Guinea fowl.
(guinea fowl meat, guinea-fowl meat)
Guinea fowl – African bird that appeared in Europe as early as ancient times. Then he forgot about it, and only in the XV century, Portuguese sailors brought guinea fowl in Europe again. His Russian name she received from the word “king”, as in Russia first appeared as an ornament of the royal court.
Guinea fowl weighs about a kilogram – one and a half kilograms. Its meat, according to experts, to taste like meat pheasant. In its meat fat and less water than in chicken.
In guinea fowl meat protein composition much more rich than other domesticated birds; it contains about 95% of the amino acids. Such meat product useful in a constant diet of both adults and children; special are the benefits to patients, seniors and pregnant women. Guinea-fowl meat is rich in water-soluble vitamins (mainly group B) and minerals.
The types and grades
Wild relatives of domestic guinea fowl live in Africa, and there are hunted. In Europe, the only known domestic guinea fowl – that is the common domesticated guinea fowl.
Over the years, the selection was derived several breeds of guinea fowl. In Russia, the Volga known breed white Zagorskaya Whitechest, cream and gray-speckled. It is much more active than in Russia, guinea fowl bred in Central Asia, the Caucasus, in Italy, France, Ukraine; in these countries know their breeds of guinea fowl.
How to cook
In cooking, use the meat of young guinea fowl are usually three-month, sometimes four and five months (three-month weigh about a kilogram, five-month – one and a half pounds). Fillet young birds brown and after heat treatment becomes white.
Typically, guinea fowl before cooking the meat soaked in a mixture of olive oil and spices and then baked, stewed or grilled. Whole carcass stuffed guinea fowl often different fruit and cheese with ham and greens. From spices used juniper twigs, spicy greens, lemon juice, cassia, cinnamon.
Any guinea fowl meat is very easy to dry during cooking. To the meat has turned dry, it needs to be constantly watered oil or bacon close (to get golden brown for a few minutes until cooked remove it). In Greek cuisine with grilled or braised guinea fowl served olives and tomatoes, sometimes sredneostry tomato sauce.
Season
Guinea fowl are carried from spring to autumn, the season of incurring eggs lasts about six months (generally April to September). The incubation period lasts 28 days, then guinea fowl grows to 3 or, more rarely, 4-5 months. Consequently, guinea-fowl meat main season begins in mid-summer and lasts until early next year.
How to choose and store
Most of the guinea fowl, which are sold in Russia – three-month (or rather, grown up to the age of 75-80 days), their meat is more dry. Guinea fowl grown to 3.5, 4 or 5 months, more than average.
Guinea fowl meat has a bluish tinge, as there was little fat. Push the meat with your finger – fossa it must disappear. If the pit is left – this indicates low quality product. Do not buy frozen meat with a great layering of ice.
The refrigerator guinea fowl meat is better to store no more than two days. Put chilled guinea fowl in a vacuum container and store on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator no more than two days.
Store in the freezer myasotsesarki best not more than three months.
