Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[RoseMarie1]

He'll be mega tough and boiling him will make him more so. You can marinate him in some acidic marinade like lemon or vinegar to help soften meat fibers before BBQing him, but he'll still be pretty chewy. Most will slow cook an older bird. I've found canning them in a pressure canner the only way to truly tenderize a bird that old but I'm thinking a pressure cooker could do the same.

ahhhhh OK so that's some kind of TOUGH!
Thank you!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Granted. XP

So my wheaten Ams are growing super well and are super loud... Turns out another lady I talked to about possibly getting some wheaten am eggs who said she would bring them out to me really meant "I will bring them nearly 3 hours away from you and you will have to spend $36 in gas and spend all day to get to me to get the eggs". :| Fooey and poo. I may just have to settle for BBS Am eggs if I want blue eggs depending on how many roosters to hens I have. Which is sad because I love the way the wheatens look!

They're growing like weeds on the FF. Not like the CXs of course, but still like weeds! Their wing feathers came in really super fast, too. Fast enough that by the time I thought to check them to attempt wing sexing they were all grown in already. Whoops! We've been referring to all of them y what my beau dubbed them as; "Tweetsmith"s. Hopefully they will magically turn out to be three pullets!

 

[Angelicisi]

I'd love a good brine recipe, I have yet to do so and read a lot of processing info that just says "brine" lol no recipe for a mix or length of time...

If  you let him rest in the fridge for 3 or 4 days and then soak him for 24 hours in a brine, he'll be nice and tender just being slow cooked.  If you want the brine recipe, I have a good one, let me know and I'll send it via PM.

 

[RachaelS]

I'd love a good brine recipe, I have yet to do so and read a lot of processing info that just says "brine" lol no recipe for a mix or length of time...

Quote:
I wanna hear also

 

[tcmstalcup]

My method is to let him rest in the fridge for 3 or 4 days. then I throw them in the crock pot with some water and seasoning and cook away. I separate the meat for casseroles or enchiladas then boil the heck out out of them bones with a few veggies for awhile. Strain and use for soups, beans, stews etc.
Realized this morning that I not only FF but still use ACV in the water to keep the yuckies at bay. Had the thought that I was overdoing it even though I have done this for about 10 months. Picked up a wandering hen and felt of her healthy body and soft feathers and thought NAH its fine!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Brine recipe sent to Angelicisi and RachaelS

 

[RachaelS]

Brine recipe sent to Angelicisi and RachaelS

Thank you, it sounds yummmmmmmmmmmmy!

 

[debcasey]

I would love your brine recipe also.

TIA,
Deb Casey
Edgewood, NM

[email protected]

 

[Lacy Blues]

I think I'll post it here in case anyone else wants it. You can copy and paste it into a word document or whatever software you prefer.

Here is the Apple brine recipe

Ingredients
3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
2 gallons Cold Water
4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
2 cups Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
5 whole Bay Leaves
Peel Of Three Large Oranges

You need to soak the bird in the brine at least over night.
The next day when ready to cook rinse it very well a couple of times and bake.

I baked it at 250* in a covered casserole. First I cut up an apple from my fridge and then a couple of the orange peels from the brine cut into small pieces. I salt and peppered the inside of the chicken, added garlic powder and then the cut up fruit/peels with maybe 4 of the brine's bay leaves and stuffed the chicken.

This was my first time doing this method. It was beautifully browned! Oh, for the first hour I had the chicken breast down. Then I took a pair of tongs and with my husband's help, turned it over so it was breast side up. I let it cook til about 5:30 pm and stuck a meat thermometer in the thigh (I suppose this could be done first) It wasn't done so I turned the heat up to 300* and it finished within the next hour.

I think next time I will cook it at 275* and hopefully it will be finished by 5:30-6:00. It was really tender and tasty.

Oh, I didn't use kosher salt. I had a new container of regular salt so I just used that.

Good luck.

Lacy

Also, if your carcass isn't particularly attractive, you can cut your bird up and fit more in the same container. I used a huge stock pot and soaked two large rooster carcasses in it. Worked great.

 

[TexasLisa]

I'd love a good brine recipe, I have yet to do so and read a lot of processing info that just says "brine" lol no recipe for a mix or length of time...

I think I'll post it here in case anyone else wants it. You can copy and paste it into a word document or whatever software you prefer.

Here is the Apple brine recipe

Ingredients
3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
2 gallons Cold Water
4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
2 cups Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
5 whole Bay Leaves
Peel Of Three Large Oranges

You need to soak the bird in the brine at least over night.
The next day when ready to cook rinse it very well a couple of times and bake.

I baked it at 250* in a covered casserole. First I cut up an apple from my fridge and then a couple of the orange peels from the brine cut into small pieces. I salt and peppered the inside of the chicken, added garlic powder and then the cut up fruit/peels with maybe 4 of the brine's bay leaves and stuffed the chicken.

This was my first time doing this method. It was beautifully browned! Oh, for the first hour I had the chicken breast down. Then I took a pair of tongs and with my husband's help, turned it over so it was breast side up. I let it cook til about 5:30 pm and stuck a meat thermometer in the thigh (I suppose this could be done first) It wasn't done so I turned the heat up to 300* and it finished within the next hour.

I think next time I will cook it at 275* and hopefully it will be finished by 5:30-6:00. It was really tender and tasty.

Oh, I didn't use kosher salt. I had a new container of regular salt so I just used that.

Good luck.

Lacy

Also, if your carcass isn't particularly attractive, you can cut your bird up and fit more in the same container. I used a huge stock pot and soaked two large rooster carcasses in it. Worked great.

Ha! Here is mine. It is very similar to yours. Great minds think alike!

APPLE BRINE (TURKEY)

Buy the cheapest apple juice you can find because it won't matter how much you spend and you are going to need a lot.

YIELD: 1 gallon

2 qts. water
2 qts. apple juice
1 c table salt or 1 1/2 c kosher salt
1/2 brown sugar
10 whole cloves
1 T black peppercorns
zest of orange

In a large pot combine salt, sugar and one quart of water. Bring to a light boil stirring until salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and add cloves, peppercorns and orange zest. Allow to cool. Add remaining water (cold) and apple juice. Refrigerate until completely chilled.
Place poultry in a large plastic container. Pour brine over top. Brine poultry for 1 hour per pound in the refrigerator. IF YOU HAVE THE ROOM, BRINE IT LONGER.
Thoroughly rinse all the brine from the turkey before cooking. Otherwise there will be a salty flavor to the turkey.

THINGS TO TRY
--Add 6 cloves of garlic to the brine and/or put in cavity of turkey when cooking

--add halves of apples and/or onions to cavity of turkey when cooking

Lisa