do you need to brine after you get you chickens back from processor?

[chirpchirp]

hi, after agonizing that i made a big mistake by ordering meat chickens (i am not one for slaughtering/processing and wouldnt be able to eat it if i did it....yeah i know) i found a meat market about a half an hour away that will do them for 2.50 a piece. the guy said they will come cleaned, bagged and weighed. my question is - do i still need to brine the chickens before eating them or freezing them? then that would require me to unwrap the birds etc.... that doesnt seem right. my chicks come in a few weeks, and i want to be as prepared as can be. this is going to be my 1st experience with chickens as well as growing my own meat so am a little nervous, but everyone is great here and i have learned SO much already i know i can find answers to any ?s i might have. thanks!

 

[saddina]

Technically no.

Call the guy and ask if a soak is part of his process, there's a good chance it is.

For birds you want to use a dry heat method, grilling, broiling, baking, etc. you will either want to brine or marinade them. You can do it before or after thier frozen, for most people I think it's simplier to do as part of the cleaning/processing.

If you're gonna use wet heat, such as poaching, boiling, cooking in a sauce, you should be ok either way. If you only do some, you can just grab a sharpie and write "brined" on the bag.

 

[miss_thenorth]

No, you don't need to brine. IMO, the only time you might CONSIDER brining--is for an old bird whose meat you know will be tough. At 8 weeks, the meat shoud be tender and juicy all on its own. I have bbq'd my own birds, without marinade or brining. and they are delish.

I honestly get real tired reading when ppl say brining is a necessity. It is not. You CAN do it, but it is not, by any means necessary. And definitely NOT necessary for a young bird. My birds come straight from the po=rocessor into the freezer.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

You don't have to do anything except let them sit in your fridge for at least 24 hrs before freezing. This gives the meat a chance to relax. That is why beef is hung for days before it is even processed. It makes it tender. I had mine processed today. Friday we will have fresh chicken for dinner.

 

[spook]

Quote:
AMEN!
I do allow my birds to sit in the refrigerater 3 days, er, until I get to it on the 3rd day. I feel this allows the rigor to ease a bit more. I too tire of the brine issue, I raise my own birds so to be more heart healthy- No SALT. That is one of the many reasons I grow my own meat, to be healthier, cleaner and if you have to chew, it means it is how we should be eating. Food should need to be chewed.

 

[saddina]

Fair enough, you won't get food poisioning etc. if you don't, but often people who are used to supermarket chickens will find home grown ones to be "odd" because of the differance. I wouldn't want someone to completly give up growing thier own because they found homegrown too tough.

Sort of how some people like pasta al dente, and others like Mr. Saddi think it should be mushy

let your taste buds tell you what you do/don't like.

 

[chirpchirp]

thank you all for your advice/opinions. i think i will try one plain and then one brined to see if it makes a difference to my family. when i mentioned brining to the processor, he said for what? smoking? i said no, i've heard you need to brine the chicken before you eat it and he said he had never heard such a thing. so i figure the meat market/processor would know what needs to be done to the meat for it to be good! thanks again

 

[CARS]

Quote:
Not many around here even refrigerate the bird before freezing.

The last couple butcher shops I used wanted to dress and freeze. I had to request that they refrigerate until I get there to pick them up.

I haven't brined in the past but I am going to give it a shot this year. Mainly because I am not raising extra birds for anyone. Brining a dozen or so is no biggie, but doing 50+ would be a real hassle.

 

[saddina]

Quote:
Not many around here even refrigerate the bird before freezing.

The last couple butcher shops I used wanted to dress and freeze. I had to request that they refrigerate until I get there to pick them up.

I haven't brined in the past but I am going to give it a shot this year. Mainly because I am not raising extra birds for anyone. Brining a dozen or so is no biggie, but doing 50+ would be a real hassle.

Try the pinapple brine and make chicken skewers....

serve over rice.

I had food poisioning years ago from poorly stored chicken, so I'm a bit "fussy" when it comes to sanitation.