Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[Mosey2003]

Skimming is the standard method.

Personally, I've taken to bringing the chicken to a rapid boil, and then dumping that, rinsing it off, and then starting the stock as normal. Less scummy, and apparently was an old timey method I read somewhere.

 

[Molpet]

I put all the chicken I couldn’t fit in the freezer in a pot. 18 pounds of backs and some wings, I’m going to make a super super concentrated bone broth.

simmering an hour and I have SO much scum. I’m currently hand skimming it off into a wire strainer... then putting the liquid back in tbe soup. Once it stops putting scum out I’ll use my NEW FAT SEPARATOR to get all the fat. There’s almost an inch of liquid gold fat on top already.

Am I missing something? Is there a better or faster way to do this? I don’t want that scum going back in the broth right? And I don’t want it in my separated fat either right?

View attachment 2046909

I skim if the pot is on the stove...
But now days I throw them in the pressure cooker and set it for a couple of hours. Don't think about the scum LOL

 

[jolenesdad]

I skim if the pot is on the stove...
But now days I throw them in the pressure cooker and set it for a couple of hours. Don't think about the scum LOL

This is exactly what I was thinking. The pressure cooker just puts it right back in the broth right?

i Turned up the heat and the scum went right back in. Now I’ve taken FOUR cups of fat out!

 

[Molpet]

This is exactly what I was thinking. The pressure cooker just puts it right back in the broth right?

i Turned up the heat and the scum went right back in. Now I’ve taken FOUR cups of fat out!

At end of article says roasting first
https://kitchen.casaveneracion.com/...m-off-scum-on-the-surface-of-your-bone-broth/

 

[FortCluck]

Need to get the tape tight.
I have the end of the tape on the roll bent over so it's easy to get. I have in right pocket. I hold the bird legs in left hand and his chest on ground. Get the tape out with right hand take it to left hand holding bird. Grap the tape end with left hand, still holding bird, pull and wrap tight with right hand. Grab tape by birds leg with left, pull with right until tape breaks. Put tape roll back and bird in cone.
Took longer to type than to do. But when I was working did this with wires at work...so it's easy for me.
I use the Velcro ties for my Black raspberries and we'll don't get along. I don't think I could use them with a fighting bird by myself

I have heard of people using the bungie like you discribed, I have not tried it.

I use a cut up kitty litter jug and the feet hang out...have the feet away from the support.

They don't get stressed or freak out while you're taping them?

Is it true the more stressed they are the worse their meat is or is it a myth.

 

[FortCluck]

Why weren't my birds super fatty?

 

[Molpet]

They don't get stressed or freak out while you're taping them?

Is it true the more stressed they are the worse their meat is or is it a myth.

Mine are broody raised ....by the time I catch them they are stressed/freaking out. Being set on the ground and not against my side is less stressful. They squak and I tell them they are right.. it's a bad day and I am sorry... and I thank them and God for the food.
Sure makes me appreciate chicken dinner more.

Not sure if the meat is worse, only ones that weren't stressed were CX, so not a good comparison.

 

[Molpet]

Why weren't my birds super fatty?

You didn't over feed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I do not use a pressure cooker when making broth. I use a crock pot and cook it overnight at low setting. That translates to 14 to 20 hours. Some people making bone broth may go for two or three days. I keep a cover on it to keep the liquid from evaporating away. I concentrate it by cooking it longer to get the good stuff instead of boiling the water off.

I don't worry about the foam but I hardly ever see any. Maybe because it is in the crock pot? If I did have a foam problem I'd probably treat it like I do when making jelly, just skim it off. I'd think that would be more of a problem with the fat anyway, not the broth, since like fat the foam should float to the top.

When I process it I run it through a wire mesh strainer to get out the debris (bones, meat, veggies), then run he liquid through the de-fatter. Then I filter the liquid through a few layers of cheese cloth before canning it. This is the final canned product. I ran three batches to get enough for this one canning.

I pick through the debris to separate out the meat. It's slow and you have to be careful to not get really small bones, but I find that cooked meat good in chicken salad, tacos, or soup. I often have it as a sandwich for lunch. In the crock pot that's really tender, not sure about other methods. It may actually be too tender for some people, they might call it mushy.

That fat looks good, so clear and yellow. I think you are doing well.

 

[jolenesdad]

Why weren't my birds super fatty?

They weren’t old enough. Heritage birds don’t get fatty until later. But absolutely as @Molpet said most birds are specifically fattened up. My birds are broilers... so they’re designed to put fat on at certain times and in certain areas. In actuality I’m realizing that slower growing or slowing down these broilers past what they are designed for is not necessarily healthier for them. It seems they mostly put on fat after 12 weeks. I can’t imagine a body in an ideal healthy state actually puts on fat.....

stress chemicals are not too researched. I am not a scientist but I personally feel like the negative effects of stress are cumulative, just like in us.

one sketchy moment that scares you... doesn’t kill you. But a stressful life or repeated stressful situations reek absolute havoc on the body.