Jeni Wright, Eric Treuille, Le Cordon Bleu

Trussing Large Birds

Appears in

Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques

By Jeni Wright , Eric Treuille and Le Cordon Bleu

Published 1996

About

Trussing with a needle and thread is beneficial for large birds, and professional chefs always truss birds this way to ensure a neat, compact shape. Trussing helps the bird retain its natural juices, keeping the flesh moist and flavourful.

With the bird breast-side up, push the legs back to the centre of the breasts. Insert the needle through the joint in one of the legs, push it through the body, and out through the other leg. A 15-cm piece of string should remain where the needle first entered the bird.
Tuck the wing tips under the body, and fold over the flap of skin from the neck. Thread the string through the wings and flap of skin.
Make a double knot by tying the end of the string threaded through the wings with the end left at the leg. Trim both ends of the string.
Thread the needle under the legs through the tail end, leaving a 15-cm piece of string where the needle first entered the bird. Insert the needle through the end of one leg, push it through the breast, and out through the other leg.
Make a double knot by tying the end of the string that has been threaded through the legs with the end left at the tail. Cut both ends of the string.
Turn the bird, breast-side up. It is now ready for cooking - roasting, pot-roasting, poaching or barbecuing.