How big of a pot do you need to scald a rooster for plucking?

[NHchicks]

This has been years in the waiting, but it's time to learn how to process my birds. I have a rooster that is probably waking up the neighbors and I want to put him to good use, so he is my first process-to-be.

Gathering the equipment and tools together and watching youtube videos, I'm wondering how big the pot needs to be to scald him in before plucking. I don't have a big pot, and wonder if I can get away with a 7 to 8 quart pot, and dip in one end and then the other?

P.S. He's a little over a year old.

 

[Maggiesdad]

You can probably make do with that for just one bird... I'd hold up his neck and wings and souse his feet, shanks, legs and belly first. Peel the shanks and feet with a twisting pulling motion (careful of the spur) then hold him by the shanks and souse the topside of him, swishing him around til the primaries pull out easily. I'd start with the water a little hot (155 -160) since you're doing him in two stages.

Good luck!

 

[mstricer]

The easier way would be,to skin him

 

[katbriar]

You need to be able to fill the container with enough room to have the bird in the water, hold the water as it rises when the bird is put in, and to have room to swish it around and have the water move into the feathers. Any container 2-3 times the size of the bird will work.

I like using a large cooler. The water doesn't loose heat as quickly between batches so you can scald more birds per pot of hot water and I can scald a couple or three at a time.

It's one of those with a lift up lid split in half, wheels and a handle (which now doesn't compress, making it hard to use for anything else)

 

[V-NH]

I just bought a turkey fryer for $60 on Amazon. I have read that they work great for scalding. The investment all depends on how much processing you're going to do though. I have invested about $150 into my processing equipment, but I plan to do 4-5 batches of 25 cornish cross each year for the forseeable future.

 

[NHchicks]

Thank you for the replies!

I ended up using a 5 gallon plastic bucket. I didn't like the thought of using plastic, but at least he was in there for less than a minute. It did a great job because the feathers just rubbed off.

He's now sitting in the fridge, it took 2 gallon sized baggies to cover him. When 3 days are up I'll put him in the oven, but I'm wondering what a 1+ yr. old roasted rooster tastes like - probably leather, but this is a learning experience.

It's not the most pleasant task in the world, but my farm grandmother used to sell her processed chickens - she'd wash them in Ivory soap and pat them dry and everyone appreciated her well-processed birds. If she could do it, I should be able to do it, but it's going to take a while to get the hang of it, especially the gutting part.

About skinning, that's what my husband says - just skin him. Can't make a roast chicken that way tho, and it seems like you lose a lot of chicken.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Yellow House Farm has posted some great stuff on here in the past... - says there's no such thing as a tough chicken, just improperly prepared chicken! I'm still learning myself, I've had some very good ones, and some pretty chawy ones, lol.

old post here

and another here

Great pdf form the ALBC here

Good luck - when you get it right, you'll never want store chicken again! Sooo good...

 

[NHchicks]

Thank you for those links! Now I know that a 1+ yr. old rooster is flavorful, but needs more moisture when cooking, and don't let the meat temperature get too hot, not above 180. Now I have to put a dark oven roasting pan (w/lid) on my wishlist.

 

[Tinadudley5000]

where in New ZEaland do you buy processing equipment culling is next weekend.. scared...

 

[chickengeorgeto]

This has been years in the waiting, but it's time to learn how to process my birds. I have a rooster that is probably waking up the neighbors and I want to put him to good use, so he is my first process-to-be.

Gathering the equipment and tools together and watching youtube videos, I'm wondering how big the pot needs to be to scald him in before plucking. I don't have a big pot, and wonder if I can get away with a 7 to 8 quart pot, and dip in one end and then the other?

P.S. He's a little over a year old.

A turkey frying pot should work well. As a side benefit they come with a handy perforated basket that will make it easier to scald and then quickly quench that rooster in a nice cool bath to halt cooking.