category: food/groceries: poultry: chicken

Poussin, Coquelet, de.: Stubenküken, Küken, fr.: poussin

In the UK poussins, less often called coquelets, are young chicken weighing between 300 and 500 g. They are mostly slaughtered between 400 and 450 g and may not exceed 750 g. Sometimes a poussin is called spring chicken but the term usually refers to young chicken between 750 and 900 g. Poussins reach their slaughter weight at three to five weeks. Poussin meat is very tender and has a slightly yellow colour.

In the USA the term poussin refers to a small chicken breed named Cornish game hen. Cornish game hens are about two months old and weigh twice as much as poussins in the UK.

Preparation of Poussin

Poussins are mostly used whole. They are well suited for frying, baking, grilling and filling.

Poussin steamed on light root vegetables with a little dry sherry have a special fine aroma.

A famous German preparation method is Poussin a la Hamburg: filled, fried and served with cubed potatoes, artichoke hearts and thinly sliced truffles.