First time slaughtering and cooking 20 wk roos. Can i deep fry them?

[chillst1]

Me and my grandfather wanted to deep fry but I also don't want to waste the meat. Are they too old and tough for deep frying? Thanks in advance for your time and knowledge.

 

[Molpet]

They are right at the edge. Might be too chewy if your not used to heritage

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I would not fry a heritage bird - particularly if it got good opportunity for exercise (free ranging?) at 20 weeks - my cutoffs shave a few weeks from those numbers now. There will be considerable chew to the meat compared to supermarket birds. Maybe roast, better would be slow wet methods (stew, stock, braise, simmer).

If you do fry, be certain to portion the bird out to roughly similar pieces, use either a heavy pan (cast iron) or a lot of oil to help with temp control, thighs first and to the center, then legs, breast, wings.

We've had improved results taking it 5 degrees past where we typically would with an SMarket bird, but that's going to be personal preference and a little experimentation on your part.

Whatever you decide, a good rest is key - you may benefit from a buttermilk soak for a number of hours to several days in the chill chest before dredging and frying, as per classic southern fried chicken wisdom.

 

[iwltfum]

I would definitley fry it if that's what you want to do. I've deep fried heritage cockrels as late as 8 months and they were tender with high heat cooking methods. Definitely make sure you let the meat rest for atdd least a few hours after butchering though.

 

[chillst1]

I would not fry a heritage bird - particularly if it got good opportunity for exercise (free ranging?) at 20 weeks - my cutoffs shave a few weeks from those numbers now. There will be considerable chew to the meat compared to supermarket birds. Maybe roast, better would be slow wet methods (stew, stock, braise, simmer).

If you do fry, be certain to portion the bird out to roughly similar pieces, use either a heavy pan (cast iron) or a lot of oil to help with temp control, thighs first and to the center, then legs, breast, wings.

We've had improved results taking it 5 degrees past where we typically would with an SMarket bird, but that's going to be personal preference and a little experimentation on your part.

Whatever you decide, a good rest is key - you may benefit from a buttermilk soak for a number of hours to several days in the chill chest before dredging and frying, as per classic southern fried chicken wisdom.

Thanks for your info. My birds were free range their whole lives.

 

[Brooks_]

I'd add garlic to the buttermilk soak U_stormcrow suggested, yummy.

 

[CNJ]

View attachment 2692102

They are right at the edge. Might be too chewy if your not used to heritage

Shouldn't fryers be before broilers? We want tender birds for frying and larger birds for roasting.

 

[iwltfum]

Shouldn't fryers be before broilers? We want tender birds for frying and larger birds for roasting.

Broiling is sort of antiquated terminology. Broiling is high heat cooking in the oven. Very similar to grilling, but the heat all comes from the top element. I've personally never come across a recipe for chicken that called for broiling. Much different than roasting though which is done at temps at least 100F lower than broiling.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

LOTS of recipes call for broiling chicken. Garlic butter and lemon broiled chicken are probably the two most common. Its a very high, direct heat, method - like grilling, but "upside down".

In fact, virtually any grilled chicken recipe, when adapted for the oven, becomes broiled. Oven chicken shish-kebob are done under a broiler. I've had broiled, skinless chicken breast (do not recommend - high direct heat on a lean meat, with no protective covering is just stupid - thankfully, the bonesless skinless chicken breast craze has largely died out. That was the early 90s I think?)

 

[CNJ]

Broiling is sort of antiquated terminology. Broiling is high heat cooking in the oven. Very similar to grilling, but the heat all comes from the top element. I've personally never come across a recipe for chicken that called for broiling. Much different than roasting though which is done at temps at least 100F lower than broiling.

There is actually broiler recipes, it registered as roasting in my brain.