Accidentally purchased meat bird, now what?

[ChickenChick46]

I learned how by googling it. I bought a special tool as my hands are weak from arthritis, but if you're strong and have a good sharp pair of kitchen shears, you shouldn't have any trouble.

I need to find that tool. I do have shears, but I've also got something medical going on that is causing me joint pain, including in my hands and fingers. I don't have the hand strength that I used to.

 

[FrostRanger]

You cut out the backbone and flatten the chicken out so it'll cook faster and more evenly. It's pretty easy, and it does work.

I hate cooking whole chickens because I feel like I somehow over or under cook them every time. But spatchcocking helps a lot.

It also works amazingly for turkey. I've cooked my turkey like that the past few thanksgivings and it turned out great

 

[ChickenChick46]

It also works amazingly for turkey. I've cooked my turkey like that the past few thanksgivings and it turned out great

May need to give that a shot too. Turkeys take forever to cook.

 

[FrostRanger]

May need to give that a shot too. Turkeys take forever to cook.

I think one year the bird took under 3 hours to cook

 

[ChickenChick46]

I think one year the bird took under 3 hours to cook

My husband bought one of hose countertop roasters last year. As a whole, I try to avoid specialty kitchen appliances because of the room they take up. But this thing is worth it. My oven was actually free while the turkey cooked!

 

[MROO]

Thank you!
I actually don’t know the proper time to process….
If it was supposed to be 8 weeks, than she is twice that age.
Do you know what would have been the appropriate age?
I guess I could always google it…

You can process at any age, you'll just have tougher meat. At the risk of sounding crass, which is by no means my intention, think "stew or pot-pie" instead of "wings and drumsticks."

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I need to find that tool. I do have shears, but I've also got something medical going on that is causing me joint pain, including in my hands and fingers. I don't have the hand strength that I used to.

I got this from Amazon.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I got this from Amazon.

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I'm going to look that up right now, thank you so much.

I've gotten to where sometimes I can't open jars. I've got to get my husband or son to do it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It still takes some strength but the leverage beats the cookies out of standard kitchen shears. It comes apart fairly easily for sharpening and cleaning as well.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm going to look that up right now, thank you so much.

I've gotten to where sometimes I can't open jars. I've got to get my husband or son to do it.

Yup, I'm there too. Sad day when I was no longer The Opener of the Pickle Jar. Now I can't even open a soda bottle by myself. Oh, Age, what hast thou done to me!