Lessons > Poultry Fundamentals

Your culinary journey starts here

★★★★★ (36)

22,930 Students
All Levels

Lesson Overview

Whether you choose to cook turkey, chicken, quail, Cornish hen or duck (or any other type of poultry), it’s important to realize that each bird has relatively the same anatomy.

Once you understand that each part – the legs, the breasts and the wings – is composed of different muscle tissue, yo…

Click to expand...

Lesson Objectives

At the end of this lesson you'll be able to:
  • explain the difference between white and dark meat
  • understand the basic muscle composition of poultry legs and identify which cooking methods are best suited
  • understand the basic muscle composition of poultry breasts and identify which cooking methods are best suited
  • understand the basic muscle composition of poultry wings and identify which cooking methods are best suited
  • identify fresh poultry
  • store and thaw poultry safely

Course Syllabus

START: Watch Lesson Platform Tour
1. Introduction: Poultry Fundamentals
Not Started
2. Complete Your Self Assessment
Not Started
3. Poultry | White vs. Dark Meat
Not Started
4. Poultry Legs & Cooking
Not Started
5. Poultry Breasts & Cooking
Not Started
6. Poultry Wings & Other Parts & Cooking
Not Started
7. Buying, Storing & Thawing Poultry
Not Started
8. Break Down a Chicken
Not Started
9. Labeling Sections of Chicken
Not Started
10. More Butchering Practice
Not Started
11. Practice Activities & Recipes
Not Started
12. Lesson Quiz
Not Started

Practice Recipes

A few of the practice recipes you'll learn in this lesson.

What People Are Saying

Aameer thapa-modernist cuisine C "Learned a lot with this lesson." Aameer thapa-modernist cuisine C. ★★★★★
"Learned a lot with this lesson." ★★★★★
"I was actually surprised at how much I already knew about poultry. I have cooked a TON of chicken in my time, but now I have duck and goose on the menu too!" ★★★★
"Great lesson on breaking down a chicken and an excellent variety of chicken receipes." ★★★★★
"Very good techniques and recipes! Only a complaint: could have information and recipes about turkey, duck, quail and other poultry. It's only about chicken." ★★★★★
"The class material was clear and easy to follow and my practice tasked went very well." ★★★★★
"no detailed explanation as to why chicken and turkey must be cooked to well done but other birds ok to medium" ★★★★
"It was easy to understand the questions matched the videos" ★★★★★
Show More
43 Videos | 12 Tasks
Task 1: Introduction: Poultry Fundamentals
Task 2: Complete Your Self Assessment
Task 3: Poultry | White vs. Dark Meat
Task 4: Poultry Legs & Cooking
Task 5: Poultry Breasts & Cooking
Task 6: Poultry Wings & Other Parts & Cooking
Task 7: Buying, Storing & Thawing Poultry
Task 8: Break Down a Chicken

Your Culinary Journey Starts Here!

Access to traditional and next-gen culinary foundations & techniques
Check out lessons, courses and tips
Trial Rouxbe for free, no credit card needed
Read and agree to our terms of use