HELP Butchered chicken is stiff

[farmmomofmany]

I have always had chickens egg layers this is my first for meat. We butchered one yesterday I read everything we could read before doing it the process went smooth but the chicken is still. I let her soak in ice water yesterday for awhile and then into fridge to cook today but she is still will she be good to eat and WHY is she still?

thank
amy

 

[silkiechicken]

From what I gather from your post, you butchered a bird to eat and it is still stiff?

How old was it?

Older than 6 months and it will often be best for slow cooking.

A cornish x meat bird bred for meat at 6-8 weeks old and you should be able to eat it after a few days in the fridge.

Overnight might not be enough to get over rigor.

 

[farmmomofmany]

I should have been more specific. The hens were jumbo cornish she was 9 weeks old. My plan was to slow boil for chicken and dumplings. In your opinion should I let her sit another day? What is the general rule of thumb for this process after butchering.

Many Thanks for the help!!

Amy

 

[silkiechicken]

I would let it sit another day. I usually let mine sit for 3 days before using them. If your fridge is very very cold, just use when the legs are loose.

 

[Judy]

I'm cooking a rooster right now that sat for 3 days before the legs were loose. He was probably 9 months old.

I know it used to be common to kill and eat the same day -- but as far as I know, 24 hours is the minimum for rigor mortis to go away.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

my meat birds were about 5 months when we butchered them, we just let them sit out overnight in a pail of cold water and then froze them. Not one has been tough

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
If you cook up the bird before it get's stiff, they can be ok, or if you let it sit at room temperature on the counter they can be ok by the end of the day. But most don't butcher that fast, and it is no longer "usual" to leave raw meat out on the counter for the whole day.

That said, most are used to squishy chicken and don't do slow cooking methods anymore.

 

[farmmomofmany]

thanks so much for all the help.

I will maybe let her sit another day since she is still pretty stiff

Blessings

 

[ozark hen]

I totally understand you! We butchered some roos and some turkeys and put them immediately into ice water then bagged them up (very quickly) and froze them. I just cannot bring myself to cook one with it's legs all stiff.

I haven't cooked them either as I was at a loss as to what to do after the fact????

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You should also let the bird rest a minimum of 24 hours before deboning. If the meat is deboned immediately it will always be tough.