Butterflying
Encyclopedia
Butterflying is a cutting technique used by butcher
s to transform a thick, compact piece of meat into a thinner, larger one. The piece of meat to be cut is laid out flat on a cutting board and cut in half parallel to the board from one side almost all the way to the other. A small "hinge" is left at the one side, which is used to fold the meat out like a book. The resemblance of this unfolding motion to the wings of a butterfly
is what gives this cut its name. This technique is often used as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, pounding out the meat with a meat mallet to make it thinner.
Common uses of this technique include creating thin cutlets from chicken breasts for dishes such as chicken piccata
, or rendering lamb leg roasts suitable for making roulades.
The same term is sometimes used for a technique, also called "spatchcocking", in which a bird is prepared for grilling or roasting by removing the backbone and sternum and then pressing down to fan it out.
Butterflying a lobster tail
involves cutting the hard top side, without cutting all the way down to the other softer side.
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
s to transform a thick, compact piece of meat into a thinner, larger one. The piece of meat to be cut is laid out flat on a cutting board and cut in half parallel to the board from one side almost all the way to the other. A small "hinge" is left at the one side, which is used to fold the meat out like a book. The resemblance of this unfolding motion to the wings of a butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
is what gives this cut its name. This technique is often used as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, pounding out the meat with a meat mallet to make it thinner.
Common uses of this technique include creating thin cutlets from chicken breasts for dishes such as chicken piccata
Piccata
Piccata is an Italian word. It is sometimes wrongly spelled "picatta" or "pichotta." The word "piccato", to which it may be related, may be a translation of the French piqué, past participle of piquer , though it doesn't seem to fit the culinary use of the Italian term which means "to be pounded...
, or rendering lamb leg roasts suitable for making roulades.
The same term is sometimes used for a technique, also called "spatchcocking", in which a bird is prepared for grilling or roasting by removing the backbone and sternum and then pressing down to fan it out.
Butterflying a lobster tail
Lobster
Clawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
involves cutting the hard top side, without cutting all the way down to the other softer side.