Why and How to Truss a Chicken

There are quite a few reasons why you might want to truss chickens ahead of roasting it, if not just because it has always been done that way and sometimes you just shouldn’t question your culinary fore fathers. Some things just shouldn’t be changed just to save time.

So why truss chicken? Firstly, they just look better. There’s nothing worse than a bird with the legs and wings spread akimbo in the roasting pan when it comes out of the oven.

Secondly, if you are using a rotisserie or spit over a BBQ, the snuggly fitted legs and wings of a well trussed chicken will ensure even cooking.

Thirdly, tightly trussing the legs helps to lock in the flavors of the herbs placed inside, allowing the flavors to develop from the inside throughout the chicken. And by sealing the neck the juices and flavors are held within the bird.

Now that we’ve covered the why, let’s turn to how to truss a chicken with this chicken trussing guide:

1. Season the inside of the carcass and stuff with herbs of your choice.
2. Place chicken on a chopping board with the neck towards you, and push both legs inwards underneath the breast of the chicken.
3. Chop off the chicken wings at the first joint and bend the wings inwards underneath the chicken.
4. Cut off the neck bone, leaving a little stump and enough skin to wrap round it.
5. Take a length of string and holding both ends in your hands, slide it about 1/3 of the way underneath the chicken’s back/legs.
6. Bring the ends up over the legs, swap the ends in your hands so they cross over, and loop the string around underneath the ends of the legs. Pull the string tight and the legs will seal the whole in the carcass.
7. Tightening the string further will flip the bird onto its breast.
8. Keeping the string tight, run one end of the string around the lower side of the chicken and over the wing up to the neck.
9. Cover the neck with the remaining skin and run the sting around it and to the other side of the chicken.
10. Keeping the string tight, bring both ends together over the wing. Ensure that the string tightly secures both wings, the neck bone, and the legs.
11. Twist the string twice, pull tight, and secure with a knot.
12. Cut off the excess string.

Before you go check out these delicious chicken recipes:

• Thai Green Chicken Recipe
• Cajun Chicken with Hummus
• Chicken Stir Fry Noodles

Thomas Wenger

Born in Bern, Switzerland, Thomas followed in the footsteps of his mother and entered a three-year cooking apprenticeship program and graduating it at the age of 20. Working a few short stints in a winter ski resort and a city hotel in Basel/Switzerland during the following years he took the opportunity to work in New York in 1986. What was originally planned as a one-year experience in New York lasted three years and went on to a global career, which led him to Australia and on to Hong Kong in 1990. For the past 15 years, Thomas has explored South East Asia and it’s cuisines and regional specialties. He worked in some of the most exciting cities in the world - Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok and his culinary style reflects the many experiences and the people he worked with. Throughout his career, Thomas liked the challenges and diversity of hotel operations. He recently joined a Hotel & Restaurant Management school in Manila, Philippines as Senior Culinary Faculty.