Dry-plucking and de-braining

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hillbillygreen

hillbillygreen

Songster
12 Years
Apr 22, 2008
71
7
101
Central Illinois
Yes... eww just typing that!

We're getting ready for our first butcher of 3 roos. I've been reading Storey's guide and for such a number this seems most appropriate, but I'm a little creeped and confused by this technique.

1. Wouldn't popping off the head achieve the same effect?

2. If not, do you kill them but leave the head on for this... or, gulp, are they alive?

3. Which way does the knife go?

4. Praise God I have a husband... (why am I such a priss)
idunno.gif
 
Two nails, neck-width apart, on a tree stump and a very sharp hatchet.
wink.png

That's how hubby does it, anyway. Quick and easy on both the DH and the bird.

I did a little dry plucking this weekend, and found it to be easier than plucking after scalding.
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I never get the timing right, and "cook" the chicken too much so the skin tears. The waxing method worked really well, too...
 
best way is to kill them then hang upside down to let blood drain out as for the plucking my father does the scalding so ??? was always a mystery to me, but i did see the wax method and thought that it looked very promising.
 
According to the Storey book, chopping the head results in tougher meat.

I don't know that for sure, but that's what she said.

I have 2-3 roos (I'm still waiting on one to crow to be sure
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) and haven't decided how to exactly do this yet either.

Chopping the head and dry plucking seems the easiest, but if it's tough...
hmm.png
 
I think the Storey book is wrong there, the only way dispatching would affect the meat is if the animal takes a while to die or dies "bad" (if you know what I mean). A quick clean kill of any method works the same.

Age the meat if the fridge before you use it or freeze it, We do breasts about 3 days and bigger pieces for about 5 days.

Your cooking method has alot to do with also. We cook boneless/skinless breasts on the grill all the time and they aren't tough at all if you don't overcook. If you over cook you might as well order out. lol For the bigger peices slow cooking is the way to go, dutch oven, slow roast etc.

Steve in NC
 
I have never been able to get the knife in the right spot to do the de-braining. We don't even try anymore. I was a dry plucker until I did the scald method. I works wonders and it is so easy to remove the feathers.
I kill with the pull until it pops method. Then I bleed out the bird. It works for me. I know that there are a lot of ways to do this and everyone has there own way. You will just have to figure out which one works best for you. Good luck.

Like the others say always rest the meat in the fridge for a day or two.
 
I let my birds rest for a few days if not a week before cooking. That leaves a tender bird. Brining does too. I looked at a store bird package and the use by date was literally 10 days after the date I looked! So they can sit for a good while.

I scald for 30-45 seconds in 140F water. As long as temps are right, works great every time.
 
I put them on a rack in a pan to drain away any moisture. I will put a wet dish towel on top if it starts to dry out. In a day or so it goes in the freezer.
 

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