Best way to cook fresh chicken?

[Mainedixie]

By reading the above posts, everyone is saying to wait for a day or two... I almost think we could have cooked him right off the bat. I did a slow cook in the oven (I wonder if that is why)?

 

[wyoDreamer]

If you think about it, in the old days when someone showed up unexpectedly they would grab a chicken, chop its head off, and cook it up for supper. No resting time.

 

[Mainedixie]

yea I did think of that after the fact. My mother stated that my Grandfather who raised broilers and layers for years, never let them rest, just cooked them. So next time I'll just cook them...

 

[FlomatonsFlocks]

I know this is an old thread, but I've butchered and cooked roosters the same day and they've been fine. I pressure cooked and slow cooked them. I'll have to study the whole rigor mortis thing more, but I believe you have a time frame to start cooking before it starts.

About how long is the time frame? We would love to learn more about storing and preparing meat chickens. We have one to slaughter now and are going to put her in the crock pot because we aren't sure what else to do lol

 

[Loopeend]

I started with a chinese mastersauce.
It is a sauce that you use for years. Never throw away. Freeze again. Eveytime the flavour gets richer. The more years the better.
After using it; let it cool down fast in the sink with cold water (in a unit that you are going to put in the freezer). Sift it. Then the fridge. Remove the fat layer. Put it in the freezer.

I am addicted. I can't explain it.

Recipe:
250 ml light soysauce.
250 ml shaoxing ricewine. (or another brand if you can't get this).
150 gr chinese yellow sugar (or any sugar)
3 cloves of carlic.
4 cm ginger, sliced.
3 star anise. (whole)
1 cinnamon cane.
1½ tl Sichuan pepper. Or Turkish pul biber. Or chilli flakes.
¼ tl 5-spice powder.
1 piece fresh or dried orange peel.
½ tl sesame-oil.

Use a pan that exactly fits the chicken.
A chicken smaller then your head; boil it 10 minutes in the sauce on the back, 20 minutes on the breast.
Big as your head; 20 minutes and 30 minutes.

If you have time let is cool in the sauce to get more of the sauce-flavour in it.

Make the chicken dry with paper or a cloth. Rub it in with oil. Put it in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes om full power to give it a crispy skin.

 

[Loopeend]

By the way, I don't really understand the topic. You can cook any chicken, rigor mortis or not?