Best way to cook 8 month old Black Australorp

[nickie]

I will be giving Big Boy a permanent attitude adjustment since he decided to attack me while strolling through the yard today. I will NOT have nasty animals sharing a space with my children. So...

At eight months of age how should I prepare him? Will he be too tough for a beautiful roast chicken dinner? Or should I slow cook and then shred it for a not as pretty presentation, but just as yummy pulled chicken barbaque sandwich dinner?

Any cooking suggestions for dual purpose breeds would be helpful, thanks.

 

[Oneacre Homestead]

I really hate to tell you this...
But roosters this age are not edible. I tried once with a few roosters I had- I slow cooked them for hours and they were still so tough we could not eat them. I tried another one in a pressure cooker- same deal.
And old hen can be shredded or made into soup, but not roosters.
He will have to become chicken stock or, my fave, fertilizer for a new tree.

 

[booker81]

I have to disagree - having eaten roos over 2 years old without issue, an 8 month old would still be on the border for a roast chicken dinner. You'd need to take special care and time, but it should definitely be edible.

First, after processing, let the bird rest in the fridge for a good 4-5 days - just in a bowl covered with plastic or a bag. When it's cooking time, season him up, and put in a dutch oven with some liquid and let him cook low - under 300 - for a few hours.

Biggest thing is resting. You not only want rigor to pass, but to give the muscle enzymes a chance to start breaking down the connective tissue and relax.



This was an 8 month old rooster. You can see what was left of him in his thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/432733/8-month-old-rooster-nom-nom-nom-nom

 

[Bullitt]

Chicken and dumplings would be good, or how about some chicken soup? Isn't that what is usually done with older hens that are butchered?

But 8 months old seems pretty young.

By the way Booker81, what breed of turkey was that?

 

[LilyD]

I agree the recipe that I have found said to cook the bird at 180 degrees in a dutch oven covered until the meat starts to pull away from the bone and then take the cover off up it to 325 and brown it for 20 minutes and eat. If you don't rest the bird before doing this though it will definitely still taste tough I have left a bird in my fridge for up to a week since it takes them a bit to actually thaw before they start resting and they taste just fine.

 

[Kickin' Chickin']

I have to disagree - having eaten roos over 2 years old without issue, an 8 month old would still be on the border for a roast chicken dinner. You'd need to take special care and time, but it should definitely be edible.

First, after processing, let the bird rest in the fridge for a good 4-5 days - just in a bowl covered with plastic or a bag. When it's cooking time, season him up, and put in a dutch oven with some liquid and let him cook low - under 300 - for a few hours.

Biggest thing is resting. You not only want rigor to pass, but to give the muscle enzymes a chance to start breaking down the connective tissue and relax.



This was an 8 month old rooster. You can see what was left of him in his thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/432733/8-month-old-rooster-nom-nom-nom-nom

Apologies for the hijack, but 4 or 5 days in the fridge?, and how long should a regular cx "rest"?

 

[LilyD]

Depends on how old they are usually 24 to 48 hours but I pull mine out and let them sit in the fridge for a while before I cook them. I know that 10 week old CRX are fairly tough as well because they are so large and have to carry themselves around, but they still taste good when you rest them.

 

[nickie]

Highjacking is welcome... I am learning right along. I am a processing virgin.

 

[sjcshawna]

Wow i did not know this i tried several times and just gave up who would have thought that letting them rest would make such a big difference, that is so awesome!!! Thanks for starting this thread i would have never know that!!!

 

[Kickin' Chickin']

At first we thought we did something wrong too. Gonna try again with twice as many birds this year.All I have to do now is get another fridge to let the meat rest in ,lol.