A poultry leg retainer for use with a poultry carcass having legs with hocks, the retainer having an anchor, a connecting leg, and a bridle portion. The anchor has an anchor beam that extends in a substantially transverse direction of the retainer. First and second outer ends of the anchor beam are pointed and upturned. The connecting leg is coupled on a distal end thereof with a central portion of the transverse anchor beam and extends in a longitudinal direction of the retainer substantially perpendicular to the transverse direction of the anchor beam. A curvilinear member of the bridal portion has a central portion that is coupled with the proximal end of the connecting leg and first and second arcuate portions that define first and second downwardly-facing openings, respectively, configured to engage first and second poultry hocks, respectively. The retainer is also configured to facilitate stacking of multiple retainers.

A retaining device for trussing and cooking fowl and a method for utilizing the same. The device is adaptable to fowl of differing sizes and can easily and quickly truss, for example, chickens, turkeys, ducks, game hens, and other waterfowl that can be cooked and consumed. The device includes a main body having a pair of leg cradles formed internally within a plate adapted to be disposed adjacent a rear end of the fowl. A pair of wing locks are adjustably connected to the main body and include wing pins located at an end thereof which are adapted to be passed through a portion of the fowl wing and hold it firmly against the fowl body in order to allow even cooking and provide an excellent presentation of the fowl. The device is reusable and therefore environmentally friendly.

A method for cutting extra-large poultry to fit within existing industrial fryers and remain as recognizable pieces to the consumer is provided. The method provides for the cuts necessary to create pieces of poultry from the extra-large poultry that are sized comparably to a normal sized bird. Furthermore, the method provides for keeping the cut pieces in a shape that the consumer recognizes as a particular piece of poultry.

A reusable cooking truss system for poultry. The truss system has a limited number of teeth so as to not puncture or interfere with the cooking process while also still being able to secure varying sizes of birds. The straps which are used may also come in varying sizes for the different parts of the poultry.

An apparatus for trussing a slaughtered bird, is described the apparatus including: two or more members having trussing band retaining members, wherein the apparatus is configured to truss a slaughtered bird with a trussing band. Also described is a slaughtered bird holder, a method for trussing's a slaughtered bird, a vision system and a controller.

The invention relates to a method for cutting open a slaughtered animal, in particular fowl, which is suspended with its legs from a suspension hook of a conveyor, in particular, but not limited to, making an incision in the belly of a slaughtered bird, wherein the method comprises the step of making a first incision in the skin of the slaughtered animal, which first incision extends substantially in a first direction of the slaughtered animal.

A system for trussing slaughtered birds comprises a conveyer provided with at least one bird holder for transporting a bird to at least one working position along the transport path of the conveyer, a bird trussing station located at the working position, which station includes a trussing module defining a working zone, and a mechanical arrangement for bringing the bird within the working zone in predetermined position and orientation relative thereto to allow for operation of the trussing module according to a trussing pattern by which a trussing element catches and maintains the bird in a trussed condition. The system further comprises a controller operatively connected to the conveyer and the bird trussing station. The system may also comprise a bird's legs crossing station located at a working position upstream the trussing station where the trussing of bird's legs is desired. The system may further comprise a bird's legs flexing station located at a working position upstream the bird's legs crossing station, to flex bird's legs sufficiently to provide relaxation thereof prior to flexion. A further trussing station for applying a further trussing element to the bird according to another pattern may also be used by the system.

An apparatus for trussing a slaughtered bird, is described the apparatus including: two or more members having trussing band retaining members, wherein the apparatus is configured to truss a slaughtered bird with a trussing band. Also described is a slaughtered bird holder, a method for trussing's a slaughtered bird, a vision system and a controller.

A vulcanized latex loop or loops, wrapped by multiple spirally wound, generally non-elastic ribbons may be stretched over the legs and tail of a dressed bird to close the cavity of the bird during cooking. The loop or loops may be stretched to bind a bird in various ways depending upon the size and configuration of the bird.

An apparatus for trussing a slaughtered bird, is described the apparatus including: two or more members having trussing band retaining members, wherein the apparatus is configured to truss a slaughtered bird with a trussing band. Also described is a slaughtered bird holder, a method for trussing's a slaughtered bird, a vision system and a controller.