Learning how to truss a turkey or chicken is one of the easiest ways to make your poultry cook evenly and stay juicy. Trussing keeps everything tight and compact, giving you that picture-perfect roast or smoked bird every time.
Why Trussing Poultry Matters
If you have never trussed a bird, you are missing out. Trussing pulls the legs and wings in tight so the bird cooks evenly and the breast stays protected. The improvement is obvious the first time you tie a chicken or turkey. You get juicier meat, better timing between white and dark meat, and a compact shape that looks great on the platter. For more information on safe poultry cooking temperatures, check out the USDA poultry safety guidelines.
What Is Trussing?
Trussing is simply tying poultry with butcher’s twine so the legs and wings sit snug against the body. Different parts of a bird cook at different speeds. Trussing evens out the shape so heat works more uniformly, which helps prevent dry breast meat while the thighs finish.
Works For Any Bird
Works For Any BirdThis technique works for chicken, turkey, Cornish hens, capons, duck, and goose. If it has wings, you can truss it.
What You Need
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Plain cotton butcher’s twine, food safe
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Kitchen shears
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Cutting board and a little room to work
Choose the Right Twine
Skip craft string and gift-wrap twine. Many of those have wax or plastic coatings and are not safe to cook with. Look for simple, uncoated cotton butcher’s twine labeled food safe.
How to Truss Poultry (Step-by-Step)
(Use photos or a short GIF set if you have them. If you have a video, embed it above or right here.)
Step 1 — Tie the Legs
Place the bird breast-up. Run twine under the tail, cross the ends over the leg tips, then pull the legs together and tie a firm knot.
Step 2 — Secure the Wings
Tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders so they do not burn. Wrap twine around the body to keep everything snug.
Step 3 — Tighten and Knot
Flip the bird briefly to catch the twine under the back if needed, pull everything tight so the shape is compact, and tie a final knot. Trim excess twine.
Goal: a neat, tight shape that cooks evenly and slices clean.
Common Trussing Mistakes
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Using coated or decorative string instead of food-safe cotton twine
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Leaving the wings loose so they burn before the rest is done
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Tying too loosely so the legs drift apart during cooking
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Forgetting to remove twine before serving
Do You Always Need to Truss?
Not always. For spatchcocked birds the spine is removed and the bird cooks flat, so trussing is not needed. For whole roasted or smoked birds, trussing is strongly recommended for even cooking and a picture-perfect presentation.
Watch the Trussing Video
Showing step-by-step photos can be tricky, so I made a quick video that walks you through the process in real time. You will be tying birds confidently in minutes.
CTA: For more cooking videos, check out the ilovemeat.com YouTube channel.
FAQ: How to Truss a Turkey or Chicken
Why should I truss a turkey or chicken?
Trussing helps poultry cook evenly and keeps the breast juicy while the dark meat finishes.
What kind of string should I use?
Use plain, uncoated cotton butcher’s twine labeled food safe. Avoid waxed, plastic, or decorative twine.
Do I need to truss if I spatchcock my bird?
No. Spatchcocking lays the bird flat, which cooks evenly without needing to tie it.
Can I truss and then air-dry overnight?
Yes. Truss first, then place the bird on a rack uncovered in the fridge to dry the skin for crispier results.
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