Aging in the fridge?

[theOEGBman]

Alrighty, I've got another question or two!


I've read about putting the birds in ice water after you have them all cleaned up, what do you do that for? Also, I've read you should put them in the fridge for a day or three to age them, but if the birds are in the ice water, what then? Do you take them out when you are done cleaning all the birds and put them in the fridge, or can you freeze them right away if you arent going to be eating them within the next day or so? Also, what would you freeze them in? Wont they get all icy and gross if you just freeze them in a Ziplock?? Im trying to get this all figured out BEFORE I get any of these darn birds! Thanks.

 

[chcknrs]

I think Silkiechicken or Miss Prissy said to put in water with a little salt for a day or three.

We wrap venison with butcher/freezer paper or use the Foodsaver thingy that sucks all the air out. Our freezer is NOT a frost free, so we have way less problem with freezer burn.

It's a little more work cuz we have to defrost it about once a year, but saves the meat. I had venison from 2006 that I overlooked until a couple of months ago, and it was great!

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
You want to chill their bodies to under 38F within an hour of killing them. This prevents you from kililng yourself from a foodborne illness.

Quote:
You just use the water to get their temperature down quickly. You then place them in the fridge once they're under 38F.

"Aging" means that after death, a chicken gets rigor mortis just like anything else. After 24 hours, the tissues has began to decompose thus making the meat more tender.

Quote:
Chill them to 38 before freezing. Otherwise, you'll give yourself food poisoning.

Quote:
Food-Savr is the win.

 

[theOEGBman]

Thank You, both. Your information was extremely helpful!


Greyfields, I understand the whole, under 38F thing, but will that be accomplished with a ice chest full of ice & water, or do I need to take some higher measure to be sure? Also, do you put them in a bag before you put them in the fridge, I assume you do but its always best to ask! I get cooling them for 38F before freezing, but do you have to let them age in the fridge for the certain amount of days, or can you pop them right into the freezer? I believe that is the end of my questions for now! Again, thank you.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
Ice water is the fastest way to cool anything. Thermodynamics in action.

You simply bag them to prevent bacteria from getting on the outside of the carcas.

I would freeze without ageing them personally.

 

[silkiechicken]

It's missprissy who chills in brine. Haven't tried it myself.

I'd bag before you refridgerate, else you'll have lots of bacterial media leaking from the birds into your fridge... not really that good of a thing if you also keep raw veggies to eat in there. You'd increase the risk of cross contamination.

As for food borne illness, cooler the faster the better to inhibit growth of the yuckies so you don't get the yuckies. However, for meat I eat at home from the birds... It wasn't unusual for my mom to just leave a freshly butchered bird to sit on the counter for half a day. However, without an iron stomach and built up "immunity" for it I don't suggest it. Upon my influence, we now refrigerate "fresh" meat, although never got sick from it either way. Wonder if I lost my raw meat tolerance yet.

As an aside, know she must have an iron stomach, since back in the day, her family would cook up raw meat sitting out in southern china weather for a day, even after stray animals would try to take it... It's still good... Partially chewed and only a little bit stinky. *shudder* Guess you eat what you can get when a banana is a rare treat.

 

[chcknrs]

Funny, I was raised in America, so were my grandparents, but I was taught to bring meat to close to room temp before cooking. Most of the meat was home grown, tho, and hand washing was a MUST. I don't do it now (room temp meat), except when butchering venison....gotta have some backstrap for the butcherer's!
Salt water does kill some vermin, so it makes sense, esp. in the hotter climates. We use vinegar (acetic acid) when processing deer.
As for bagging wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! Outside of the bag can get contaminated too!

 

[jaku]

Adding salt to ice water not only helps break meat down, but also allows more rapid cooling- it allows the temperature of the water to be colder by lowering the freezing point of the water.

Chcknrs- it is true that you should cook meat when it's close to room temperature. I usually do it with steaks and burgers. It allows for much more even heating. However, you have to weigh that against your concern for bacteria. Personally, I'd rather have better tasting food and take the tiny risk of contamination.

 

[mmajw]

We put our Cornish X on ice after butchering as to cool them down fast they are very hot birds to start with producing a lot of body heat and we dont want any of the meat to spoil and we dont want them touching eachother after either as they hold their heat in.

 

[belibutn]

You want to chill their bodies to under 38F within an hour of killing them.

I haven't done any cleaning or anything like that yet, but for some reason I was expecting it to take longer to get to that point.

So from the time the first drop of blood comes out of the hanging chicken through the plucking, eviscerating, till it is all cleaned up, should be under an hour?

Like I said, I'm still a newbie at all this, but I expected it to take longer. Could someone please let me know the approx time frames I can expect it to take for the various steps till chilling it to 38?

thanks​