Cooking Young roosters

[shaw613]

If the rooster is older than 20 weeks, put in the slow cooker or pressure cooker.

These were 16 weeks and I thought they would be good for the rotisserie. I'm reading that I have to let rigor pass?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hmmm. So freezing preserves rigor? Then I'll have to do something else with the rest I had processed. My fridge isn't large enough to not freeze the birds .... I had 5 roosters and 6 hens done. I'll try letting the next thaw and rest in the fridge and see if that helps. Thanks!

We are planning to process some cockerels and hens of about the same age, black copper marans and olive eggers. I’m hoping to learn from your experience. What breed were they? Also, I’d really like to hear if you get better results when you thaw your other birds!

 

[shaw613]

We are planning to process some cockerels and hens of about the same age, black copper marans and olive eggers. I’m hoping to learn from your experience. What breed were they? Also, I’d really like to hear if you get better results when you thaw your other birds!

The one I cooked was a wyandotte. I have delawares in the freezer. I'd planned to breed and raise some nice birds next year, and not buy the rangers that I really like for our meat. These are nothing like them, though, so I'll have to keep working at it!

 

[shaw613]

Hmm, did you make sure the bird was out of rigor mortis? Sometimes it can take up to 48 hrs for the body to go from rigid to relaxed, and cooking a stiff bird can lead to chewy results.

I've done meat birds here for several years, and freeze them immediately when I get home from the processor. How/why are the roosters different as to rigor??

 

[shaw613]

Thanks .... so I shouldn't freeze them until rigor passes? If I thaw in the fridge and leave them for a few days, will that work? I have more in the freezer already. We age our beef for two weeks and it makes sense that chickens would be the same. Will try and thaw the next, and leave it in the fridge for a few days. Thank you!

The other question I have is why are the roosters different than the ranger meat birds that I've been raising and harvest at 10 weeks? I knew the size would be smaller, but I freeze the rangers right when I get home from processing and they're really nice and tender.

 

[piminuse]

I've done meat birds here for several years, and freeze them immediately when I get home from the processor. How/why are the roosters different as to rigor??

I think it comes down to a few things:

1. Are the roosters the same rangers that you've raised before? Certain breeds develop differently; rangers are made to get big faster than heritage, but slower than cornish x, and still retain some meatier aspects of a typical broiler.
2. You mentioned you process at 10 weeks--is this your first time waiting until 16 weeks? An extra month can mean more running/flapping/muscle development.
3. Are your birds free range or confined? Birds that free range tend to be more active and therefore a bit tougher.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Age is critical. Any animal becomes tougher and more flavorful as it ages. There is a difference in lamb and mutton. There is a difference in veal, baby beef, and a mature animal. Same kind of thing happens with chickens. A lot of that has to do with age, regardless of sex.

As the cockerel goes through puberty the hormones cause the meat to develop flavor and texture. Many of us like the flavor change but some don't. That's just personal preference. The hormones do the same thing with texture. Once the hormones hit the cockerels you can quickly tell a difference. I think those hormones are what makes the difference in a 10-week-old and a 16-week-old so huge. I don't get the same effects with pullets until they are a lot older.

I've never cooked a chicken rotisserie style. I don't know what temperatures you use but it looks like a fairly dry method. The older the bird is the more you need to use a slower moister cooking method. Again there are some personal preferences but many people consider a 16 week old cockerel too old to fry or grill. Part of your problem may be that they are too old to cook by that method. This is different from the aging/rigor mortis issue.

When a chicken dies, rigor mortis sets up. How fast will depend on a few different factors but it doesn't take that long. If you cook it immediately before rigor sets up you'll be OK but if you wait you can get a really tough bird. You need to wait until rigor passes. Again, different factors control how long that will be. If the joints wiggle freely or the flesh is "jiggly" it is ready.

Many people store the meat in cool temperatures in the fridge or an ice chest until rigor has passed before they freeze it. I don't, I freeze it the day that I butcher. But I thaw it in the fridge and then let it age before I cook it. I take it out of the freezer on a Sunday to cook it on Thursday. With my freezer and fridge that works for me. Your equipment and the way you package it may be different.

 

[LaFleche]

Thanks .... so I shouldn't freeze them until rigor passes? If I thaw in the fridge and leave them for a few days, will that work? I have more in the freezer already. We age our beef for two weeks and it makes sense that chickens would be the same. Will try and thaw the next, and leave it in the fridge for a few days. Thank you!

Don't do this! Once thawed the meat has to be cooked immediately. Otherwise you will risk food poisoning.

One thing to take into consideration: A stressed bird is an adrenergic bird which will lead to chewy meat. We have the best results plucking them off the roost at night and immediately butcher them (hatchet), so they will be gone without even waking up. This makes for wonderfully tender meat.

 

[Molpet]

Don't do this! Once thawed the meat has to be cooked immediately. Otherwise you will risk food poisoning

If they are thawed in the refrigerator and used with in 5 days to a week there are no issues.
If you thaw them on the counter at room temperature then they need to be cooked immediately

 

[Morrigan]

Agree with the above posts. Leave them in the freezer -- just plan on letting them thaw and rest for a couple of days when you get ready to cook.

At 16 weeks, a cockerel, even if done with a rotisserie cooking technique should not be too tough to chew. I think your main problem was cooking before rigor had passed.

That being said, there are noticeable differences between even a properly rested 16 week old heritage cockerel and what you may be used to. They are definitely going to have more (and depending on how active and early maturing the cockerel was, maybe a lot more) texture and a more pronounced chicken flavor than supermarket chicken (which is a 5 or 6 week old cornish cross) or 10 week old red ranger type broiler. But they should still be tender enough to pull the meat from the bones and chew comfortably.

We have oven roasted or "beer can" roasted chicken on the grill with heritage cockerels in the 12 to 16 week range. When we first started eating the heritage birds, we were a little uncertain as to whether we liked the additional texture and taste, but have now really come to enjoy it.