Domestic Birds

Remarks concerning domestic and wild birds: To assure tender meat, birds must be slaughtered and hung in a cold place for several days before being used. For turkeys, hens (kuritsa), and capons, the following method is particularly good: pour 1 tablespoon of good vinegar down the throat of a turkey, or 1 dessertspoon for a hen or capon, and pen up the birds someplace where they can still move about. Slaughter them after 2 or 3 hours, but no sooner. Clean and immediately boil or fry them.* The meat of such birds will be exceptionally tender and tasty. Since birds grow unevenly, size is not a sure indication of age. Allow 3 lbs of cleaned and drawn bird for every 6 people; therefore allow 2 or 4 chickens (tsyplenok),** 1 or 2 ducks, or 1 or ½ turkey.