Chicken on the bone?

Tink_04

Hi im getting there with my cooking and spending and have done my shopping this week and instead of buying chicken breasts ive bought a packet of legs (4) and pack of thighs (6) now my DH wont eat chicken off the bone - if i take it off the bone he is fine so ive got some chicken legs in the oven and im going to use the left overs with rice tomorrow - i was just wondering whats the best way to get the meat off the bone without waste? also i want to do a full chicken next week but i find i dont get a lot off it - dont know if its because i used to buy a small chicken or because im not cutting it right but i found i never got much meat off it and it was a lot of hassle for little reward - we eat lot of chicken so id love some help on this please as want to use cheaper cuts that i can make a few meals out of.

Thanks

Tink

CrazyNerd

I think its easier if you cook it first. My OH won't eat legs or thighs, but will eat the oysters. Dark meat is my fave. I buy whole chicken , he gets white meat and I get the dark!

bitsandpieces

Once it's cooked, the most efficient is probably with your hands if you don't mind the heat (then nibble on the bones to get any you missed ) Knife and fork work fine, though.

Uncooked, you need a sharp chef's knife. You'll find instructions online for boning legs and thighs, just see what works best. You can use the bones (with any meat stuck on them) for stock, so it's not wasted.

A bigger chicken will have more breast meat etc. on it, compared to the size of the bird.

squeaky

Yep

Cook it first and then take the meat off the bone, and, has been said, fingers are the best tools for the job.

THEN put all your bones and scraps straight into a pot or Slow Cooker and make yourself some stock

tori.k

you could try boiling the chicken, the meat just falls off the bone, i couldn't say if it taste's as good a roast chicken as i only cook meat for the kids, but they have never noticed any difference but i was so surprised how much meat i got off of a chicken doing it this way compare to when i've stripped a roasted one

Pitlanepiglet

What's your DH's logic for not eating meat on the bone?

I'm slightly sympathetic to fussy children, but not terribly sympathetic towards unreasonably fussy adults. I'm happy to accommodate "I don't like tomatoes" or something logical but if eating the same meat off the bone is OK then what's the issue?

Bronnie

...and maybe pop just one cooked chicken thigh/ leg on hubby's plate and suggest now he's a big boy, he might just like to try it for himself.

What would he do if given chicken on the bone when eating at a friends house/ at a restaurant etc some time?

MrsChaos

I'm not great at getting lots of meat off a roast chicken either, but sticking the carcass in the SC afterwards for stock sorts that out. It's messy to pick all the meat off once it's done, but worthwhile.

I usually get enough meat for another meal (a pie, chicken curry or similar) and some left for soup made from the stock. I'm happy if I can get 3 meals out of one chicken.

Tink_04

Thanks everyone i did the legs today and got loads of meat off just 2 of them (they were quite big) so got the other 2 in the fridge for tomorrow nights tea (egg fried rice with chicken and veg) so im fairly impressed - think ill buy a big chicken next time and give it a go - think that my knives are rubbish for cutting tho so fingers it is! DH is fine with meat but wont touch a bone lol he never bites meat off the bone and wont scrape it off himself never really asked him why he has just always been like this! but i dont mind taking it off before serving - in a restaurant he wouldnt order anything with meat on the bone - like ribs or anything like that but at a friends house he very poiltly cut the meat away fron the bone but there was still loads on as he wasnt going anywhere near the bone he kind of skimmed the edges lol - does no one else do this? i know a few people who eat meat but wont touch a bone or a anything like that!

Tink

HappyMJ

What a strange chap. The most tastiest meat is right next to the bone. Has he never had KFC? A lamb shank? A T-bone steak? Chops? Ribs even? What happens if you gave him meat with bones still attached? So many questions...sorry.

rosalie-lavender

Tink_04 wrote: »

Thanks everyone i did the legs today and got loads of meat off just 2 of them (they were quite big) so got the other 2 in the fridge for tomorrow nights tea (egg fried rice with chicken and veg) so im fairly impressed - think ill buy a big chicken next time and give it a go - think that my knives are rubbish for cutting tho so fingers it is! DH is fine with meat but wont touch a bone lol he never bites meat off the bone and wont scrape it off himself never really asked him why he has just always been like this! but i dont mind taking it off before serving - in a restaurant he wouldnt order anything with meat on the bone - like ribs or anything like that but at a friends house he very poiltly cut the meat away fron the bone but there was still loads on as he wasnt going anywhere near the bone he kind of skimmed the edges lol - does no one else do this? i know a few people who eat meat but wont touch a bone or a anything like that!

Tink

Actually my DH isn't keen on anything still attached to the bone but in his case it is more laziness. His Mum waited on him and his Dad hand and foot and always cut the meat off the bones before she served it. I am afraid I got fed up eventually and pointed out his Mum had one child I have three and he is a grown man and he could do it himself. I will take the bones out of fish though because he can't see them very well to take them out his self.

I think in your DH's case it sounds like he finds the bones actually off putting for some reason which is more understandable.

I always take meat off after cooking and if I do a whole chicken I boil the carcase up afterwards and make soup.