First time butchering, everything went wrong, & a quick question

[Ninjasquirrel]

I botched my first broomstick kill by not pulling hard enough/sharply enough on the first try but took comfort in the thought that it almost certainly rendered him unconscious regardless. Some people stun the birds first with a blow to the head.

I botched another one in that batch by pulling too hard/too sharply so that the head came off. Upsetting and messy, but at least it was quick for him.

Like any task it takes practice and once a first error has unnerved you errors tend to cascade. It will not always be like this in the future.

My first broomstick I didnt know to put both feet on the stick. Bird ended up getting away and literally running for his life. By my 4th I had it down but its head came clean off. I was so shocked I let go of the bird and it proceded to shoot up like a rocket spewing blood everywhere. In short taking something's life isnt easy emotionally or physically. It gets easier physically but only a little emotionally and that is only in the fact that you understand and seperate the creature from the idea of food. I had 8 roos I had to dispatch before I got my head around it. Its especially hard if you didnt grow up with the background of being a farmer.

 

[AA Maple]

I imagine Yakety Sax playing as I read this.

I tried broomstick once and was not impressed. I would highly encourage everybody trying to dispatch birds to use a cone (or feed bag with a corner cut out for the neck for very large turkeys) to keep them from flopping around violently after the deed is done. That isn't a great show to watch and it can really do a number on the meat.

Hope you salvaged enough meat for a pot of soup for your troublel. I find poultry best after resting in the refrigerator for about 3 days but have cooked day 1 with acceptable results. Mind you I only eat meat breeds which are harvested much younger. Not sure if there's any helping an 18 month old bird apart from low and slow cooking method.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hope you salvaged enough meat for a pot of soup for your troublel. I find poultry best after resting in the refrigerator for about 3 days but have cooked day 1 with acceptable results. Mind you I only eat meat breeds which are harvested much younger. Not sure if there's any helping an 18 month old bird apart from low and slow cooking method.

I use similar rest periods - and am a big fan of sausage for older birds.

The mechanical maceration by way of the grinder, plus the effect of the seasoning salt, drying period while it cures in the fridge, followed by slow cooking in the smoker seems purpose built for older, strongly flavored birds. I also recommend Legg's Snack Stick Seasoning as a pre-made bulk seasoning mix if you don't feel like making your own. Also makes good pre-seasoned burgers with ground (younger) duck.

 

[AA Maple]

I use similar rest periods - and am a big fan of sausage for older birds.

The mechanical maceration by way of the grinder, plus the effect of the seasoning salt, drying period while it cures in the fridge, followed by slow cooking in the smoker seems purpose built for older, strongly flavored birds. I also recommend Legg's Snack Stick Seasoning as a pre-made bulk seasoning mix if you don't feel like making your own. Also makes good pre-seasoned burgers with ground (younger) duck.

Never really considered ground for poultry, but yes, considering the cuts of beef or pork that grind into an edible sausage, loaf, or patty, that's another good method to prepare tough meats. Do you add fat to your chicken sausage? Might be something worth a try for variety here.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Never really considered ground for poultry, but yes, considering the cuts of beef or pork that grind into an edible sausage, loaf, or patty, that's another good method to prepare tough meats. Do you add fat to your chicken sausage? Might be something worth a try for variety here.

I do - my birds free range, they tend a little lean. I like lean sausage - 30% is just too fatty for me. So I don't add much, but I do add a bit. That said, if you've ever left beef fat, pork fat, and chicken fat on a cutting board at room temp (I **REALLY** hope you haven't - but if you had...) you would find that the chicken fat (same is true of duck, and I assume all poultry) is "softer" at room temps. [Trust me on this] If you use extra chicken fat to make your sausage less lean, it will never firm up the way a beef, pork, or mixed meats sausage will unless quite cold.

You are welcome to experiment - I still do - and you can even go extra fat free - but I routinely buy pork shoulders, and reserve some of the fat when I trim them for sausage making. You can do the same thing with picnic hams, and add a bit of smoky-ness (good if you are doing sausages in the oven, and don't have time to smoke) - but either make sure you don't include skin in your trimmings, or double grind it before mixing with the ground poultry and stuffing. Otherwise, the texture in your sausage when you get a bite is like chewy, flabby bacon.

 

[AA Maple]

I like lean sausage - 30% is just too fatty for me.

Hmmm. I like a very high fat content in sausage myself.

Yes, I'd probably use fatback and not try to rely on anything less firm. I may try sausaging up some ducks this fall. I'd have high hopes for that and I think there's probably some traditional Chinese style recipes I could find.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hmmm. I like a very high fat content in sausage myself.

Yes, I'd probably use fatback and not try to rely on anything less firm. I may try sausaging up some ducks this fall. I'd have high hopes for that and I think there's probably some traditional Chinese style recipes I could find.

If you can't, hit me up, I'm a sometimes cook and may know a few. (Kept two of the breasts aside yesterday, didn't use them in the sausage - duck breast steaks, wild rice, a nice garlic orange glaze... I mean, granted, better with the skin but the ants... I was in a hurry.)

Do you have a five spice blend you like, or make your own? I have Morton and Bassett right now, its ok, but not great.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

If you can't, hit me up, I'm a sometimes cook and may know a few. (Kept two of the breasts aside yesterday, didn't use them in the sausage - duck breast steaks, wild rice, a nice garlic orange glaze... I mean, granted, better with the skin but the ants... I was in a hurry.)

Do you have a five spice blend you like, or make your own? I have Morton and Bassett right now, its ok, but not great.

Ok now you guys are making me hungry

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Ok now you guys are making me hungry

Makes culling easier.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Makes culling easier.

It does actually. I make it a rule to only cull on an empty stomach. It makes you appreciate that animal's sacrifice more