Truss

To truss means to tie meat or poultry into a tight, compact shape before you cook it. For a chicken or turkey, it holds the legs and wings close to the body. For a boneless roast, it holds the meat in an even log. You use kitchen twine, which is plain cotton string that will not burn or melt in the oven.

How to do it

A simple way to truss a chicken:

1. Pat the bird dry and place it breast side up, legs toward you.
2. Tuck the wing tips under the back.
3. Cut a piece of twine about 1 m (3 feet) long.
4. Slide the middle of the twine under the tail, then cross it over the top and loop it around the ends of both drumsticks.
5. Pull tight to draw the legs together, then run the two ends back along each side of the bird, between the legs and the breast.
6. Turn the bird over and tie the ends together firmly across the neck end.

For a boneless roast, tie a separate loop of twine every 2 to 3 cm (1 inch) along its length.

Why it works

A tied bird or roast has an even shape, so the heat reaches the center at the same rate along its length. Loose wings and legs stick out and dry out. A trussed bird also turns easily and stays balanced on a rotisserie spit.

There is a trade-off. Pressing the legs against the body shields the inner thighs from heat, so they cook slower than the breast. Some cooks prefer to tie only the ends of the legs, or to spatchcock the bird instead.

Common mistakes

• Using colored or plastic string. It can melt or color the food.
• Tying too tight, so the twine cuts into the meat.
• Forgetting to remove the twine before carving.
• Trussing a stuffed bird so firmly that the stuffing cannot heat through. If you stuff a bird, the center of the stuffing must also reach 74°C (165°F).

In recipes

"Trussed chicken", "tie the legs together" and "tie at intervals" all mean trussing. Butchers will tie a rolled roast for you. To keep a lean roast moist, it is often barded with fat before tying.