Three-Stage Chilling

What happens here

After evisceration, place the chicken into the first bay of the three-bay sink, which contains cold water at approximately 50°F (10°C). Then move it to the second bay with cooler water at about 45°F (7°C). Finally, transfer the chicken to the third bay, which is filled with ice and water, bringing the temperature down to approximately 35°F (1.7°C). This multi-stage chilling process quickly lowers the internal temperature of the bird to below 40°F (4°C), which is crucial for food safety and preventing bacterial growth before freezing. This also prevents the chicken from thawing other frozen items when placed in the freezer.

Goal: Rapidly cool chickens to a safe temperature for storage.