8 month old rooster = NOM NOM NOM NOM!!

[stuckinthecity]

My God, look at the drum sticks of him! Did you spend any time fattening him up or anything? He's huge and delicious looking

 

[booker81]

Quote:
I didn't do anything but pick him up - I post on Craigslist to take unwanted chickens for food, and folks just give them away. I picked him up, processed him, aged him, and then froze him, to later pull him out and cook him. No feed costs, nothing but the gas to drive a few miles out to get him! The folks even had him (and his buddies) in a crate ready to go

 

[stuckinthecity]

What a GREAT deal!

 

[Nat123]

That sure looks delicious!

And you're lucky to get it for free. I am not sure if we do that here, posting unwanted chicks online for everyone to pick up, that's interesting

We just offer them to the neighbors

 

[Liamm_1]

ok, so I have a 19 week old roo in the fridge. I read another thread that said the only way to cook a roo is coq au vin. But that's just adding wine and fat and junk to cover the taste! I'd much rather eat a nice slow roasted chicken. I skinned mine, and I don't have a roasting pan. Can I use my glass pyrex pan and cover him with foil and have it turn out good that way too? I'd like to cook him tonight, it's 1pm here in CA. Any suggestions?

 

[chicks4kids]

Quote:
Of course that'll work! You can throw a bird in anything and cook it in the oven

Even though he's skinned, it'll still turn out good for ya' but definitely keep it covered with foil to keep the top of him from drying out.

 

[Liamm_1]

Thank you! Just put him in the oven to slow roast at about 275F. He was a paltry size of 1.85 lbs lol. So, @ 275, should he roast for around 2 hours then?

 

[booker81]

How did he turn out?

 

[Stefrobrts]

I used your instructions to roast our 22 week old roo I butchered last week. Gave him a few days rest in the fridge first. I'll admit he came out of the oven quite juicy, but I'm afraid the heritage bird thing is just not for us! I guess 40 years of eating the supermarket birds has us liking the bland cornish cross. This bird had a lot of flavor - a bit too much! I told my husband it was like an entirely different bird. He was very unhappy with it, but at least he gave it a fair shot.

I'm glad I found out now, before I ordered straight run BO for my spring chicks. I think I'm going to go with pullets for the BOs, and try raising some CX and see how we like those for meat. This bird won't go to waste though, I saved what was left for stock. I'm betting he'll make fantastic stock!

 

[CDennis]

Quote:
We skin our pheasants and roast them, you could cook your roo the same way, low and slow and covered in strips of bacon.