I ended up with 6 pieces of meat on the bone, 2 breasts (and 2 chicken breasts too) and a carcass perfect for making soup/stock from.
Thinking how much you would spend to get all this ready-cut compared to the price of a whole chicken, it really is worth having a go. Once cut it was a bit rough around the edges but when it's cooked you wouldn't notice. After all, practice really does make perfect.
I could have easily done a number of different recipes with all the meat I got and will definitely make the effort to do so in future
However, I'd previously spotted a good recipe for jerk paste and wanted to use it with the meat on the bone. The recipe was plenty for that and the breasts too so I just marinaded them separately and popped them in the freezer for a rainy day. I served the jerk chicken with rice and peas (I won't put my own recipe in as once again my nemesis, rice, defeated me and I burnt it badly) and a sunny little tomato and sweet corn salsa (I will include this recipe, nothing to burn here.)
Jointed chicken
Makes 8-10 pieces
Start with your chicken on a board and a sharp knife. (I actually swapped out the Chinese cleaver for a smaller sharper knife as there is no real need to cut the bones.) Take off the band and spread apart the legs, taking hold of the first one start to cut between the main body and the leg. Once cut through to the bone you should be able to just snap it out of the socket, use a knife if you are struggling. Repeat this process and you will have your two legs. You can keep this whole or do as I did and cut the leg to the bone and then snap at the joint to give you 2 thighs and two drumsticks. Put to one side.
Repeat this process and you will have your two legs that will need tidying up so remove the small joint at the end which is where the feet used to be. You can then keep this whole or do as I did and cut the leg to the bone and then snap at the joint to give you 2 thighs and two drumsticks. Put to one side.
You can then remove the wings from the breast by cutting right to the edge of the joint, making sure not to leave any breast on the wing. You are now have enough meat and bones for at least 3 separate meals.
Jerk Marinade
makes enough for a whole chicken
1 small red onion
3 cloves of garlic
1-3 whole, scotch bonnets depending on your spice levels
1-2 red chillis, ditto
small handful of thyme, leaves picked
small handful of coriander
zest of two limes, reserve the juice and limes for cooking
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 nutmeg grated
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper
Tomato and sweetcorn salsa
Take 2 ripe tomatoes and cut in the chunks, a handful of sweetcorn, chopped sweet red pepper and mix with some chopped coriander, juice of half a lime, pinch of sugar and salt and a sprinkle of Tabasco. Ready to serve straight away.
Start with your chicken on a board and a sharp knife. (I actually swapped out the Chinese cleaver for a smaller sharper knife as there is no real need to cut the bones.) Take off the band and spread apart the legs, taking hold of the first one start to cut between the main body and the leg. Once cut through to the bone you should be able to just snap it out of the socket, use a knife if you are struggling. Repeat this process and you will have your two legs. You can keep this whole or do as I did and cut the leg to the bone and then snap at the joint to give you 2 thighs and two drumsticks. Put to one side.
Repeat this process and you will have your two legs that will need tidying up so remove the small joint at the end which is where the feet used to be. You can then keep this whole or do as I did and cut the leg to the bone and then snap at the joint to give you 2 thighs and two drumsticks. Put to one side.
Next you can run the knife down the middle of the body until you find the centre bone. Very gently run your knife down along the ribcage, trying to take all the meat (breast meat) off the bone, including the wing (as seen on the left of the photo.)
You can then remove the wings from the breast by cutting right to the edge of the joint, making sure not to leave any breast on the wing. You are now have enough meat and bones for at least 3 separate meals.
Jerk Marinade
makes enough for a whole chicken
1 small red onion
3 cloves of garlic
1-3 whole, scotch bonnets depending on your spice levels
1-2 red chillis, ditto
small handful of thyme, leaves picked
small handful of coriander
zest of two limes, reserve the juice and limes for cooking
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 nutmeg grated
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper
Chop the onion and chilies in to chunks and place with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor or pestle and mortar if you're going old school and blitz to a paste. Put the meat in a freezer bag and pour over the paste. Leave in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to cook either place on a BBQ until cooked through and charred nicely or do as I did, place on a tray with the limes squeezed over and popped on too. Put in a 180 degrees oven for about an hour until the chicken starts to char.
Put in a 180 degrees oven for about an hour until the chicken starts to char. You're then ready to serve.
Tomato and sweetcorn salsa
Take 2 ripe tomatoes and cut in the chunks, a handful of sweetcorn, chopped sweet red pepper and mix with some chopped coriander, juice of half a lime, pinch of sugar and salt and a sprinkle of Tabasco. Ready to serve straight away.
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