Principles of Preparing Stocks

Stocks- are among the most basic preparations found in professional kitchen. They are referred
to in French as fonds de cuisine, or “the foundation of cooking.” It is a flavorful liquid prepared
by simmering meaty bones from meat or poultry, seafood and/or vegetables in water with
aromatics until their flavor, aroma, color and body, and nutritive value are extracted.

- a clear, thin liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, and fish; and
their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings.

Classification of Stocks

Chicken stock –made from the chicken bones.

White stock – made from beef or veal bones.
Brown stock – made from beef or veal bones that have been browned in an oven.
Fish stock – made from fish bones and trimmings left over after filleting

Ingredients in Preparing Stocks

1. Bones
Most of the flavor and body of stocks are derived from the bones of beef, veal, chicken, fish, and
pork. The kinds of bones used determine the kind of stock, except vegetable stock.
2. Mirepoix
- is the French term for the combination of coarsely chopped onions, carrots and celery used to
flavor stocks.
Basic formula for Mirepoix – used to flavor white stocks and soups, tomato paste or puree is
often included for brown stock, gravy, stew or soup.
2 parts onion
1 part celery
1 part carrot
3. Acid products - Acid helps dissolve connective tissues, and extract flavor and body from bones.
4. Scraps and left-over -Scraps may be used in stocks if they are clear, wholesome, and
appropriate to the stock being made.
5. Seasoning and spices
6. Bouquet garni – assortment of fresh herbs and aromatic ingredients tied in a bundle with
string so it can be removed easily from the stock.

Guidelines for preparing stock

1. Follow the correct procedures for cooling and storing stock and make sure that any stock you
use is flavorful and wholesome.
2. Follow the cooking time for stock
The following are approximate cooking time for different stocks; the time will vary according to
numerous factors such as ingredients quality, volume and cooking temperature.
White beef stock - 8 to 10 hours
White and brown Veal Game stock – 6 to 8 hours
White poultry and Game Bird Stocks – 3 to 4 hours
Fish Stock – 45 minutes to 1 hour
Vegetables Stock – 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the specific ingredients and the size of
vegetables cut
3. The stock ingredients are boiled starting with cold water. This promotes the extraction of
protein which may be sealed in by hot water.
4. Stocks are simmered gently, with small bubbles at the bottom but not breaking at the surface.
If a stock is boiled, it will be cloudy.
5. Salt is not usually added to a stock, as this causes it to become too salty, since most stocks are
preserved to make soup and sauces.
6. Meat is added to the stock before the vegetables and the “scum” that rises to the surface is
skimmed off before further ingredients are added

Soups
Soups are based on stocks added with other ingredients for variety of flavor, consistency,
appearance and aroma
A well-prepared soup always makes a memorable impression. Soups offer a full array of flavoring
ingredients and garnishing opportunities. Soups also allow the use of trimmings and leftover
creatively.
Classifications of Soups
1. Clear Soups
Clear Soups. They are soups based on a clear, unthickened broth or stock. They may be served
plain or garnished with a variety of vegetables and meats. They are very similar to stocks, except
that broths are based on meats rather than bones so they are richer and have a more defined
flavor. Broths can be used as a liquid in preparing soups. A good quality broth should be clear,
aromatic and rich-tasting with a very evident flavor of the major ingredient. One strong and clear
broth or stock is a consommé. It is made by combining lean chopped meat, egg whites, mirepoix,
herbs and spices and an acidic ingredient like tomatoes, wine, or lemon juice. The combination is
called “clarification” since the particles that make the broth appear cloudy are trapped as it
cooks. A good quality consommé is crystal – clear, has a good body, amber to brown in color, and
completely fat-free.
• Broth and bouillon simple clear soup without solid ingredients.
Broth and bouillon are similar to stock in technique and in cooking time. The major distinction
between broth and stock is that broths can be served as is, whereas stocks are used in
production of other dishes.
• Vegetable soup – clear seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one or more vegetable,
meat, or poultry.
• Consommé’ – rich, flavorful stock or broth that has been clarified to make it perfectly clear
and transparent.
2. Thick Soups
Thick Soups are soups that are thickened to provide a heavier consistency. Thick soup is a cream
soup based on béchamel sauce and is finished with a heavy cream. A béchamel sauce is milk
thickened with roux. But some thick soups are veloute sauce-based, stock thickened with roux. A
veloute sauce base is usually finished with a liaison of heavy cream egg yolk. A thick soup should
have a velvety smooth texture and the thickness of heavy cream. It is always essential to strain
out the solids and at times to puree and put back in the soup. Cream soups may be served hot or
cold.
A kind of cream soup based on crustaceans like shrimps and lobsters is bisque. It is made by
simmering a crustacean in a stock or a fish fumet.
Another thick vegetable soup is the chowder made with broth, milk or water as base, then
thickened with roux. Cold, thick soups such as vichyssoise are simply cream soups served cold.
Others like gazpacho or a chilled cantaloupe soup are based on a puree of cooked or raw
ingredients brought to the correct consistency by adding fruits or vegetable juice as a liquid
• Cream soups – are soups thickened with roux, beurremanie, liaison or other thickening
agents, plus milk, or cream.
• Purees – vegetable soup thickened with starch
• Bisques – are thickened soups made from shellfish.
• Chowders – are hearty soups made from fish, shellfish or vegetables usually contain milk and
potatoes.
• Veloutes – soup thickened with egg, butter and cream.
3. Other types of soup
a. Dessert soup
A. Ginataan – a Filipino soup made from coconut milk, milk, fruit, and tapioca pearl served hot or
cold.
B. Osheriku – a Japanese asuki bean soup
C. Tonge sui – a Chinese soup
b. Fruit Soup can be served hot or cold depending on the recipe where dried fruits are used like
raisins and prunes. Fruit soup may include milk, sweet or savory dumplings, spices or alcoholic
beverages like brandy and champagne.
c. Cold soup is variations on the traditional soup wherein the temperature when served is kept at
or below temperature.
d. Asian soup is a traditional soup which is typical broth, clear soup, or starch thickened soup.
Other thickening agents for soup
1. rice
2. flour
3. grain
4. corn starch

Ingredients of soup
• Meat (chicken, beef, pork, lamb, fish)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Vegetables (carrots, string beans, turnips, tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, leak)
• Onion
• Garlic
• Water
• Eggs
• Cornstarch
• Seasoning (MSG, convenience products)
• Butter
• Cream
• Garnishes (slices of lemon, egg, shredded vegetables,
pimiento strips)
Basic Principles of Preparing Soup
1stPrinciple. Starting with Cold Water
Why cold water? Most protein, vitamins and minerals dissolve in cold water. Part of the flavor
comes from these components. Using hot water would lessen the flavor and nutritive content of
stock
2ndPrinciple. Cutting vegetable to appropriate size for the type of stock.
The size of cut helps the maximum flavor to be extracted.
Example 1: A fish stock only simmer for a half hour (30 minutes) so the cut should be julienne
(thin strips: ¼ inch thick 2-3 inches long)
Example 2: A brown stock simmers for 4-6 hours and sometimes 24 hours, so the cut should be
1” cubed so that stock will have time to extract the flavor and will not fall apart after a long
cooking.
3rd Principle. Select your protein based. Beef, Chicken, Pork and Fish
All bones are washed, roasted or blanched. Roasted for brown sauce and blanched for white
stock.
4th Principle. Simmering
Gentle extractions aid in flavor and nutrition. Boiling causes cloudiness
through agitation of the ingredients.
5th Principle. Skimming
Keep the stock clear. The scum on top of stocks contains impurities.

Cooking soups
Meats, Poultry and Fish
• Cuts of meat that are less tender should be added early in the cooking process
• Poultry needs to be added early enough so that it cooks thoroughly
• Add fish closed to the end of the cooking process to keep it from overcooking.
Grains and Pasta
• Allow a little more time in cooking.
Beans and Legumes
• Soaked beans, lentils and black-eyed peas should be added with the liquid so they will fully
cook
Dense or Starchy Vegetables
• A small-diced cut of potatoes, carrots, and winter squashes will require 30–45 minutes to
cook.
Green Vegetables:
• These vegetables should be added during the final 15–20 minutes of cooking the soup
Adjusting Consistency
Thick soups may continue to thicken during cooking and may need additional stock or water
added to adjust the consistency
Degreasing
Broth-based soups maybe prepared in advance, cooled and refrigerated. This facilitates
removing of congealed fat from the surface. Skim the top layer of fat from a hot soup with a
ladle, alternately.

Learning Outcome 3 Prepare Sauces Required for Menu Item

Sauces
One of the important components of a dish is the sauce. Sauces serve a particular function in the
composition of a dish. These enhance the taste of the food to be served as well as add moisture
or succulence to food that are cooked dry. Sauces also enhance the appearance of a dish by
adding luster and sheen. A sauce that includes a flavor complementary to a food brings out the
flavor of that food. It defines and enriches the overall taste and its texture. Sauce is a fluid
dressing for poultry, meat, fish, dessert and other culinary products.
Sauce is a flavorful liquid, usually thickened that is used to season, flavor and enhance other
foods. It adds:
1. Moistness 4. Appearance (color and shine)
2. Flavor 5. Appeal
3. Richness
Basic Sauces for Meat, Vegetables, and Fish
1. White sauce - Its basic ingredient is milk which is thickened with flour enriched with butter.
2. Veloute sauce- Its chief ingredients are veal, chicken and fish broth, thickened with blonde
roux.
3. Hollandaise – It is a rich emulsified sauce made from butter, egg yolks, lemon juice and
cayenne.
Emulsion – (as fat in milk) consists of liquid dispersed with or without an emulsifier in another
liquid that usually would not mix together.
4. Brown sauce / Espagnole – It is a brown roux-based sauce made with margarine or butter,
flavor and brown stock.
5. Tomato – It is made from stock (ham/pork) and tomato products seasoned with spices and
herbs.
A. Variation of Sauces
1. Hot Sauces – made just before they are to be used.
2. Cold sauces – cooked ahead of time, then cooled, covered, and placed in the refrigerator to
chill.

B. Thickening Agents
Thickening agent – thickens sauce to the right consistency. The sauce must be thick enough to
cling lightly to the food.
Starches are the most commonly used thickeners for sauce making. Flour is the principal starch
used. Other products include cornstarch, arrowroot, waxy maize, pre-gelatinized starch, bread
crumbs, and other vegetables and grain products like potato starch and rice flour.
Starches thicken by gelatinization, which is the process by which starch granules absorb water
and swell many times their original sizes.
Starch granules must be separated before heating in liquid to avoid lumping. Lumping occurs
because the starch on the outside of the lump quickly gelatinizes into a coating that prevents the
liquid from reaching the starch inside.
Starch granules are separated in two ways:
• Mixing the starch with fat. Example: roux
• Mixing the starch with a cold liquid. Example: slurry
Roux – is a cooked mixture of equal parts by weight of fat and flour.
1. Fat
A. Clarified butter. Using clarified butter results to finest sauces because of its flavor.
B. Margarine. Used as a substitute for butter because of its lower cost.
C. Animal fat. Chicken fat, beef drippings and lard.
D. Vegetable oil and shortening. Can be used for roux, but it adds no flavor.
2. Flour
The thickening power of flour depends on its starch content. Bread flour is commonly used in
commercial cooking. It is sometimes browned for use in brown roux. Heavily browned flour has
only 1/3 the thickening power of not brown flour.
A roux must be cooked so that the sauce does not have a raw, starchy taste of flour. The kinds of
roux differ on how much they are cooked.
• White roux – cooked just enough to cook the raw taste of flour; used for béchamel and other
white sauces based on milk.
• Blond roux – cooked little longer to a slightly darker color; used for veloutes´.
• Brown roux – cooked to a light brown color and a nutty aroma. Flour may be browned before
adding to the fat. It contributes flavor and color to brown sauces.
C. Common Problems in Sauce
1. Discarding 3. poor texture 5. oil streaking
2. oiling-off 4. synersis (weeping)

Hygienic Principles and Practices in Sauce Making

1. Make sure all equipment is perfectly clean.
2. Hold sauce no longer than 1 ½ hours. Make only enough to serve in this time, and discard any
that is left over.
3. Never mix an old batch of sauce with a new batch.
4. Never hold hollandaise or béarnaise or any other acid product in aluminum. Use stainless-
steel containers.
Making Roux
Procedure
1. Melt fat.
2. 2. Add correct amount of flour, and stir until fat and flour is thoroughly mixed.
3. 3. Cook to the desired degree of white, blond or brown roux.
4. Basic Finishing Techniques in Sauce Making
5. 1. Reduction
6. • Using reduction to concentrate basic flavors.
7. The water evaporates when simmered. The sauce becomes more concentrated and
more flavorful.
8. • Using reduction to adjust textures
9. The sauce may be simmered until it reaches the desired thickness. Stock or other liquid
may be added to thickened sauce to thin it out, then simmer to reduce to the right
consistency.
10. • Using reduction to add new flavors.
11. Glazes or reduced stocks are added to sauces to give flavor.

2. Straining
This is very important in order to produce a smooth, lump free sauce. Straining through a china
cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth is effective.
3. Deglazing
To deglaze means to swirl a liquid in a sauté pan to cooked particles of food remaining on the
bottom.
Liquid such as wine or stock is used to deglaze then reduced by one-half or three-fourths. This
reduction, with the added flavor of the pan drippings, is then added to the sauce.
4. Enriching with butter and cream
• Liaison mixture of egg yolks and cream added to sauce to give extra richness and smoothness.
• Heavy cream- added to give flavor and richness to sauce
• Butter - Add softened butter to hot sauce and swirl until it melts. Serve immediately to
prevent separation of butter.
Butter gives extra shine and smoothness to the sauce.
5. Seasoning – adds and develop flavor
Ex: salt
lemon juice
cayenne
white pepper
sherry and Madeira

Learning Outcome 4 Store and Reconstitute Stocks, Sauces and Soups

Storage of Stocks/Sauces and Soups
Stock is a clear, flavored liquid that freezes well. Chilled stock can be frozen in 1 gallon amounts
to be used for sauces. However, once a stock has been used to make a sauce, the sauce itself
should not be frozen. Sauces do not freeze well and should be made in amounts needed on the
day of production.
The stock should never be put in the refrigerator while it is hot. The large volume of hot liquid
can raise the internal temperature of the refrigerator to the point that the stock will cool
sufficiently within two hours and may warm everything else in the refrigerator. A good way to
cool the stock is to place the hot stock pot in a sink full of cold water and ice cubes until it is
lukewarm but it should not exceed one hour. After leaving it uncovered for the first half hour and
stirring occasionally to cool, it should be covered with an upside down plate to prevent
evaporation which would cause the stock to become too
concentrated. Refrigerated stock cools better in shallow pans. If covered, stock lasts up to five
days but it is best if used in two days.
Storage of Starch and Sauces
Sauces and starches should be kept in airtight container and stored in a cool dry place away from
the moisture, oxygen, lights, and pests. Food made with starches contains egg, milk, cream of
other dairy products all of which make them prone to bacterial contamination and to food-borne
illnesses. Sauces made with these ingredients should be kept out of the temperature danger
zone. Thickened sauce should also be prepared, served, and stored with caution. These products
should be stored in the refrigerator and never left to stay for long at room temperature.
Storing Equipment
1. Glass/Plastic Container
2. Stock pot
3. Refrigerator
Ways to Reconstitute Stocks
1. Skim the surface and strain off the stock through a china cup lined with several layers of
cheesecloth.
2. Cool the stock as quickly as possible as follows:
▪ Set the pot in a sink with blocks, rack or some other object under it. This is called venting. This
allows cold water to flow under the pot or around it.
▪ Run cold water into the sink, but not higher than the level of the stock.
▪ Stir the pot occasionally so the stocks cool evenly
Cooling stock quickly and properly is important. Improperly cooled stock may spoil in 6 to 8 hrs.
3. When cool, refrigerate the stock in covered containers. Stock will keep 2 to 3 days if properly
refrigerated. Stock can also be frozen and will last for several months.
Ways to Reconstitute Stocks, Sauce and Soup
1. by adding water
2. By using other liquid like evaporating milk, coconut milk, and fruit juices

Selecting and Purchasing Poultry and Game

Poultry consumption in the Philippines has increased remarkably in the last decade. This is
evident in the popularity of chicken dishes in restaurants all over the country.
Poultry refers to several kinds of fowl that are used as food and the term includes chicken,
turkey, duck, pigeon, and quail. These are usually domesticated raised mainly for meat and/or
eggs. Birds such as smites that are hunted for food are games.

Chickens and other poultry may be divided into classes which are essentially of the same
physical characteristics associated with age, sex, live weight and/or breed.
1. Broiler or Fryer. A broiler or fryer is young chicken, usually 9 to 12 weeks of age, of either sex,
is tender-meat with soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin.
2. Roaster. A roaster is usually 5 to 6 months of age.
3. Capon. A capon is a surgically desexed male chicken usually under 8 months of age.
4. Stag. A stag is a male chicken, usually under 10 months of age, with coarse skin, with
somewhat toughened and darkened flesh.
5. Hen or Stewing Chicken. It is a mature female chicken which is usually more than 10 months
of age. It can also be a culled layer.
6. Cock or Rooster. It is a mature male chicken with coarse skin, toughened and darkened meat
and hardened breastbone tip.
7. Jumbo Broiler. This is a large chicken about 4 kg. dressed weight which are on sale especially
during the Christmas holiday.
Other Poultry
1. Peking duck. This is a breed of duck that originated from China and is noted for its tender and
flavorful meat.
2. Duck or Itik is available and popular in many towns of Rizal as fried itik.
3. Squab. This is a young immature pigeon of either sex and has extra tender meat.

Selecting Good Quality Poultry and Game

1. Live Poultry
a. It has clear eyes.
b. A young chicken has fine and soft feet. If it is old, the feet are thick and scaly.
c. The bone at the tip of the breast is soft in younger chicken and thick in older one.
d. Small feathers indicate that the chicken is young.

2. Whole Poultry. These are slaughtered birds that have been bled and de-feathered.
a. Their head, feet and viscera are still intact.
b. They are clean, well fleshed.
c. They have moderate fat coverings.
d. They are free from pin feathers and show no cuts, scars or missing skin.
3. Dressed Poultry. These are slaughtered birds that have been bled, de-feathered, and the
visceral organs are removed.
a. The skin is smooth and yellow in color
b. The breast is plump
c. The thighs are well-developed
d. It has no objectionable odor
e. It is heavy and the skin is not watery
4. Ready-to-Cook. The dressed birds may be cut up and marinated or seasoned.
5. Poultry Parts. Several pieces of a single poultry part are usually packed in one carton, wrapped
and chilled or frozen. The various poultry parts are divided into any of the following:
a. dark meat – drumsticks, thighs, wings, neck, backs, and rib cage
b. white meat – breasts
c. giblets – gizzard and heart

Nutritional Value/Components of Poultry and Game

Like meat, poultry contains high quality proteins. Chicken, the most consumed among the fowls,
has 22.6% protein, 76.3% water and traces of fat, vitamins and minerals.
Poultry meat consists of dark and white muscles. Dark muscles are those found in parts of fowl’s
body which are always used. These are the legs, thigh, wings, neck and rib cage. These are richer
in fat, have more connective tissues, and have higher riboflavin and myoglobin content. Most
people prefer the dark meat than white meat (from the breast) because of its juiciness and
flavor. Variety meats refer to the meat of such organs as the gizzard, heart, kidneys and liver.

Preparation of poultry for cooking

• Slaughter and bleeding
• Scaldding
• Defeathering
• Evisceration
• Deboning
Market forms of poultry
Live poultry
Live poultry should be healthy, alert, and well-feathered. Avoid poultry which have bruises,
blisters and broken bones.
Whole poultry
Though not alive, the criteria for selecting live poultry also apply to whole poultry.
Dressed poultry
This is the most available poultry form in the market. Dressed poultry are actually slaughtered
poultry with the head, feet, blood, feathers and internal organs removed. Good quality dressed
poultry should be free from slime, off-odors and discoloration.
Drawn poultry
These are dressed poultry that have been chilled or frozen. They are usually available in
groceries.
Ready-to cook
These are poultry parts such as wings, breast, thighs, or drumsticks which have been separately
packed in a single container and frozen or chilled.
Different Cuts of Poultry

Whole Chicken Whole Chickens are marketed either fresh or frozen.

Halves The bird is split from front to back through the backbone and keel to produce 2 halves of
approximately equal weight.
Breast Quarters Halves may be further cut into which include the wing. A breast quarter,
including portions of the back, is all white meat.
Split Breast A breast quarter with the wing removed.
Split Breast without Back A breast quarter with wing and back portion removed.
Boneless, Skinless Breast Split breast that has been skinned and deboned.
8-Piece Cut The whole bird is cut into 2 breast halves with ribs and back portion, 2 wings, 2
thighs with back portion and 2 drumsticks. The parts may be packaged together and labelled as
whole cut-up chicken. These are usually sold without giblets.
Whole Chicken Wing The whole chicken wing is an all-white meat portion composed of three
sections; the drumette, mid-section, and tip.
Wing Drummettes The first section between the shoulder and the elbow.
Wing Mid-Section with Tip The flat center section and the flipper (wing tip).
Wing Mid-Section The section between the elbow and the tip, sometimes called the wing flat or
mid-joint.
Whole Chicken Leg Whole Chicken Leg The whole chicken leg is the drumstick-thigh
combination. The whole leg differs from the leg quarter and does not contain a portion of the
back.
Boneless, Skinless Leg Whole chicken leg with skin and bone removed.
Thigh The thigh is the portion of the leg above the knee joint.
Boneless, Skinless Thigh Thigh with skin and bone removed.
Drumsticks Drumsticks include the lower portion of the leg quarter (the portion between the
knee joint and the hock).
Giblets Includes heart, liver, and neck.

Principles of Poultry Cookery

1. The fat distribution and maturity of the fowl affect the quality of the product. Mature birds
are best cooked using moist heat. Dry heat is suitable for young birds.
2. The best cooking temperature for poultry is at low to moderate heat. This temperature range
produces a more flavorful and tender product. This also minimizes nutrient loss and shrinkage of
meat.
3. To prevent the risk of microbial contamination, stuffing of turkey and chickens should be done
immediately before roasting. It is best not to fill the cavity completely as this will prevent the
poultry from being thoroughly cooked.
4. Because of its susceptibility to microbial growth, cooked poultry should be eaten immediately
or refrigerated if not consumed. Leftover stuffing should be stored separately to prevent
contamination.
5. Because poultry meat is pale-colored, it is best to employ dry heat cooking with fat for a
brown color.
6. When roasting chicken, cuts should be placed with the breast-side down to produce a juicier
and tenderer product.
7. To improve the palatability of lean poultry meat, basting can be done.
Causes of Food Spoilage and Contamination All food should be safe and free from contamination
and spoilage at all points in its journey from its source until it reaches the consumers. However,
food contamination is a serious public health problem resulting in foodborne diseases that affect
many people every year. Hence, awareness of potential sources of food contamination is an
important component of good nutrition and good health. Food may be contaminated by
different microorganisms or by chemicals that can cause health problems for anyone who eats it.
The common causes of food contamination and food spoilage are:
1. Failure to properly refrigerate food
2. Failure to thoroughly heat or cook food
3. Infected employees/workers because of poor personal hygiene practices
4. Foods prepared a day or more before they are served

5. Raw, contaminated ingredients incorporated into foods that receive no further cooking
6. Cross-contamination of cooked foods through improperly cleaned equipment
7. Failure to reheat foods to temperature that kills bacteria
8. Prolonged exposure to temperatures favorable to bacterial growth
Poultry Cookery
Poultry, like meat may be cooked by either dry or moist heat method. The choice of method
depends mainly upon the age of the bird instead of location of the part in the carcass as in the
case of meats. Fat content should also be taken into consideration.
1. Moist Heat Method
As discussed earlier in this lesson, chicken are categorized into classes. All classes of chicken and
other poultry for that matter may be cooked by moist-heat cookery. Common Filipino dishes are
tinola, sinampalukang manok, manok na pinaupo, and relyeno.
2. Dry Heat Method
The dry method is usually reserved for young tender poultry. The poultry class of these chickens
is specially termed “broilers and fryers” Somewhat older but still immature birds such as capons
and roasters are also suitable for roasting. They are still tender but have more fat than the
broilers or fryers.
Older birds need to be tenderized by moist cooking prior to dry heat cooking.
One point to remember in poultry cookery; moist heat cookery may be applied to all classes and
kinds of poultry but dry heat cookery is reserved for tender birds.

Portion Control for Cooked Poultry and Game Chicken

• Meat shrinks about 25% when cooked. A quarter-pound hamburger (4 oz.) will actually yield a
3 ounce portion after cooking. An 8 ounce steak will yield about 6 ounces of cooked meat.
• A chicken breast is generally 3 - 4 ounces.
• A chicken thigh is usually 2 ounces, while a leg is 1 - 2 ounces.
• Chicken wings are high in fat. It takes 2 wings to equal a 1 ounce choice (or exchange) with
that.
How to Do Control Portion Sizes – Portion Control Secrets
It’s not always what you eat, but how much you eat - It’s the size of your servings that really
counts!
Most of us tend to underestimate the amount of food we eat and tend to overestimate the
recommended portion sizes for many foods. Almost everyone underestimates the amount of
calories they consume, and people who weigh more do so, to a greater degree.
Portion: A “portion” is how much food you choose to eat at one time (breakfast, lunch, dinner,
or snack), whether in a restaurant, from a package, or in your own kitchen. Portions can be
bigger or smaller than the recommended food servings. There is no standard portion size and no
single right or wrong portion size.
Serving: A “serving” size is the amount of food listed (and recommended) on a product’s
Nutrition Facts (panel of packaged food) or the amount of food recommended in the Food Guide
Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines* for Americans. Sometimes, the portion size and serving size
match; sometimes they do not. A serving is a standard amount used to help give advice about
how much to eat, or to identify how many calories and nutrients are in a food.

How to Control Portion Sizes:

Eating smaller portions of food is one of the easiest ways to cut back on calories—but it can also
be one of the most challenging, with the current trend of super-sizing. How do you know a
reasonable portion of food when you see it? Visualize the objects mentioned below when eating
out, planning a meal, or grabbing a snack.
Factors to consider in presenting/plating poultry dishes
• Types of service wares
• Plating
• Garnishing
• Sauces
• Accompaniments
Plating/ Presenting Poultry Dishes
Creative Food Presentation Techniques
The way food is presented affects a person’s perception of how it will taste. People instinctively
reject bruised apples and browned bananas, and recognize well-marbled beef and perfectly ripe
produce. Prepared dishes work in the same manner. The perfect dish includes food that tastes as
good as it looks. Much of the artistry of cooking comes after the food has been cooked and it is
time to transfer it from pot to plate. Here, chefs rise above cooks as they
arrange the different components on a plate like interior designers place furniture to create
culinary masterpieces. The home chef faces similar circumstances on a nightly basis. Whether
you’re entertaining, preparing a special meal or jazzing up an old favorite, these food
presentation tips will set your dishes apart from the crowd.
Plating the Food
Plating is the act of arranging the meal on the individual plate immediately before it’s served.
Presentation should look natural. It should feel as though everything that is on the plate is
meant to be should feel as though everything that is on the plate is meant to be exactly where it
is. Try to strike a balance between having enough food on the plate to convey hospitality without
overcrowding the plate—and potentially offending your guest. Try to leave one-third of the plate
empty, and plate your dish immediately before you serve it. It goes without saying that hot food
should be hot and cold food should be cold; always check the temperature of your food before
you serve it to a guest. After you have put the food on the plate, check to see that the plate is
clean. Plate edges should be especially immaculate. Clean spills or sauces away with a moistened
clean sponge or paper towel.
Decorate the Frame
If the food is the masterpiece, then the plate is its frame. Adapt artistic framing strategies to
your cooking for a quick way to improve your food’s presentation. Buy beautiful bowls and plates
in a variety of shapes and colors. The same bowl of soup looks dramatically different in a small
Asian ceramic cup and an oversized, shallow white French consommé bowl. You can also
decorate the rim of a plate, just as you’d decorate a frame. Use culinary elements like colorful
spices or confectioner’s sugar; specialty salts like Hawaiian alaea or Himalayan pink salt which
also lend themselves wonderfully to this purpose. For small appetizers, part of the presentation
is making the display platter look beautiful. Make a bed of uncooked soba noodles or flat rice
sticks, shafts of wheat, or large sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. This is also a good
trick to use if you are preparing a hors d’oeuvre platter. If you’re decorating a plate that will hold
hot food, be aware that by the time you’re finished garnishing the plate, the food may not be
hot. In some cases, you can garnish the plate before you plate the food. If this is impossible,
work quickly and have all of your garnishes close by.

Mix Shapes, Colors and Textures

Food is naturally beautiful. Combine foods with different shapes, colors and textures on the
same plate. Grilled filet mignon becomes even more decadent when it appears on the plate with
stark white mashed potatoes and a bright green steamed vegetable. In this case, these different
elements combine for a dish that catches the eye. If your plate will contain multiple elements,
use an odd number of dishes rather than an even number for further interest. Grilled filet
mignon with mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus looks great, but add a stack of sliced
tomatoes and the combination becomes regimented and less remarkable. Try to integrate a
variety of shapes in each dish. Risotto is boring when paired with rice, as the two are nearly
identical in shape, color and size. Meatballs and Brussels sprouts are different colors but the
same shape. But meatballs and rice make an interesting combination, as do risotto and Brussels
sprouts. For a restaurant-worthy twist on traditional side-by-side plating, stack the components
of your dish vertically. Arrange asparagus into a teepee on the plate, with a dipping sauce in the
center; make salads more cylindrical than vertical. This approach can make any plate instantly
more interesting. Keep in mind that sometimes the most aesthetically pleasing plate of food
does not include a garnish. For example, crème brulee features a delicate, crunchy top layer.
While its appearance can certainly be improved with a small garnish or beautiful brulee dish, the
texture and color of the caramelized sugar is beautiful enough on its own.

Garnishes
Garnishes can be as simple or intricate as you like. For a twist on the traditional parsley sprig, use
a sprig or two of an herb or spice that was used in the dish. A ham flavored with rosemary might
feature a sprig of rosemary on each plate. Spicy pad Thai can include a wedge of lemon or lime
and a dash of paprika sprinkled around the plate. You can also garnish with small fans of fruits
and vegetables like cucumber, pineapple, avocado, citrus, kiwi or apple. Slice the fruit or
vegetable into thin rounds, leaving ¼” of flesh connected on one side to hold the rounds
together. Gently spread out the slices and arrange them neatly in an arc. Several kitchen tools
are available that will help you transform nearly any fruit into an attractive garnish for a plate.
The key to selecting a garnish is picking a garnish that will improve the dish. Garnishes add color
and continue a theme, such as a brightly colored orchid on top of passion fruit crème brulee.
They can accent a dish’s color, like chives on top of a baked potato, or a dish’s flavor. Garnishes
can provide complementary flavor, like peanuts in pad Thai, or contrasting flavor, like a lemon
wedge with seafood. An entrée’s sauce also makes a delicious garnish. Swirl it around or atop
the plate for visual and gustatory interest. The way food looks on the plate is the most
commonly ignored facet of cooking at home. Too often, other considerations such as time,
money, and food allergies push presentation out of mind. Since most children and their families
eat their main meals at home, attractive food presentation is just as important at home as it is in
a restaurant. A dish that looks good is more likely to be eaten. Even picky kids will forego sugary
cereal in favor of Mickey Mouse-shaped waffles or a plate with over easy egg eyes, a bacon smile
and potato cheeks. You can even trick your own palate into liking Brussels sprouts, zucchini and
other healthy produce with a beautiful arrangement on a dish.

Techniques in Storing Poultry

Poultry may be frozen whole, in halves, cut into pieces, or parts after they are dressed. Parts can
be packed separately, ready to cook, or for easy meal preparation and thawing.
Handling and Storage of Poultry
Poultry spoils very quickly unless it is properly handled and stored. After being brought home
from the market, it should be unwrapped as quickly as possible and wiped off with a damp cloth.
Then it should be lightly covered with waxed paper, placed in shallow utensils and stored in a
cold part of the refrigerator near the freezing unit or ice. Cooked poultry should be cooled as
quickly as possible, covered to prevent drying and refrigerated. Removing the bones saves space.
Frozen poultry must be kept in the freezing unit until it is thawed for cooking.

Freezing and Thawing Poultry

To prepare poultry properly for freezing, it should be wrapped tightly in a moisture-vapor proof
film, foil or paper and then frozen at -170oC (0oF) or lower. Although there are no abrupt
changes in quality during the first few months of poultry storage, it has always been a good
practice to use these chickens first which have been in storage longest and those with torn
wrapper.

Product Refrigerator (35-40F) Freezer ( 0F)

Chicken and turkey (Whole) 1 – 2 days 12 months
Chicken (pieces) 1 – 2 days 9 months
Turkey ( pieces ) 1 – 2 days 6 months
Duck and Goose ( whole ) 1 – 2 days 6 months
Giblets 1 – 2 days 3 – 4 months
Wild duck, pheasant. Goose 1 – 2 days 6 months
( whole)

It is not recommended to refreeze poultry after it has been thawed. Freezing and thawing
release fluids called drip and the chances of bacterial spoilage are increased. Water holding
capacity of meat is also affected by subsequent thawing.
When thawing, it is advisable to thaw slowly inside the refrigerator to give tissues a better
chance to rehydrate. Immediately cook the thawed meat since bacterial growth is rapid upon
thawing. Slow thawing may be effected by placing the 1 to 2 kg. chicken in the refrigerator for 12
to 24 hours or to place it under running tap water for ½ to 1 hour, in their original wrap In both
cases. However, frozen poultry or any other market forms of poultry should not be allowed to
thaw or soak in a bowl of water because of possible bacterial build.
Safety Practices in Handling and Storing Poultry and Game Products
How to Handle Chicken Safely
Raw chicken and poultry can carry the salmonella bacteria, which is responsible for more cases
of food poisoning than any other pathogen. Fortunately, it's easy to avoid getting sick from
chicken and poultry, as long as you follow safe food handling practices.
Safe Shopping for Chicken and Poultry
During distribution to retail stores, fresh chicken is kept cold in order to extend its shelf life as
well as to prevent bacteria growth. Packages of chicken should feel cold to the touch, and should
be among the last items you select before checking out. Packages of chicken should be wrapped
in plastic bags to prevent leakage onto other items in your grocery cart.
Once you're home, you should immediately place your chicken in a refrigerator that maintains a
temperature of 40°F or colder, and use it within 2 days. Otherwise, it should be frozen at 0°F.
Safe Handling of Chicken and Poultry
Just like meat, fish or any animal-based food product, raw or undercooked chicken carry certain
bacteria. These bacteria can cause illness in large numbers. Therefore, to avoid illness we need
to limit bacteria's ability to multiply, or kill them altogether. Limiting their ability to multiply
requires making sure that food products are not left at room temperatures — or specifically,
temperatures between 40°F and 140°F — for more than an hour. And remember, freezing
doesn't kill bacteria, either — it just makes them cold. The only way to kill food-borne pathogens
is by thoroughly cooking the food. Another concern with respect to working with uncooked
poultry is cross-contamination. Cross-contamination can happen when raw poultry — or even
just its juices — somehow come into contact with any other food products but especially ones
that are already cooked or ones that will be eaten raw, such as salad vegetables or greens. Fresh
vs. Frozen Chicken and Poultry If the label on a raw poultry product bears the term "fresh," that
indicates that it has never been colder than 26°F. Poultry that has at any time been kept at 0°F or
colder must have a label indicating that it is "frozen" or "previously frozen," whatever the case
may be. Interestingly, poultry that has been kept at temperatures colder than 26°F but warmer
than 0°F can be labeled neither fresh nor frozen.

Chicken and Poultry Product Dating Federal regulations don't require poultry products to be
dated. However, most retailers will date the chicken products that they sell. If they do opt to
date the product, regulations do require that there be a phrase signifying whether the date is a
"sell by" date or a "use before" date, and the explanation must appear right next to the date.
Basics for Handling Food Safely
• Shopping
• Storage
• Preparation
• Thawing
• Cooking
• Serving
• Leftovers
• Refreezing
Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential to prevent foodborne illness. You
can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food
preparation, follow the four Fight BAC! ™ guidelines to keep food safe:
• Clean — Wash hands and surfaces often.
• Separate — Don't cross-contaminate.
• Cook — Cook to proper temperatures.
• Chill — Refrigerate promptly.
Shopping
• Purchase refrigerated or frozen items after selecting your non-perishables.
• Never choose meat or poultry in packaging that is torn or leaking.
• Do not buy food without expiration dates

Storage
• Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature is above 90
°F).
• Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer with an appliance thermometer. The
refrigerator should be at 40 °F or below and the freezer at 0 °F or below.
• Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef,
veal, lamb, or pork, within 3 to 5 days.
• Perishable food such as meat and poultry should be wrapped securely to maintain quality and
to prevent meat juices from getting onto other food.
• To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package
again with foil or plastic wrap that is recommended for the freezer.
• In general, high-acid canned food such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and pineapple can be stored
on the shelf for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned food such as meat, poultry, fish, and most
vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years — if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a
cool, clean, and dry place. Discard cans that are dented, leaking, bulging, or rusted.
Preparation
• Always wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
• Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices away from other food.
After cutting raw meats, wash cutting board, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water.
• Cutting boards, utensils, and countertops can be sanitized by using a solution of 1 tablespoon
of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water.
• Marinate meat and poultry in a covered dish in the refrigerator.
Thawing
• Refrigerator: The refrigerator allows slow, safe thawing. Make sure thawing meat and poultry
juices do not drip onto other food.
• Cold Water: For faster thawing, place food in a leak-proof plastic bag. Submerge in cold tap
water. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawing.

• Microwave: Cook meat and poultry immediately after microwave thawing

Cooking
Cook all raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal
temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the
heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving
or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to
higher temperatures. Poultry: Cook all poultry to an internal temperature of 165 °F as measured
with a food thermometer.
Serving
• Hot food should be held at 140 °F or warmer.
• Cold food should be held at 40 °F or colder.
• When serving food at a buffet, keep food hot with chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming
trays. Keep food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and replace
them often.
• Perishable food should not be left out more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when
the temperature is above 90 °F).
Left overs
• Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the
temperature was above 90 °F).
• Place food into shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for rapid
cooling.
• Use cooked leftovers within 4 days.
• Reheat leftovers to 165 °F.
Refreezing Meat and poultry defrosted in the refrigerator may be refrozen before or after
cooking. If thawed by other methods, cook before refreezing.