Dispatched my first chicken - Grandma says I'm gonna poison everyone

[Nu Chix To Cash]

I dispatched my first chicken on Saturday. After cleaning it I tossed it in a cooler with ice water and a small touch of ACV for 6 - 8 hrs. I then rinsed it off with cool water, patted it dry and put it in a plastic bag in the fridge.

I've read a lot on here about letting them sit for 3 days so they go through rigamortis before cooking them. My mother was discussing this with my grandmother who said I do too much reading and swears I'm going to poison everyone. I love my grandma dearly but now she has me freaked out (I'm not a cook by any means).

I plan on cooking this chicken tonight so please tell me I'm not going to get anyone sick.

Any suggestions on the best way to cook it? It was a 5 month old cuckoo marans cockerel. It isn’t very big.

 

[yinepu]

if your grandma knew how the grocery store chicken was handled and how old it is by the time it reaches the store she would swear we would all be dead!
(I used to work at processing plants..so I know first hand how they are handled and what's done to them before your store ever sees them)

3 days is nothing for a freshly killed and processed bird.. i have kept them in the fridge for much longer than that and mine are still fresher than grocery store chickens by the time they are cooked

 

[cassie]

Remind grandma we have a new invention now that will keep the chicken fresh for several days. It is called a refrigerator.

 

[Beekissed]

You might crock pot that bird and slow cook it. Don't worry...it's called real food and maybe your grandma wasn't raised on a farm or in the country, so forgive her any paranoia...but it will not kill anyone and will probably surprise you with the nutty, rich flavor that is very different than what you find in a store. That flavor is real chicken flavor instead of baby chicken(2 mo. old broiler) and it is something that few recognize as real chicken flavor nowadays.

Not necessary to keep it 3 days....24-48 hrs is sufficient. I didn't rest one at all the other day, approx 5 mo. old rooster, and just put him directly in the crockpot~he was tender, juicy and flavorful. The meat just fell off the bone!

 

[gg706]

Excuse my question I am not trying to mess up your thread. Is that standard procedure to soak in apple cider vinegar. I didnt know I was supposed to that! I was just going to throw the meat into a cooler of ice water for a couple of hours and then into the fridge for 2 days. Does the vinegar put any flavor into the meat soaking it like that?

 

[Beekissed]

ACV can break down muscle tissue and many marinades have ACV as the base. Lemon juice works as well. It does flavor the meat a little but not enough to detract from the flavor of the meat.

 

[Nu Chix To Cash]

No one is sick this morning.

Beekissed - my grandmother was born and raised on a farm which was why her comments took me by surprise.

The flavor was very rich. There weren't any leftovers mainly because there wasn't a whole lot of meat on him. But my kids enjoyed it and it was nice to be able to show them where food actually comes from. Hopefully it will give them a new appreciation.

Interesting on the ACV breaking down the muscle. I was unaware of that. I was using it more so for its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. I didn't notice a difference in the flavor from the ACV as much as I noticed a difference in the richness of the meat.

 

[Beekissed]

So glad everyone survived! Grandma will be relieved.....