1st Time processing chickens

rbruno

Chirping
May 6, 2015
52
5
59
I had my first set of chickens processed last week. I had 4 layers that were about three years old and their egg production was just about done. So, I thought I would go ahead a process them and get new layers. I separated one into pieces and tried to fry it. The meat was to tough to bite through. I was shocked how tough the meat was. There wasn't much meat on the bones which I wasn't completely surprised about because these were layers and not meat production chickens. But I was surprised about the toughness of the meat and the skin was like leather. Because I have never done this before, is this because of the breed of my chickens or because of there age? I am sure the other 3 that are in the freezer will be the same way. I figured the only use for them will be to make chicken stock. Do others have the same situation with the meet be tough on the layers?
Rob
 
It was tough because of the age. For my older birds they are cooked low and slow in the slow cooker, then the meat is usually removed from the carcass and cut into smaller bite size pieces and used like that. They have an excellent flavor to them though, way better than anything you could ever buy in a store. Did you let the carcasses rest before freezing them?
 
I have no processed any of my birds before but did you let them rest? I've also heard to expect to only use them in in the crockpot/pressure cooker. If you want super tender meat then you need to use young birds.
 
Your cooking method is the problem. Anything older than 15 weeks needs to be cooked more gently. Slow cooking is the best for an old hen. The bird also needs to be rested for a few days before cooking, either before freezing or after. Just let it sit in the fridge for a few days to relax.....rigor mortis needs to be gone. Better luck with the others.
 
I like to pressure can my spent hens. At least I used to. Now I have a pressure cooker and can cook an old bird for about half an hour and have nice, flavorful tender meat. The nice thing about canning it is, you have that yummy goodness right there ready to use when you want it.
 
The chickens were processed on Saturday and I cooked one on Thursday. The one was in the fridge for 5 days. Is that long enough? If I put them right into the freezer, do they need to be thawed and sit for a couple days then refrozen or has the damage to the meat already done. They were a little stiff like rigor mortis and I commented to my wife about that. Store bought chicken cuts into parts so much easier then mine and are not nearly as stiff. Even if they are stiff, will slow cooking make them more tender?
 
If it was in the fridge for 5 days after butchering that should have been long enough for it to rest. Those in the freezer just need to be rested after you take them out to eat them, so take each one out a few days before you want to eat it. Do not refreeze.... just rest before cooking.
The tendons and sinews and connective tissue on older birds is much stronger than bought chicken, so they will not be as loose but you should still be able to move the joints when you come to cook them, but they will not move freely. Yes slow cooking should still make them tender. I usually put them in the crock pot at night and let them slowly stew until the morning. The skin should become more tender too... I usually remove it and then fry it to render it and crisp it up. I strip the meat off the carcass.... there is no waste doing this and all the scrappy bits can go back into the stock to make broth and the bigger chunks can be cut into bite sized pieces and used to make pie or cobbler or added to a cooking sauce or whatever else you fancy.
 

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