A method for producing a mock chicken wing drumette from a thigh by a unique cut process comprising the steps of trimming off all but 0.787 inches (2 cm) of the thigh meat from the left side of the thigh bone; trimming off an equal amount of thigh meat from the right side of the thigh bone; trimming off a section of thigh meat at the ball joint by a 30-degree offset undercut to leave the ball joint protruding and accessible, frenching the ball joint, and retracting meat remain the ball joint back along the thigh bone to leave approximately a 0.25-1″ length of thigh bone protruding at the ball joint and a ball of bunched meat at the opposing end of the thigh bone. This resembles a chicken wing drumette and provides a wing-like experience when eating Buffalo style.

An apparatus and method for removing a keel from a poultry carcass that is conveyed at a predetermined speed along a path. Planar members extend radially outwardly from a continuous loop driven adjacent the path at the predetermined speed. A keel-receiving gap is configured between a pair of planar members. At least one blade is disposed between the path and the continuous loop for severing the keel from the carcass. A ramp above the path has a downwardly-facing surface angled to the path for contacting the poultry carcass and adjusting its vertical position relative to the blade. A keel guide spaced from the plurality of planar members may contact the keel to adjust the keel relative to the blade.

An apparatus for separating wing tips from poultry carcasses includes a suspended conveyor device and a support guide for guiding the neck and shoulder region. The guide extends in the transport direction and is arranged below the carcass, and has at least one support surface to support the neck and shoulder region. A lower arm guide is configured for guiding the poultry lower arm and wing tip and is arranged at the side of the support guide. A first hold-down guide holds down the poultry upper arm under pretension and is arranged stationarily. A second hold-down guide is arranged downstream of the first hold-down guide and has at least two guiding elements for holding down the upper arm. The guiding elements are movable in deflection against a return force. A separating device is configured for separating the wing tip and is arranged in the region of the second hold-down guide.

An apparatus and method for processing poultry leg or drum parts to form “Drum Tulip” products. A conveyer includes drum holder assemblies each configured to receive and carry a leg or drum part along a processing path through a cutting station and to a discharge. The cutting station includes cutting assemblies on opposite sides of the processing path for separating kneecap and knuckle portions from the leg or drum parts to form the drum tulip products. Each of the drum holder assemblies includes a base having a clamping recess and a pivoting clamp arm having a clamping portion adapted to cooperatively engage with the clamping recess to at least partially define a meat-stripping passage through which a portion of a leg or drum part is held. A meat scraper is configured to push at least a portion of the leg or drum part at least partially through the meat-stripping passage.

An apparatus for the moving-along tool positioning of linearly conveyed articles includes a conveyor device forming a conveying line, a processing station arranged along the conveying line and having a processing tool, and a positioning unit having a transverse slide and a longitudinal slide for positioning the tools. An assembly for removing the wishbone from poultry carcasses has such an apparatus and utilizes corresponding methods.

Deskinning apparatus for a poultry leg or part of a poultry leg, including a conveyor with conveyor hooks from which the poultry leg or part of the poultry leg is suspendable, and rollers below the conveyor that are rotatable in opposite directions and are provided with meshing teeth that are contactable with a skin on the poultry leg or part of the poultry leg that is suspended from the conveyor hooks for stripping the skin from the poultry leg or part of the poultry leg, wherein the rollers are movable up and down.

A processing system for bone-in limb meats according to an embodiment includes: a right-limb incision-forming portion for forming incision on a right bone-in limb meat; a left-limb incision-forming portion for forming incision on a left bone-in limb meat; a processing line including a plurality of processing stations to separate a bone part and a meat part of each bone-in limb meat on which incision is formed at the right-limb incision-forming portion or the left-limb incision-forming portion; and a loading portion arranged at an uppermost stream part of the processing line to receive the right bone-in limb meat with incision formed at the right-limb incision-forming portion and the left bone-in limb meat with incision formed at the left-limb incision-forming portion.

A food processing system and method for cutting a food item into cut food item portions includes a conveyor, an imaging system, a cutting device, and a controller. The conveyor conveys the food item past the imaging system allowing the imaging system to image the food item and image data is obtained. The controller receives the imaging data and determines the location of defective areas on the basis thereof. Then a distribution of portion cuts over the food item dividing the food item into food item portions is determined on the basis of at least the determined location of defective areas and a desired portion size and/or weight. The cutting device cuts the food item according to the determined distribution of portion cuts.

A poultry breast deboning apparatus and method for guiding a plurality of poultry combinations that have a breast and attached wings, the apparatus including a transport assembly with carts mounted to a drive system. Each of the carts has an opening to receive one of the wings of each combination. Moveable cutters are disposed adjacent the transport assembly for seating against the carts for severing tissue connecting the wings and the breast. Moveable bars are biased to urge the wings into the cart openings.

An apparatus for separating wing tips from poultry carcasses includes a suspended conveyor device and a support guide for guiding the neck and shoulder region. The guide extends in the transport direction and is arranged below the carcass, and has at least one support surface to support the neck and shoulder region. A lower arm guide is configured for guiding the poultry lower arm and wing tip and is arranged at the side of the support guide. A first hold-down guide holds down the poultry upper arm under pretension and is arranged stationarily. A second hold-down guide is arranged downstream of the first hold-down guide and has at least two guiding elements for holding down the upper arm. The guiding elements are movable in deflection against a return force. A separating device is configured for separating the wing tip and is arranged in the region of the second hold-down guide.