Deboning A Poularde Leg

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Deboning a Poularde Leg

• This practice consists of pulling the tendons that connect the foot and drumstick. It is typically used for overfed poultry, such as capon and poularde. It may also work for a turkey leg, though the tendons are often too tough to extract this way. In such cases, use a sharp paring knife to make a slit around the base of the knobby end of the drumstick, or chop it off.
  
• Then, using triangle pliers, pull the tendons out. Even if some tendons dissolve during cooking, it is worth the extra effort to eliminate the issue.
  
• Using the tip of your knife, start cutting the meat away from the large bone. Work from the top of the bone down to the joint, keeping the blade as close to the bone as possible to avoid wasting meat. Use your free hand to pull the meat back as you free it.
  
• Do likewise going to the opposite direction toward the thigh. Then slide your knife blade under the base of the thigh, and cut through to separate the bone from the meat.
  
• Back to the drumstick, slide your knife blade under the base of the knobby end and cut to separate the attached skin. Firmly hold the bone and cut away the remaining meat.
  
• Continue working your way around the thigh bone until it is mostly freed from the meat. Your goal is to expose the ball joint where it connects to the drumstick. Use the tip of your knife to scrape along the bone, freeing the meat bit by bit.
  
• Once the joint of the articulation is fully exposed, carefully slide the tip of your knife under and around the ball joint to sever the connection without puncturing the skin. Cut off the base of the V-shape bones.
  
• Remove the cartilages left behind. Gently run your fingers over the inside of the deboned poularde leg to feel for and remove any remaining sinews or connective tissue. They all need to go.
  
• Scrape out the flesh left from the tendons and save it.
  

Save the Bones

• Save the bones to make a rich Poularde Demi-Glace.
  
• Poularde Roast made with deboned poularde legs.