Help....culled rubber roos

[scooter147]

Quote:
I too disagree. I make chicken and dumplings out of old roosters all the time. I just put them on the stove about 9 or so in the morning and at by 3, if not sooner, most of the meat has fallen off the bone, tender as a spring chicken they are.

I just let sit in brine water either in the fridge or in a cooler covered with ice water for at least 24 hours.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Yep, probably too old to cook as a fryer. How did you cook it? If you didn't cook them like any of the methods Jen stated your going to have one rubbery supper.

Your Colored Broilers will be a better fit for your taste buds... just process before 12 weeks.

 

[egghunter]

I've heard that older birds should be soaked overnight in buttermilk before cooking. Buttermilk has a higher acid content, and supposed to tenderize the meat.
I haven't tried it myself, but it might be worth a shot.

 

[dancingbear]

Egghunter, that's right, buttermilk is very nice to soak a bird in, or just about any tougher meat. I soak venison overnight in buttermilk, and make chicken fried steak. It's yummy!

The lactic acid helps break down the fibers and make it tender. Yogurt works, too. Most marinades have at least one very acidic ingredient, vinegar, citrus juice, yogurt, buttermilk, or some such. Pineapple contains bromelain, one of the active ingredients in meat tenderizer, the other being papain, from papayas.

If you wanted to make a sweet and sour type of dish, you could soak cut-up chicken overnight in pineapple juice.

Any marinade to tenderize a bird will work better if the bird is cut in pieces, rather than whole. That way it can get into the tissues better.

 

[kingmt]

I had this problem because I wasn't resting the birds. I was told to do so for 24 hours but I found this wasn't long enough. I started leting them rest for 5 days & they are great eating.