Free Range Roosters - Tough..? What am I doing wrong?

[MamaRudey]

I prefer to skin mine and brine in salt water for three days before before freezing. The key to tenderness is letting the rigor pass completely before freezing like the previous posters have said.

 

[Wax Myrtle]

I don't have enough to use them this way yet. If I had any that didn't fit the standard, they would be used (boys), but I have a total of 8 houdans.
I'll be sure to let you know when/how they are. The ones I have are quite large! Comparable to a barred plymouth rock.

Would be very grateful if you would! Thanks

 

[JeffOeuf]

How did you cook them? My understanding is that a chicken the age you're talking about should be considered for stewing, not roasting or frying.

 

[aoxa]

How did you cook them? My understanding is that a chicken the age you're talking about should be considered for stewing, not roasting or frying.

 

For a 4.5 month old dual purpose bird?

He was roasted.

I thought anything over 6 months was stew.

 

[JeffOeuf]

Okay, I'm not in a position to have any knowledge on this at all, but just --elaboratin'--

If I understand right, you're comparing a 4.5 month old free ranged rooster to a supermarket Cornish cross that was most likely butchered at 8 weeks. The CX had zero exercise, nothing but processed feed, and has been specifically bred for tenderness. Your DP rooster was approaching sexual maturity, has been running around stretching his legs all his life, and eating whatever he darned well pleased. Do I have that about right? Yeah, he's going to seem tougher. Penning is going to help. Controlling feed is going to help. So is a stewpot. Take one of the birds out of the freezer and try a long slow braise (coq au vin) or boil one, pick the meat, put the bones back in the stockpot and cook the stock down some more, then make some gumbo. I'll bet you'll have a completely different opinion about your roosters.

 

[aoxa]

Okay, I'm not in a position to have any knowledge on this at all, but just --elaboratin'--

If I understand right, you're comparing a 4.5 month old free ranged rooster to a supermarket Cornish cross that was most likely butchered at 8 weeks. The CX had zero exercise, nothing but processed feed, and has been specifically bred for tenderness. Your DP rooster was approaching sexual maturity, has been running around stretching his legs all his life, and eating whatever he darned well pleased. Do I have that about right? Yeah, he's going to seem tougher.  Penning is going to help. Controlling feed is going to help. So is a stewpot. Take one of the birds out of the freezer and try a long slow braise (coq au vin) or boil one, pick the meat, put the bones back in the stockpot and cook the stock down some more, then make some gumbo. I'll bet you'll have a completely different opinion about your roosters.

I will try that as well.

I had a friend that properly processed her rooster (let set in fridge all weekend) and he was a year old - and was delicious roasted.

By the way, I haven't had a grocery store bird in years. Until now, I've been eating free ranged meat kings from a local farm. Are meat kings and cornish X's the same?

 

[ggarratt]

Mine are free range dual purpose birds like yours. We usually end up butchering around 6 months (we plan on 4 and then it usually takes about 2 months to actually get out there and do it). We let them rest and we've tried brining and and bunch of different ways of cooking and still found them tough. Finally we discovered that the perfect way for us is to defrost and put them in the crockpot with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on low for 6 hours. They turn out perfectly tender with browned skin. It even works for some of our 2+ year-old birds. No going back to meat birds for us!

 

[aoxa]

Mine are free range dual purpose birds like yours. We usually end up butchering around 6 months (we plan on 4 and then it usually takes about 2 months to actually get out there and do it). We let them rest and we've tried brining and and bunch of different ways of cooking and still found them tough. Finally we discovered that the perfect way for us is to defrost and put them in the crockpot with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on low for 6 hours. They turn out perfectly tender with browned skin. It even works for some of our 2+ year-old birds. No going back to meat birds for us!

Good to know!

 

[Sarahndipity723]

I am not a meat bird expert,however,I have to say when I brought my meat birds home from slaughterhouse I was struck immediately by their,"tone"-ie rigor mortis,which
did indeed start relaxing about 2 days after D day.My first batch of meat birds was so tough because I did not relax them for 3 days b4 freezn or cooking-Now I know...

 

[aoxa]

   I am not a meat bird expert,however,I have to say when I brought my meat birds home from slaughterhouse I was struck immediately by their,"tone"-ie rigor mortis,which 
did indeed start relaxing about 2 days after D day.My first batch of meat birds was so tough because I did not relax them for 3 days b4 freezn or cooking-Now I know...

I'm glad you shared your experience. Thanks