it within 2 days. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I use a separate board for raw meat and wash it afterwards.
- I can dice a chicken breast and trim a tenderloin.
- I can joint a chicken.
- I can find the grain and slice across it.
- I know when chicken and pork are cooked through.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Knife Skills 1, chapter 8 is Fish, Bread and Cheese: skinning a fillet, peeling prawns, bread, carving and cheese.