How do you skin a chicken?

[jaku]

Quote:
Jaku, how do you store them when they are not in water? When I skin them and store them, they dry out a lot faster without the skin. And do you soak them in salt-water.

I bag them for the freezer, and throw them in the fridge for another 24 hours. Yeah, if they were skinned and just out in the open air, they'd definitely dry out quick. I use salted water for the initial cool/soak- I put about 3 cups in a 35 gallon barrel of ice water.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There is a fantastic YouTube video titled Chicken Processing on Custer Family Farm that shows a really efficient method for both skinning & gutting chickens. Even if you decide to pluck, their gutting technique is worth watching.

Skinning a chicken is like pulling a tight snow suit off a chubby little kid. I'm sorry I don't know how to post a direct link, but take the effort to go check it out, it's worth it.

I put my finished birds in a cooler of ice water right after they're cleaned, and leave them all in there until the next afternoon. I make sure to replenish the ice as needed to keep everyone nice & cold. Then I take them out for a final rinse & wash out, and put each one in a plastic grocery sack to rest in the refrigerator another 1-2 days. I put the bird head-first into the bottom corner of the bag, then pull the rest of the bag up tight around the body. I twist the bag closed near the top of the legs, making a rope of the remaining bag that can be wrapped around the ends of the drumsticks and tied neatly. I set them in a baking pan inside the refrigerator to catch any juices that might leak out.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Yep that's a great video.

 

[kingmt]

I used to skin but I think it is easier to pluck after I figured out how to scald. I don't eat skin ether but it keeps the bird much cleaner & moist while cooking. I have found a lot of good videos on youtube & second that you check them out.

ETA: The one posted is the best that I've found.

 

[Fourgirlsoneboy]

Thanks everyone for all of the great info!

 

[Buster52]

Never mind. Video link already posted.

 

[JohnL11935]

This may be helpful as well.



http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/grim79.html