How do YOU process your meat?

[Miltonchix]

I'm curious and kinda looking for some new ideas on different ways of processing meat.
I've just been stuffing'em in a gallon freezer bag whole and throwing 'em in the freezer.
Does anyone try and de-bone their meat? If so, is it worth the time and work?

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

We use killing cones,bleed them out good, scald them around 135-140,throw them in the whizbang plucker 4 at a time,cut feet off then heads/necks, pull guts,scrape lungs cut off glad at tail,rinse the inside out real good, put them in a tank of slushy water till they get down to 34-36 deg. Remove rinse real good pat dry place in freezer bags refrigerate for 24 hrs or so then eat or freeze.

Some times before we freeze ours we will soak 4-6 in brine for a few days then bag and freeze. Make real good BBQ chickens. i have cut up alot and froze alot whole. If you are looking to save freezer space i would cut them in half and freeze.To me it is not worth cutting them all up, but need some deboned and what not for those dinners with the skinless boneless breast meat YUM !!!! Hot and spicy wings and the classic drumstick dinners !!! So we freeze whole halves and deboned and cut up in pieces. Every way makes a good way !!!

 

[sandspoultry]

It depends on the bird and how much space we have in the freezer. To save space we skin and cut up the birds. We did 4 tom turkeys this morning less than an hour start for finish and that includes washing dishes after.

Chickens- boneless skinless breasts, leg 1/4's, wings, gibblets bagged seperate

Turkeys- same on the breasts, cut up the leg 1/4's - thighs for turkey sausage, legs for slow cooking, wings, save the gibblets for sausage

Ducks- same again for breasts, leg 1/4's and gibblets for sausage.

Duck Breast

Duck sausage

It's a major time and space saver to cut up and or debone plus with making poultry sausage it saves cook time (which we all need in the evening- since we have sooooo much spare time after taking care of the birds

) . We use the breasts in a stir fry, or cook them whole, put the legs in a dutch oven and slow cook them - easy one pot meal.

Steve in NC

 

[Spotted Owl]

Do You have any bird sauage recipits that you would recomend or that is not a trade/family secret that you could share. We have been looking for just such an idea. The stuff we use for elk and deer don't seem to work well on poultry.


Owl

 

[jaku]

I freeze some whole, (I got a bunch of shrink bags for the first time this spring to try,) and cut up others. It's definitely easier to freeze them whole, but the convenience of having them pre-cut up is really nice.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Do You have any bird sauage recipits that you would recomend

Here is one for breakfast sausage.........

* 1/2 pound ground turkey
* 1/4 cup onion - finely chopped
* 1/4 cup dried apples - crumbled or finely chopped (can be replaced by 1/2 cup fresh apple - but not as good)
* 1 egg white - beaten
* 3 Tablespoons quick-cooking oats
* 2 Tablespoon fresh parsley - finely chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 dash ground red pepper
* cooking spray

Lightly coat a 10-inch skillet with coating spray. Set aside.

Place three or 4 paper towels on another plate and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the onion, apples, egg white, oats, parsley and all spices. Add the ground turkey and mix well.

Shape mixture into eight 2-inch wide patties. Preheat the skillet over medium heat. Place patties in skillet. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once until sausage is browned and completely done.​

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
This was what we used for the last batch for ducks, it came out really really really good


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=148918

With poultry sausage it's easy to overpower the poultry flavor, that's why most of the recipes call for smaller amounts and lighter/less strong type seasonings. Plus, like any other sausage it takes some "tweeking" to get it how you like it. I'll dig out the recipe for turkey and chicken tonight and send them to you.

Steve

 

[Kim_NC]

We quarter most chickens. Then freeze the breast as boneless, skinless. Thigh/leg quarters frozen separately.

Often we like the legs cut and frozen separately - our favorite piece for fried chicken later

. In that case, we debone the thighs and can that meat.

I always cook down the carcasses, bones, and giblets to make a rich stock. I can the stock.

Usually we keep at least some whole for a Sunday dinner here and there.

Turkeys: We always cut these up. We keep the breast whole for roasting. Dark meat - we debone and make ground turkey. Bones and giblets are again cooked down to a stock.

 

[sandspoultry]

Kim,
How do you can the stock? Hot water bath or preassure can?

Steve

 

[Kim_NC]

Steve,

Pressure canning is the only approved method for stock.
10 lb pressure - 20 min (pints), 25 min (quarts)

Complete directions for canning stock are here on the NCHFP website:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_05/stock_broth.html

And for canning poultry (meats) here:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_05/chicken_rabbit.html