Properties: Poultry
Characteristic of the majority of poultry products is the low fat content as well as the high protein content. On average, poultry products contain between 15 and 24 grams of proteins per 100 grams and less than 15 grams of fat. Depending on the part of the used poultry, the fat content varies by about 1 to 5 grams per 100 grams. Like any meat, poultry is carbohydrate-free. Poultry products offer numerous other nutrients that make them a very healthy food. Poultry contains large amounts of potassium on average, which is particularly important for signal transmission in cells. Also present in large quantities is sodium, which regulates the human fluid balance. Lastly, poultry products also contain large amounts of magnesium, which prevents muscle cramps and is involved in bone and tooth formation. Vitamins B6, B12, and D are also available to the body when consuming poultry. While vitamin B6 is responsible for various metabolic activities, B12 ensures normal heart and nerve function. Vitamin D, on the other hand, increases physical performance, strengthens the immune system, and is involved in hormone production in the human organism.
Origin: Poultry
Poultry meat has been used by humans as a food source for thousands of years. Initially, hunting served as the main source here. The poultry was then immediately plucked and prepared over an open fire or in a cooking pot. Until the early 18th century, poultry was still considered a luxury item for large parts of the population. Accordingly, poultry was long reserved only for the aristocratic upper class. Due to professional domestication and the emerging agricultural livestock farming, prices for poultry gradually became affordable for the average citizen at the beginning of the 19th century. Poultry meat achieved its major breakthrough only from the early to mid-20th century with the emergence of large retail chains and corresponding refrigerated product ranges. Today, poultry meat is considered an accessible food item for all population groups, available year-round at butchers or in the meat department of retail stores. Products made from poultry are a popular snack and feature on most restaurant menus. The vast majority of poultry products today come from industrial poultry farming. Here, the poultry is first bred and then slaughtered and further processed into various poultry products such as chicken breast, chicken tenderloin, chicken thighs from drumstick and thigh, and from the wings. Professional breeding facilities exist all over the world today. Consequently, most of the poultry products consumed in Germany are imported from countries like the Netherlands, Poland, and Ukraine.
Uses: Poultry
Poultry products are used for the production of various food items. These include mainly meat products that can be purchased fresh or frozen in retail stores and subsequently cooked, fried, baked, or grilled. In this context, thorough heating before consumption is recommended as poultry is susceptible to contamination with salmonella and other microorganisms which in the worst case can be directly transmitted to humans. Poultry products are also widely used as ingredients in soups or stews and as meat side dishes in salads. Additionally popular are sausage products made from poultry meat.
Health: Poultry
Since poultry meat is extremely low in calories, very rich in protein, and at the same time relatively low in cholesterol, the regular consumption of poultry products is strongly recommended. The B- and D-vitamins contained in poultry meat strengthen the body's immune system and ensure a functioning nervous system as well as a healthy metabolism. Since poultry products are also rich in minerals, they serve as an ideal source of essential minerals. In diets or for muscle building, poultry products are an indispensable food with great effect.
Poultry food represents the overarching category for animal products from domesticated birds such as ducks, geese, chickens, quails, pigeons, guinea fowl, pheasants, partridges, widgeons, and woodcocks. The listed poultry species are essentially domesticated and thus commonly referred to as domestic fowl. Animals used in the production of poultry products may also be called game birds or feathered game, as they occur both through human domestication and in the wild. Poultry, which belongs to the vertebrates from a zoological perspective, forms its own class in the animal kingdom consisting of 28 orders and approximately 140 families and 8,660 subspecies. The economically most significant group is marked by the galliform birds, including chickens, geese, quails, guinea fowl, and pheasants. In the context of poultry, there is also frequent mention of so-called fat poultry, which primarily refers to fatty waterfowl such as ducks or geese. For food production, the following parts of poultry are used: poultry meat, poultry pieces, and poultry innards. Poultry products themselves are considered highly nutritious and nutrient-rich and have been used by humans as a food source for thousands of years. Taste-wise, poultry meat usually has a very delicate, fine taste that clearly distinguishes it from other types of meat such as pork or beef. Depending on the preparation method, however, poultry meat can also acquire a spicy to strong flavor.
Popular Chicken Meat
Chicken meat is considered very lean and protein-rich. Chickens are usually raised in specially equipped breeding facilities. Often, the animals live in small boxes where they stay and feed. Above all, chickens are fed with concentrated feed to ensure rapid growth. After 8-9 weeks, the chickens are fully grown and can be sent to slaughter.
Goose Meat as an Alternative
In addition to chicken meat, goose meat is also popular. Goose meat has a slightly more stable meat structure than chicken. Geese are bred in much the same way as chickens, with corn and concentrated feed. Geese are generally larger than chickens and can weigh up to 5-6 kilograms. The breast of the goose is particularly sought after and is mainly sold. This named poultry is considered very affordable and can be purchased by various consumer groups.
Poussin for Stuffing
A somewhat more upscale poultry that is a bit pricier is the poussin. Especially coveted is the corn-fed poussin, which stands out particularly because it is very small and has an exceptionally tender meat. Poussins are excellent for stuffing.
Tender Duck Meat
Another attractive poultry is the duck. The duck belongs to wildfowl and unlike other types of poultry, one can enjoy a duck in a lightly fried state without any concerns. Duck meat is also very tender; however, ducks have a very thick fat layer that gives the meat an excellent taste. Especially popular are duck legs as well as duck breasts. To achieve perfect duck breast, you should score the skin before frying. Then, you must definitely place the duck with the skin side down first in the pan. The fat now comes out. Best to slide the duck breast for a few minutes into the oven with the skin side up and pour the breast with the fat beforehand. Especially good with duck are dumplings. With chicken and goose, rice is more suitable.