Processing Poultry: Dry Plucking, Wet Plucking, Skinning, or Waxing

When processing poultry, there are many ways to remove the feathers. Each type has its pros/cons, depending on the equipment you have and how many birds to process.

Wet Plucking Or Scalding

Wet plucking is one of the most common ways to defeather poultry. Similar to dry plucking, but adding a step to dunk the birds in water. See the recommended temperatures below to achieve your desired result. 

• 125 – 130° F: Semi-scald keeps skin intact and has minimal impact on meat tenderness
• 138 – 140° F: Sub-scald loosens feathers better, begins to loosen skin, toughens meat slightly
• 140 – 150° F: Full-scald loosens feathers most, likely to tear skin and toughen meat

Change the scalding water frequently. Dirty water does not loosen feathers as well, and it can also lead to cross-contamination by allowing for feces and bacteria to build up. 

Dry Plucking

Dry plucking can be achieved by hand or by utilizing a machine. The machines used have rotating discs that grip and remove feathers that will be collected in a bag. Various machine sizes are available for poultry type and capacity. Start with a warm chicken for easier feather removal, and pull the wing and tail feathers first. Dry plucking may not remove all the small hairs or feathers. You can use a kitchen torch to singe them off if you plan to serve the chicken with the skin on.  

The process for dry plucking can take longer than Wet Plucking or Waxing. Depending on the tools you have and the number of birds to process, this may be an option for you. 

Skinning

If you do not plan to serve with the skin on, skinning the birds is an option. Skinning is less labor-intensive and is great for wild birds with tough feathers. If crispy skin is not required, use the meat in stews, soups, or for grinding. 

The skin acts as a natural barrier to retain moisture and contains a significant amount of flavor. Consider the drawbacks of skinning before choosing this method. 

Waxing

Waxing is a bit more complex, but it will make sure even the most difficult feathers are removed. With waterfowl, it is best to rough pluck the birds before setting them in the wax. Dip the birds in hot wax and immediately transfer to a tub of cold water to allow the wax to harden. Once hardened, you may need to break the wax seal to get a grip to pull the feathers away. The great thing about using wax is that it can be reused by melting it down and filtering out the feathers/debris. 

Each person has their favored technique to defeather birds depending on their setup or what is available. Choose what works best in your situation!