How To Truss A Chicken

Trussing a chicken, or any poultry, means tying it securely with twine so the wings and legs stay close to the body.

This makes the bird more compact so it cooks evenly and the wings and drumstick tips don’t burn. Trussing also gives the cooked chicken a neater, more attractive appearance which is important for dishes such as chicken in half-mourning.

Use a strong, unbleached cotton twine, called kitchen twine, butcher’s twine or cooking twine; it’s important to use pure cotton twine as synthetic twines may melt or burn.

Here’s how to truss a chicken (or how to truss any poultry). See step-by-step video below.

• For a full-sized chicken, cut about 130cm of kitchen twine.
• Place the bird on its back with the neck end closest to you.
• Place the twine underneath the bird’s back then bring the ends towards you between the body and wings (‘under the arms’) then around the outside of the wings and away from you to cross it under the tip of the breast, pulling tightly to secure the wings close to the body.
• Bring the twine around the outside of the tips of the drumsticks then cross it under them, pulling them together.
• Holding the twine tightly, flip the bird over onto its breast.
• Twist the twine around the tail and knot it.
• Cut off the excess twine.