Butchering

[pongoid]

Going through my first attempt at butchering today. Don't have an automatic plucker. Have to do it the old fashioned way.

Do chickens have smarts? Can you kill a chicken in front of the rest and still have them like you? Do they freak out from the site or smell of blood?

I used to raise and kill rats and the rats go nuts if they smelled blood from a comrade.

After they are plucked and cleaned, do they have to rest in ice water before sealing and freezing? Would salt water be preferable?

 

[CoopCrazy]

I killed my chickens in front of eachother and never had any problems.. I was covered in blood and all they were worried about was getting any lil meaty bits off my pants LOL ... I rest mine in salt water for about 24 hours in the fridge ..Some dont but IO found when i didnt the meat would be tough... WIth soaking it was juicy and yummy

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
I raise my own chickens - crosses and orpingtons. This has been an informative article if homegrown, homeraised is what you are butchering www.albc-usa.org/documents/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf This article is not for cornish cross birds - as they are butchered at a much younger age (age is the difference, not weight).


Good luck and great eating.

 

[pongoid]

I did it. My first rooster. It took me a while about an hour total. Its in the fridge and soaking in salt water.

Only had two mistakes that I know of.

1) I dipped 3 times in boiling water and either the water was too hot or my dips were too long. It looked a little cooked and the skin a little to fragile.

2) I got the guts out with heart and all without tearing intestinal contents but I am not sure if I ruptured the gall bladder or not.

Tomorrow I will try another.

Man I used about 15 gallons of water...will have to try and reduce the water usage.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Awesome good for you..It gets much quicker after a few.. But i will tell you what saved me was skinning them instead of plucking... It took so long to pluck and we hardly cook with the skin on so skinning worked better for us....

 

[pongoid]

My wife is a true lakota woman and loves her fat and meat...no veggies ..well hardly ever any veggies. So we need to keep the skin or she will think I am wasting my time raising chickens.

 

[Dogfish]

Pongoid,

Try 145 degree water, and keep in the water with a little bit of dish soap for about 60-90 seconds. It won't cook the skin and you'll get a better result on the scald.

24 hours of rest needed before you freeze or cook. Saltwater bath is fine.

 

[pongoid]

Ok sounds good but now I have to buy a thermometer.

 

[kathyinmo]

Have you seen this thread on how to butcher? It is a great thread, with wonderful (graphic) photos ...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=109583

 

[pongoid]

No but I went and looked at it....
It reminded me that I forgot to remove the glands...so my chicken has been in refrigerated salt water for 5 hrs with the glands still on.
I just removed it and put new water and salt...I hope it still tastes ok?