Did my first butchering today- did it the 'grouse' way!

[clairabean]

When we butcher grouse (after they are dead) we stand on the wings, grab the legs and pull. The breast and wings detach beautifully and cleanly. A small touch up and they are excellent. No gutting, no plucking.

Today we thought, why not try it with the banties? We were disposing of 2/3 of my flock because they were old and had stopped laying. Originally we were going to use the meat as dog food, but that had changed. We were sadly going to just dispose of the bodies. So we thought, why not? The first one was a bit tough, but we managed, second came out beautifully. The rest were easy as cake. We did 12 banties and 3 (smaller) standards this way. They all turned out great. I have two big bags of breasts in my freezer and I will cook them in my crock pot. Yes, it would be a waste if you wanted the whole bird, but banties really don't have much meat besides the breast anyways.

Has anyone else used this method?

 

[halo]

I can't even wrap my pea brain around that method. Does that really work??

 

[EggsForIHOP]

Quote:
Me too! I have heard of it...but can't wrap my brain around the actual mechanics of it...any pics? Video somewhere? It is a good idea for something small like a banty...I just need a visual!

 

[clairabean]

Same idea, but with a chicken you need to stand further up the wings, right by the body.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwjPWB1B7YE&feature=related

 

[Terri O]

A friend of mine does that with roos younger than a year...says it works great! At least you get to use some of the bird! Terri O

 

[yinepu]

we butcher bantams the same way we do standard chickens.. there's plenty of meat on our bantams to use it all.. lol.. maybe we just have some hefty bantams.. but I can't picture tossing the legs and thighs away


plus the necks and backs make for great soup stock!

 

[kari_dawn]

man, you guys who throw out the legs, thighs, and backs, send them my way! I don't care for the white meat!

 

[EggsForIHOP]

Quote:
It is kind of a waste...but still so nifty all at the same time! I might give it a try sometime for just because...and the dogs could always have the legs and such - my puppy LOVES hi some feathery bits to chew on!

 

[Erica]

I suspect it's favoured for those birds that do a lot of flying. They would have more breast meat, so it's the upper sections that get used.

Chickens, being ground dwellers, would have much more percentage of their meat on the legs... I imagine that's why different techniques have been developed around chickens.

But whatever way works for you... Glad to hear it went so well.

Thanks for sharing the technique,

Erica

 

[clairabean]

Yeah, it would not be my favoured way of butchering, due to the high amount of waste, but it worked for our situation today! I am happy that we got to use SOME of the bird instead of none. (The regular way of butchering was totally out for us in this situation for many reasons- below freezing temps, time, no way my hands could hold a butchering knife today....)

Meat birds and standards will definitely be butchered the regular way.