California - Northern

[tls_ranch]

Ok the white meat is a tad stringy and chewy but the dark meat is divine! I had to sneak some bites off the carcass that's been simmering. My girls are REALLY bothered by the smell of it cooking though. It does smell very, very strongly of cooked chicken. It smells just like chicken - the usual smell but it's a lot more intense smelling. The flavor is the exact same way- same taste but more flavor. richer. He was a big daggone chicken. Not fat but large - long long legs and wings. It was hard to lid the pot with him in there. And rigor didn't help the legs. I about had to snap the suckers to get them in the pot right. lol The only parts I saved were the gizzard and the heart. Because of the mold issues I was a little afraid to keep some of the organs. Would they be ok to eat or should I keep tossing the organs? The necropsy of the one chicken showed the lungs, airways and liver to have mold in it (the aspergillus).

Hi Amy,
I butchered a cockerel yesterday too. It was my second time The first time I plucked because I did it at a friend's house and she was doing one of her extra cockerels. She had a big pot for the scalding and I don't. So I skinned this time. I think I like the skinning rather than the plucking with the dark feathered birds. The dark pin feathers are hard to deal with. I was going to make soup anyway and not a roasting bird. I didn't wait to rest the meat in the fridge. I killed, skinned, cleaned and had it in the pot in about 30 minutes. Rigor hadn't really even set in yet so it was easier to fit in the cockpot. I also quick browned the chicken in a frying pan with some olive oil first. After I added celery, onions, carrots, garlic, fresh herbs and salt to the crockpot the smell was very yummy. My kid's kept asking me when dinner was going to be done

I let it cook until the meat was near falling off the bones then strained the broth and shredded the meat. I used it to make a delicious rice pilaf with shredded chicken and we had it with some homemade bread hot from the oven

Trisha

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi Amy,
I butchered a cockerel yesterday too. It was my second time The first time I plucked because I did it at a friend's house and she was doing one of her extra cockerels. She had a big pot for the scalding and I don't. So I skinned this time. I think I like the skinning rather than the plucking with the dark feathered birds. The dark pin feathers are hard to deal with. I was going to make soup anyway and not a roasting bird. I didn't wait to rest the meat in the fridge. I killed, skinned, cleaned and had it in the pot in about 30 minutes. Rigor hadn't really even set in yet so it was easier to fit in the cockpot. I also quick browned the chicken in a frying pan with some olive oil first. After I added celery, onions, carrots, garlic, fresh herbs and salt to the crockpot the smell was very yummy. My kid's kept asking me when dinner was going to be done

I let it cook until the meat was near falling off the bones then strained the broth and shredded the meat. I used it to make a delicious rice pilaf with shredded chicken and we had it with some homemade bread hot from the oven

Trisha

 

[tls_ranch]

There's still a little bit of meat and rice left over today. I'm going to make chicken chile verde with the shredded chicken and turn the rice pilaf into "re-fried" spanish style rice. I have the bones cooking again in the crock pot with more water (veggies, herbs etc). I hope to get a second batch of broth/stock out of it

Now I just have 3-4 more cockerels to go. They are a bit younger than this one was, so maybe I'll give them a bit more time to grow.

Trisha

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Chili verde....now my hubby is drooling!!

 

[Hangtown Farms]

There's still a little bit of meat and rice left over today. I'm going to make chicken chile verde with the shredded chicken and turn the rice pilaf into "re-fried" spanish style rice. I have the bones cooking again in the crock pot with more water (veggies, herbs etc). I hope to get a second batch of broth/stock out of it

Now I just have 3-4 more cockerels to go. They are a bit younger than this one was, so maybe I'll give them a bit more time to grow.

Trisha

mmmm what time is dinner

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Well here is Rocky my rooster. the one that got beat up good. He is doing better seemingly though he still likes to rest a ton.
Poor guy I hope he recovers or I will be looking for a new crele rooster

 

[Hangtown Farms]

my younger pene's out roaming with the big kids

 

[zooweemama]

Hi Amy,
I butchered a cockerel yesterday too. It was my second time The first time I plucked because I did it at a friend's house and she was doing one of her extra cockerels. She had a big pot for the scalding and I don't. So I skinned this time. I think I like the skinning rather than the plucking with the dark feathered birds. The dark pin feathers are hard to deal with. I was going to make soup anyway and not a roasting bird. I didn't wait to rest the meat in the fridge. I killed, skinned, cleaned and had it in the pot in about 30 minutes. Rigor hadn't really even set in yet so it was easier to fit in the cockpot. I also quick browned the chicken in a frying pan with some olive oil first. After I added celery, onions, carrots, garlic, fresh herbs and salt to the crockpot the smell was very yummy. My kid's kept asking me when dinner was going to be done

I let it cook until the meat was near falling off the bones then strained the broth and shredded the meat. I used it to make a delicious rice pilaf with shredded chicken and we had it with some homemade bread hot from the oven

Trisha

I simmered it for about 90 minutes last night. The carcass fell apart lol. I left it in the pot with the broth and stuck it in the fridge. I am making chicken and dumplings and fresh wheat bread. I liked skinning for stewing the meat too. I didn't have to deal with extra fat in the pot when it simmered. It does smell rather incredible. Even the free range chicken you get from the store doesn't even compare to this smell. Heavenly really.

 

[zooweemama]

There's still a little bit of meat and rice left over today. I'm going to make chicken chile verde with the shredded chicken and turn the rice pilaf into "re-fried" spanish style rice. I have the bones cooking again in the crock pot with more water (veggies, herbs etc). I hope to get a second batch of broth/stock out of it

Now I just have 3-4 more cockerels to go. They are a bit younger than this one was, so maybe I'll give them a bit more time to grow.

Trisha

I have like 2 that I feel ok processing right now- the others could really use another week or 2 honestly. They are a bit small. This guy I processed last night was a big dude and the meat yield is extremely modest so the smaller guys are no way going to give me even close to that. After sleeping on it a bit- I feel a little less horrified today. lol

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Quote:

Well here is Rocky my rooster. the one that got beat up good. He is doing better seemingly though he still likes to rest a ton.
Poor guy I hope he recovers or I will be looking for a new crele rooster

Oh, poor Rocky. Looks like he got scalped a bit. I sure do like his coloring. Hope he perks up soon!

I have like 2 that I feel ok processing right now- the others could really use another week or 2 honestly. They are a bit small. This guy I processed last night was a big dude and the meat yield is extremely modest so the smaller guys are no way going to give me even close to that. After sleeping on it a bit- I feel a little less horrified today. lol

I think it's great doing it all yourself for the first time. It is a more honest way to get your food. Good for you! Mmmmm.... dumplings.