The Meathead Method - Truss Poultry Legs Myth Busted

[SheilaAnn]

BUSTED. All the cookbooks and TV chefs tell us to tie the tips of the drumsticks together so the thighs hug the body. So what happens when you do? Well, you make the thermal mass larger by adding weight to the body, slowing the cooking and increasing moisture loss. You are also pulling the insides of the thighs close to the crotch, a recipe for a rash in humans, but in poultry it means a lot of tan, flabby skin. But if you let the thighs hang out, hot air can get in there and brown the skin. It can also cook the thighs from all sides, and that’s good because we like to get the thighs 10°F warmer than the breasts. The only time I truss is when I am cooking poultry on a rotisserie. If the legs aren’t trussed on a rotisserie they will flop around and break off.



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[Smoker_Boy]

How does this "add weight to the body"?
The string used for trussing certainly doesn't add that much weight.

[jfmorris]

I think Meathead's writing style is just fine. When you tie the leg to the body, the weight of meat in the leg, which was flopping out as a separate piece, is now thermally welded to the weight of the body, increasing cooking time for the body AND the leg. Plus making rubbery skin for all areas of overlap.

[Mosca]

“Mass” vs “thermal mass”.

[Smoker_Boy]

I seem to be mis-reading things constantly.
It's not worth the aggravation.

[RonB]

I never truss a chicken for the reason posted above and I've never cooked one long enough for the wings or legs to fall off. AI do pull at 158° in the breast.

[Finster]

I may try not trussing my next rotisserie chicken. I was never concerned with them falling off, I just thought it was done to make them more balanced on the spit.

[jfmorris]

I've stopped trussing chickens, but I do turkeys, as otherwise they are problematic, as the weight of those big turkey legs on a spinning 20 pound bird WILL rip things apart.

[Skinsfan1311]

Well.....DAMN! I wish I would've know this earlier. Trussing the bird is one reason that I don't break out the rotisserie as often as I should. Thanks for this!

[Davek8282]

I haven't trussed chicken for years. I do truss a turkey if stuffing is involved. I know they say you should not stuff poultry but the stuffing is so much better when the turkey fat/juices are mixed in. Important to make sure the stuffing gets to the correct temp, so IMHO brining the turkey is mandatory to make for a juicy end product.

[Finster]

I've never trussed poultry until I started doing rotisserie cooking.
I never even knew it was a thing

[jfmorris]

Same here. I only truss if spinning the bird.

[Jerod Broussard]

I never trust chicken either. Honesty is not a strong quality of Gallus domestica.

[Spinaker]

Dirty birds

[captainlee]

I have planned a rotisserie chicken for tomorrow. I have always trusted them but tomorrow I will make the leap not to.

[captainlee]

I see spell check got me again turn trussed into trusted.

[jfmorris]

I don't trust my chicken farther than I can throw it! Especially before its cooked!

[captainlee]

Well I tried this for the first time tonight and guess what, you don't need to truss. Always nice learning new things here on the Forum.

[Jerod Broussard]

Trusting the nontrussing.

[cruiseplanner1]

Beautiful color on that bird. I am sure it was good

[surfdog]

Glad to see that I’m not the only one not to truss a bird. Always thought it was kinda silly…especially if crispy skin was part of the goal.
As for rotisserie birds…for chickens & smaller birds I generally don’t worry about it. IF I feel the need…I cheat and run a skewer or two through it and sort of hold it together that way. Finding where the twine has been hidden is a challenge at best. LOL