I currently have a batch of meat birds, leftover undersized ones from a commercial grow out operation. I think they were just less aggressive and got pushed away from the food, because they've grown quickly since I got them. I've had them 3 weeks, they were 6 weeks old when I got them. I lost a number of them right off, then a few more in this last week. I've butchered some, I have about 47 left to process, hopefully I'll get at least half done over the next day or two. I have a flock of 46 layers plus a DC roo, and these meat chicks easily eat twice as much as the adult flock. I could have fed the same number of my DP (from 6 weeks on) chicks for about 10 weeks for what these little poop machines have eaten. It's good thing they were already 6 weeks old when I wound up with them. I can't afford to keep feeding these, nor can I do anything else until they're gone, they're taking up all of my available space.
DP's aren't always smaller than Cornish X. I often have cockerels that dress out to over 6 lbs. at 20-25 weeks. (I understand that C-X's the same age would be bigger, but I wouldn't want to feed them that long.) Most of mine have some mixture of standard dark Cornish and Brahma, so those boys get big. I do have some that come in under 5lbs, but most are over. I haven't weighed the cooked boneless meat from one, though. I've never managed to de-bone one without eating a fair share of while working on it.
When I roast them, I slow roast at 275-300F for at least 3 hours, sometimes as much as 5 hours, depending on size and age of the bird. Season, add about 2 cups of water, put it in the oven. I use a Litton Simmerpot, which is a clay chicken cooker. You could use an oven bag, or any roasting pan with a good-fitting lid, so it doesn't dry out. Brining the bird overnight before cooking will help prevent dryness, as well.
You can always throw one in the crockpot, season it, put the lid on, plug in, set it on low, and go to bed. Leave it until the meat begins to fall off the bones. Overnight is usually enough, but if it isn't, just wait a while longer. You can eat it as is, or de-bone and use the meat in any dish that you'd use cooked chicken for. Think tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales, pot pie, BBQ sandwiches, stir fry, chicken salad, chicken and dumplings, chicken croquettes, or whatever. Beats the heck out of that tasteless canned crap. The broth beats anything from a can or a box. Any time I don't use it all right away, I freeze it for future use, in soups, sauces, stuffing, any recipe that calls for broth or bouillon.
Another method is to cut it into pieces, season, the pieces and arrange in a single layer in a baking dish, (I use a big rectangular Pyrex pan) cover with buttermilk, and bake at 300F for about 3 hours. Turn it about once an hour. I like to let it get brown before serving. You can substitute a tomato based sauce for the buttermilk, or use yogurt, or just about any acidic type of sauce, juice, or marinade. The acid and enzymes tenderize the meat. But it still takes time. Long, slow, cooking is the key.
Pressure cooking or pressure canning is another good way to cook them. Any bird should be aged a couple of days, the older ones I like to age at least a week. That's in the fridge, of course. Covered, so they don't dry out. Again, older ones are helped by brining.
DP's aren't always smaller than Cornish X. I often have cockerels that dress out to over 6 lbs. at 20-25 weeks. (I understand that C-X's the same age would be bigger, but I wouldn't want to feed them that long.) Most of mine have some mixture of standard dark Cornish and Brahma, so those boys get big. I do have some that come in under 5lbs, but most are over. I haven't weighed the cooked boneless meat from one, though. I've never managed to de-bone one without eating a fair share of while working on it.
When I roast them, I slow roast at 275-300F for at least 3 hours, sometimes as much as 5 hours, depending on size and age of the bird. Season, add about 2 cups of water, put it in the oven. I use a Litton Simmerpot, which is a clay chicken cooker. You could use an oven bag, or any roasting pan with a good-fitting lid, so it doesn't dry out. Brining the bird overnight before cooking will help prevent dryness, as well.
You can always throw one in the crockpot, season it, put the lid on, plug in, set it on low, and go to bed. Leave it until the meat begins to fall off the bones. Overnight is usually enough, but if it isn't, just wait a while longer. You can eat it as is, or de-bone and use the meat in any dish that you'd use cooked chicken for. Think tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales, pot pie, BBQ sandwiches, stir fry, chicken salad, chicken and dumplings, chicken croquettes, or whatever. Beats the heck out of that tasteless canned crap. The broth beats anything from a can or a box. Any time I don't use it all right away, I freeze it for future use, in soups, sauces, stuffing, any recipe that calls for broth or bouillon.
Another method is to cut it into pieces, season, the pieces and arrange in a single layer in a baking dish, (I use a big rectangular Pyrex pan) cover with buttermilk, and bake at 300F for about 3 hours. Turn it about once an hour. I like to let it get brown before serving. You can substitute a tomato based sauce for the buttermilk, or use yogurt, or just about any acidic type of sauce, juice, or marinade. The acid and enzymes tenderize the meat. But it still takes time. Long, slow, cooking is the key.
Pressure cooking or pressure canning is another good way to cook them. Any bird should be aged a couple of days, the older ones I like to age at least a week. That's in the fridge, of course. Covered, so they don't dry out. Again, older ones are helped by brining.
