Anyone knows about chicken shoulder?

[choya]

Hi. I need your expertise here. I am working for an F&B company and I have a customer requesting for a specific part of the Chicken, that is the Chicken Shoulder Meat.

It is supposed to be a small piece of meat from the shoulder that is very tender and it is especially liked by the Japanese. But I have no idea where exactly it is located at and the way to cut it. Someone told me it is near to the outer breast of each side.

Does anyone knows where the chicken shoulder part is? And is there a specific way of cutting to derive the meat? A diagram would be great. I'm totally clueless. Any help, info or referral to anyone would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Wow, what a fun question. Since it is coming from a customer you have to tread lightly, it may be legitimate. I've worked overseas and some translations can be a lot weirder than this.

It kinds of reminds me of when I was working construction though. Sometimes rookies were sent to the supply cabinet for a sky hook or concrete welding rods. Of course there is no hook that hangs from the sky and you can't weld concrete, but rookies are sometimes gullible.

I wonder if they are talking about the wishbone? That would kind of fit the description. You might check with the customer for confirmation or more clarification. Since it is supposedly a Japanese cut of meat, maybe call the Japanese consulate?

Good luck with this one. I'll subscribe to this for a couple of days to see if you get a clear answer.

 

[lazy gardener]

You could always plead cultural ignorance, and ask the customer to show you on a dressed chicken just what the chicken shoulder is.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Sounds like a left handed skyhook to me, too. But I've always liked the little nugget of dark meat from the pocket of the back bone... I call them chicken tenderloins. I could see them serving that as chicken sashimi. Wow - you could command a premium price for that! lol That's right up there with fish jowls.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I am unsure as well but he could be referring to the little chunk of white meat on the butt of each wing that is sometimes referred to as the "oyster."

Most people in this country may not believe it but in most of the world the chickens' juicy dark meat is much preferred over the dry white or breast meat preferred in this country.

 

[PotterWatch]

I've always seen the "oyster" referred to as the bit of meat attached to the thigh. From Wikipedia: Oysters are two small, round pieces of dark meat on the back of poultry near the thigh,[1] in the hollow on the dorsal side of the ilium bone. Some regard the "oyster meat" to be the most flavorful and tender part of the bird, while others dislike the taste and texture.

Compared to dark meat found in other parts of the bird, the oyster meat has a somewhat firm/taut texture which gives it a distinct mouth feel. It is also customary for the cook to be given first preference to the oyster meat.

A picture from the same wiki page:

It's a bit that is easy to accidentally leave behind when butchering a bird. I always make sure to keep that bit with the thigh when I am piecing out a bird.

 

[huntseat]

I second the oyster vote.

I get first dibs on these and no one dare touch them.

I have no idea if there are any cultural preferences for these or not.

 

[AutumnThyme]

Oyster- That sounds a lot better than "chicken butt cheeks," which is what I've called them up till now!

 

[enola]

I second the oyster vote.

I get first dibs on these and no one dare touch them.

I have no idea if there are any cultural preferences for these or not.

Same way at my house. That piece of meat is MINE!

 

[lazy gardener]

Luckily, no one at my house is wise enough to have discernment about anatomical preference! Mine, all mine!!!!