I'm processing 3 roosters this weekend. I have a good idea of how to do it. I've processed small birds and rabbits before, just never a chicken. My thought was to skin the birds rather than go through the labor intensive process of defeathering them. Also, I de-skin chicken when I cook it, as I don't like the texture of the cooked skin. My question: Is there a specific reason for leaving the skin on or is it more of a preference?
Really the only reason to leave it on is in order to eat it. Skinning is a much easier and faster method of processing. Have at it! Well, a professional cook might argue that the skin helps keep the meat moist, depending on your cooking method, but if you are accustomed to cooking skinless chicken, that obviously won't be a problem for you.
We skin some, we pluck some. It all depends on our plans for the bird. I got a vacuum sealer for Christmas this year, so I'm looking forward to seeing how much difference there is between that and freezing them in Ziplock baggies.
