Method and apparatus for harvesting thigh meat and oyster meat from a poultry thigh

A method for harvesting thigh meat and oyster meat from a poultry thigh that includes a thigh bone with a hip knuckle and a knee knuckle, the steps comprising:

• holding the poultry thigh by suspending the poultry thigh from the hip knuckle;
• disconnecting the oyster meat from the hip knuckle;
• scraping meat present on the thighbone below the hip knuckle away from the hip knuckle after the step of disconnecting;
• separating the meat present on the thighbone below the hip knuckle from the thighbone;
• and
• collecting the thigh meat for further handling.

An apparatus for harvesting thigh meat and oyster meat from a poultry thigh that includes a thigh bone with a hip knuckle and a knee knuckle, the apparatus comprising

• holding means for holding the poultry thigh at a knuckle, wherein the holding means comprises
• a receptacle dimensioned to receive the hip knuckle;
• a knife for cutting the oyster meat loose from the hip knuckle;
• scraping means for scraping meat present on the thighbone below the knuckle from the thighbone away from the knuckle;
• and
• separation means for disconnecting the meat from the thighbone;