Fry Pan Bargain from Meyers Hatchery

[LilyD]

My target age to butcher a dual purpose cockerel is 23 weeks. That suits the way I raise them. I cook them similarly but different. I cut them into serving pieces when I butcher to save in freezer space plus that's how I cook them. And I save other pieces for broth.

I cook them in a covered baking pan at 250 F for around 3 hours. The only seasoning I put with them is to coat them in herbs, usually oregano and basil since I grow and dehydrate a lot of those. I rinse the pieces and do not shake any water off but I don't add any more water or broth. When they finish I get maybe a half-cup of liquid, which is broth.

I don't put a grate of any kind under the pieces, I like to put the dark meat on the bottom but that's just me. My wife eats the white meat and she wants it drier and I'm happy with the thighs or drumsticks. Talk about tender and flavorful! Yeah, I can see a grate of celery, carrots, or potatoes.

The way I see it the keys are a fairly low heat, enough time, and a tightly covered pan so the liquid does not evaporate. Just different ways to do it.

My son loves the white meat but doesn't like it dry. I find that you can turn the chicken upside down and the breast meat stays moister with it below the dark meat. We also do fried chicken but in a dutch oven with a cover on. I will sometimes bread them and sometimes not. Cooking it at a lower temp for longer makes the muscles release so they aren't as chewy which is awesome. I love the flavor versus the Cornish X my son said after heritage the Cornish tastes like a sponge lol.

 

[LilyD]

I cooked up an old hen last night for Chicken Enchiladas cooked it on the stove top all day and then diced it up and tossed it with seasonings and put it in some tortillas covered in enchilada sauce and cheese we will be eating those for dinner tonight. I think I love the older birds more than the younger ones.

 

[RUNuts]

I cooked up an old hen last night for Chicken Enchiladas cooked it on the stove top all day and then diced it up and tossed it with seasonings and put it in some tortillas covered in enchilada sauce and cheese we will be eating those for dinner tonight. I think I love the older birds more than the younger ones.

Agree. I brined and rotisseried a CX. Then the next CX without brine was dry. I do believe the brining helps the dryness.

The roosters are making great soup! I butchered at 12 weeks because of new neighbors and they started crowing. Tiny little things compared to CX.

 

[LilyD]

Agree. I brined and rotisseried a CX. Then the next CX without brine was dry. I do believe the brining helps the dryness.

The roosters are making great soup! I butchered at 12 weeks because of new neighbors and they started crowing. Tiny little things compared to CX.

I lucked out with these kids they didn't start crowing until a week before processing at 21 weeks. My orp roo started crowing this week at 15 weeks and he only crows in the morning now that the other roosters are all gone so can't crow back at him.

 

[oldrooster]

I like the Freedom Rangers better; they act like chickens!
Right now I have ten Cornishx chicks in the brooder, about ten days old. They are, as usual, huge and quiet.
Swore I'd never do them again, but here we are; the freezer is getting short of chicken, and these were ON SALE, and will be done by late October.
So much for good intentions...
Mary

Just a question, have you tried one of the hatchery versions of the freedom? I've always wondered if there is much of a difference and if it is a positive or negative difference. I've heard of red, black, dixie and rainbow varieties of the rangers. That being said I realize most are the hatcheries version, or someone who may deal with a few hatcheries for their version...