Serious question, did an old butcher in Kansas City teach me the wrong way to break down a whole chicken?
About 4 months ago I was helping out at a small shop over on the east side of Kansas City and this old timer named Ray, been cutting 40 years, watched me break down a chicken and just shook his head. He said "you're fighting the bird, let the joints tell you where to cut" and then he showed me how to pop the wing and leg joints with just my thumbs before I even touched a knife. I always cut through the soft spot first and now I'm second guessing my whole routine because his way left way less bone chip and the cuts looked cleaner on the plate. I've been doing it his way since and honestly it's faster, but my old habit keeps creeping back when we get busy on Saturdays. Now I'm wondering if my first shop back in Tulsa ever taught me right at all. Any of you older hands got a strong opinion on thumb popping the joints first versus cutting straight through? Curious if this is a regional thing or just one man's method.