Dual Purpose AFTER Laying?

[U_Stormcrow]

I can't imagine Comets as dual-purpose. They max out around 5#, less for the hens, which makes them good for stock, not a lot else. Almost every other dual bird is bigger.

Otherwise, complete agreement with the other posters. Old Poultry is like dealing with a piece of beef heavy in connective tissues. Low, slow methods are needed to help things break down - like you would handle a brisket or a pot roast. Stewing works great. Pressure cooking. Curries and similar where the bird first brines/marinates in a coating that speeds the cutting of proteins into more manageable chunks, such as yogurt. For something completely different, grind, spice heavily, stuff in casings, and smoke as sausage, low and slow.

High heat dry methods (grilling, broiling, frying) aren't good choices with old bird, even after you have dealt with the differences in thickness which can make cooking a bird through the thigh w/o overcooking the breast such a problem for home cooks - even before accounting for the thicker breast on a commercial meat bird. If you do try one of those methods, part them out first, debone, and pound to similar thickness (thin!), then braise. or mechanically perforate like you would for Swiss steak or chicken fried steak, bread, and flash fry. Serve with gravy.

 

[archeryrob]

So you have a grinder? You can buy some pig fat and some sausage casings and this works for me. I used cheap thanksgiving turkeys left over in the store for Turkey sausage and this would work great on old hens.

 

[3KillerBs]

So you have a grinder? You can buy some pig fat and some sausage casings and this works for me. I used cheap thanksgiving turkeys left over in the store for Turkey sausage and this would work great on old hens.

That looks really good.

Any chance of a larger-print version of the recipe? I can make out the seasonings but am having trouble with the numbers while squinting through bifocals.

 

[Molpet]

That looks really good.

Any chance of a larger-print version of the recipe? I can make out the seasonings but am having trouble with the numbers while squinting through bifocals.

Does this help any?

 

[3KillerBs]

Does this help any?

View attachment 2326015

Thank you so much! I can read that one and saved the image. Sounds absolutely delicious.

 

[Morrigan]

That sausage looks great.

We make sausage too, using recipes from the site http://www.lets-make-sausage.com. We've always just used the skin for fat, but the resulting sausage is pretty lean -- juicy enough for my taste, but still pretty lean. However, a older hen should have a lot more fat, such that you might not need the pork fat, if you don't want to bother sourcing pork fat.

Also, we usually just do it as bulk sausage or hand formed patties. We've done the casings in the past, but found it to be more work than we wanted, particularly since we rarely cook dishes where we want links, as opposed to crumbling the sausage into a pasta sauce, or eating a breakfast patty.

Looking at those beautiful links does make me think how nice it would be to have a BBQ sausage sandwich. I might have to give the casings another go.

 

[debkirkland]

I must try chicken and dumplings next time I process an old hen. Does anyone have any favorite recipe they would like to share?

You must not be from the south. That is not in anyway a put down. Just an observation that affects my answer. So.....if you like or have a favorite recipe for chicken noodle soup (if that is a comfort food for you) use the hen to make that. Otherwise, there are two type of dumplings. One, which I've never had, is the northern version where you just mix flour and water and drop it by the spoon full into the boiling stock. This would be a lot less mess, I'm sure, but my ancestors would probably roll over in their grave if I did that. The other is the southern version where the dumplings are rolled out. Here's how my family has done it for generations. This is not a side dish for us as for some, but a one dish meal. It is a must have when kids come home for a visit.

Cut up chicken. Boil both meaty and bony pieces in salted water until tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. If you have a pint of extra broth, add it, but definitely not necessary. While chicken is cooking, boil a half dozen eggs and prepare dumplings.
To make dumplings, sift a bunch of self-rising flour, (6 cups or more, not critical) into a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup water into the well and stir up dough like making biscuits (Oh dear, that's probably opening up another discussion). Work as much flour into the dough as possible and roll out into a very, very, thin sheet. You need something to roll them out on. I've used a bed sheet folded into fourths, a canvas pastry cloth, and now, my favorite, a roulpat from De'Marle. One of my friends said her grandmother always used a bread wrapper. As far as how thin, if you use something printed (sheet, pastry cloth, bread wrapper) you should be able to see the print through the dough. Cut into long strips 2 to 3 inches wide. Depending on the size of your rolling surface or rolling pin, you may have to roll out half the dough at the time. Keep sprinkling with flour to keep it from sticking.
When the chicken is done, remove the bony pieces. You may also remove the meaty pieces temporarily to get them out of the way while you add the dumplings. Turn the burner up on high to get a fast boil. Add the dumplings one at a time into the boiling water. Stirring so they don't stick to one another.
Once the dumplings are in the water, replace the meaty chicken if you removed it. Peel the eggs and slice or cut in half (that's what my family prefers) and add to the dumplings.
By now, the dumplings should be done.
This is one of those southern favorites that is much easier to show rather than write, but, hopefully, you have the idea.

 

[Morrigan]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I'm from California and my mother is Canadian, so, yes, chickens and dumplings is a novelty for me. I have learned how to make old fashioned biscuits (although I grew up with the kind that came in the can you banged against the kitchen counter), and feel very comfortable with chicken stocks and soups. So, I'm excited to give it a go next time I process and older hen. I wish I could taste yours however!

 

[3KillerBs]

One, which I've never had, is the northern version where you just mix flour and water and drop it by the spoon full into the boiling stock.

No, no, no!

That will give you leaden flour lumps, not dumplings.

Northern dumplings are made with milk, flour, and baking powder -- like a damper version of biscuit dough. You don't drop them into the broth, you drop them onto the meat/vegetables in your stew so that they don't sink, get soggy, and disintegrate.

Then you keep the stew at a simmer for 10-15 minutes uncovered and another 10-15 minutes covered until the dumplings are fully cooked.

As a Yankee transplanted to the south I love both kinds of chicken and dumplings.

 

[3KillerBs]

Betty Crocker Dumpling Recipe

I use oil instead of shortening and skip the parsley flakes.

Sometimes I substitute cornmeal for 1/3 of the flour.