How Long to Wait Before Freezer Camp?

[PunkinPeep]

Quote:
I don't have a lot of experience here, so there's a chance i might be talking out of my um, ......vent. But i have a couple of thoughts.

It seems to be a good idea to somewhat confine them for some period before butchering, especially if you're going to try to get them to that big size by letting them continue to grow after they reach maturity - or start to crow. That way, they spend less time building muscle and more time gaining weight. And i don't mean to stick them in a 1x1 cage; i mean keep them in a run instead of letting them free range.

And if you want to roast or fry them, i really wouldn't recommend letting them get that old.

One other thing, do you have in mind where you're going to let that many birds rest before they're frozen?

If i have offered unsolicited advice, i apologize in advance.

Hope your venture turns out great.

 

[greathorse]

Quote:
I don't have a lot of experience here, so there's a chance i might be talking out of my um, ......vent. But i have a couple of thoughts.

It seems to be a good idea to somewhat confine them for some period before butchering, especially if you're going to try to get them to that big size by letting them continue to grow after they reach maturity - or start to crow. That way, they spend less time building muscle and more time gaining weight. And i don't mean to stick them in a 1x1 cage; i mean keep them in a run instead of letting them free range.

And if you want to roast or fry them, i really wouldn't recommend letting them get that old.

One other thing, do you have in mind where you're going to let that many birds rest before they're frozen?

If i have offered unsolicited advice, i apologize in advance.

Hope your venture turns out great.

Any large vessel with an ice bath would be perfect for resting the birds. Aging them overnight in an icebath is very effective. A couple hundred pounds of ice and a large clean trash container would work.

 

[BirchHatchery]

butcher em at 20 weeks after i take em to the processor they put em in bags i take em from the bags right into my 3 huge coolers filled with ice water then i bring em home they sit for 2 days in the cooler before going to the freezer some say leave em set for 3 days so i found 2 days is a happy medium

 

[greathorse]

It sounds like you are willing and able to accept different cooking styles to accomadate the product and in that case you will have no issues. You may also, and I think you already know this, need to adjust your flavor expectency. What some folks refer to as a rich flavor others describe as gamey and awful etc. etc. I have cooked older birds for stock and in my opinion make the best stock.

I will be very interested in hearing how the older birds meet your expectations.

I am not sure about the caponizing thing either. I think I will play with a few slaughtered birds before I try it, but I sure would like to have a couple of big old capons hanging around. Not even sure if I would eat them.

The kit I got has the scoop, the spreader, the knife and i beleive a forceps. We will see it just shipped yesterday so I dont have it yet.

 

[Diavolicchio]

Quote:
I'm intrigued with flavor of the older chickens. Apparently a number of chefs (and restaurants) are too. Check out this NY Times article. It addresses this exact topic.

Quote:
I'm certainly impressed by the size rooster you can get from caponizing; I just don't think I've got it in me to perform the procedure myself.

And that's probably a good thing.



John

 

[deerman]

Fryer or tender birds need to be under 13 weeks old.

Ones three to five months are roaster.

Roosters over 6 months have stronger taste, are tough, not much for eating unless capon.

My old rooster, become dog food, or etc.

IMO a chicken over 6 months not good to eat except a good stewing hen.

 

[Diavolicchio]

Deerman:

Check out that article I linked in the previous post. It sums things up even more comprehensively.


John

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Still would not feed a rooster past 13 weeks, more feed, for what a few more pounds of tough meat, To each their own, I dont eat Carp, old boar hogs, Bulls, or old rooster. Yes guess some will eat them. For me best to eat them before they get old.

 

[greathorse]

There is tremendous truth in low slow cooking creating a tender end product. Think of the brisket in beef being the toughest cut in the entire cattle, will turn into pudding in about 12 hours if cooked low enough, about 225. I would guess a chicken stewed at a very low simmer or below would do the same.

 

[BirchHatchery]

20 weeks is perfect age and they are not tough if u let the meat set 12 or 13 weeks boy u wont have any meat on that chicken