Butchered a couple of chickens for the first time, but went wrong somehow and they tasted aweful! ad

[poultrified]

I was hoping to get advice, this is my first forum post

Ok, so we butchered 2 young roosters the other day, they were pretty small onea was a silkie/brahma cross and the other a NH red and silkie cross. (Too many extra roosters born in a few months ago)

Anyhow, we butchered properly, about 1pm and I soaked them in a pot of cold water in the fridge. (water got really cold) I added some salt the next day, and boiled/slow cooked them about 6pm (for a long time- the meat still couldnt soften up). The meat was very rubbery and had a not-so-tasty..
Where did I go wrong? Should I have left them out unrefridgerated and if so is it ok to do that at room temperature? and if so how long before the meat goes bad?

And I know silkies arent eating birds they were half dual-purpose.. Still I would think they'd soften up more. They were about 16-20 weeks old. One had black skin and not pretty dressed. I do feel bad for them that they didnt end up to be a good meal.
Thanks for the help, I hope to get better at this with the proper advice.

We do have some cornishX about 3 weeks old still but expecting a shipment of "frying pan specials" this week, I figure they will be other dual-purpose breeds like Barred rocks/RIR/australorp/orpington ect.. We like soft meat. which is the best way to cook?
Eve

 

[debbiej]

Hi Silkies have black skin, bones and flesh. Silkie meat is prized in the Orient. That's why you had unattractive carcasses. After you butcher a bird, you must put them in the fridge for at least 24 hours or more to rest. It allows the muscles to relax. If you don't do this the meat will be tough. Good Luck on your next batch.
I don't think you'll be happy if you boil chicken, a slow braise will produce tender meat.

 

[LilyD]

Yeah boiling chicken is going to taste off no matter what chicken it is. When I do parboil chicken I put it on a slow simmer on the stove starting in the morning and going to about 3. Then I drain the stock off debone the chicken and add seasonings and veggies to it. So far has tasted delicious. I tend to use the crock pot or roast in the oven for my roosters that age. But debbiej is right as well. You should rest them in the fridge not for a set amount of time because it's different for each chicken but until you can move their legs freely. That way you know that the rigor has passed. When something dies all the muscles freeze and stiffen making it indedible. We age the meat in the fridge in order to let the rigor pass so the meat is tender again.

Really a bird the age that you have should not be tough at all as long as they have been rested after processing. I do most of my birds at 20 weeks and they are wonderful for anything.

 

[Appylover]

I found my chickens to do best when rested for 36-48 hours. My turkey rested for 72 hours first 36 in iced salt water in a tote the rest just in a plastic trash bag in the fridge. We in the west parts of the world have gotten use to white skin, white bones, white everything when it comes to our poultry. So silkies are not what we come to expect in our table birds.

The first time I killed and cooked my own bird I was pretty amazed at how tough it was. I cooked it the same night I killed. The second time I let rest in the fridge for 24 hours. Still tough and a little rubbery. The third time I left in for 48 it was like butter.I think boiling your going to lose a lot of flavor in young birds. Wich is why we have chicken boulion now. Our meat birds have little to no flavor and need an extra boost. I have a young roo I am letting age in the coop because hes small and not worth anything on the table except adding flavor. I am trying to get my meaties up to 10-12 weeks not for weight but for flavor. They run around with my egg layers like little birdzillas.It may take longer for them to get large enough to eat but I am hoping they make up for it in flavor.

 

[poultrified]

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice- I'll know what to do with my cornishX in a few weeks!

 

[Oregon Blues]

They rest refrigerated. You don't leave them at room temperature for even a second longer than necessary. Rest, refrigerated, until the legs can be moved easily. If the joints can be wiggled without effort, rigor has passed.

When you butcher, clean the carcass up really well and then rinse carefully to make sure not a drop of the scalding water is left on the bird. The scald water tastes like wet feathers and you don't want that on your dinner.

As soon as mine are clean, they go into a tub of clean ice water. They are there for about an hour to speed up the chilling process. Then they are drained, wrapped, and place in the fridge.

I suggest that you don't eat them until the smell of wet feathers is off of your fingers. That can take a day or two.

I suggest crock pot instead of boiling if you think the meat is going to be tough. I put a couple of sliced onions on the bottom of the crock pot with chicken on top of that and do not add any water. Season, if you want, and close it up and cook until meat is tender.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Also, when you butcher, get the blood all drained out. It won't hurt the taste, but looks less pretty if it is still in the meat.

Be very careful to not puncture the gall bladder.