How should I cook 22 week old cockerels?

[3KillerBs]

I just crockpotted my cull cockerel of about that age. He was delicious.

You should make sure that all the rigor has passed away or he'll be tough no matter how he's cooked.

 

[3KillerBs]

Oops, forgot the link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/one-cull-cockerel.1512131/

 

[MadGardener]

The way I cook a cockerel that age is to cut him into serving pieces and rinse him off. Then I coat the pieces with herbs. I usually use Oregano and Basil since I grow those and dehydrate them so I have a lot. Think herb crusted chicken though it's not crispy crusty when done. Nothing dry about it. Then I put the pieces in a baking dish with a tight cover with a carrot, celery, onion, and/or garlic under the meat. I do not add liquid. If you want to you can, it's just more broth but you don't have to. Use whatever herbs or veggies you might like, it doesn't really matter. Then I bake him on 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 3 hours. Yep, 250 F, slow.

When he is finished carefully remove the pieces with a slotted spoon. Carefully because he may fall off of the bone. You should have about a half cup of liquid in the bottom of the dish. Take the fat off of that liquid and you have outstanding broth. Of course I don't use barbeque sauce. That may not make good broth.

After we eat it, I freeze those bones. When I collect about a gallon zip-loc bag of bones I put them in the crock pot overnight with water. That liquid is what I use for the water when I use the rest of the carcasses to make broth.

If you try it let me know what you think. I like it but I don't get much feedback from others when I post that recipe.

Very similar to how I've been cooking chicken for several years now, though I haven't cooked an older cockerel yet. I do use the crockpot, and make gravy with the drippings. DH and I aren't big on white meat, so chicken salad is always lunch for awhile after crockpot chicken.

I freeze a small amount of veggie trimmings to add to my broth (mostly onion, carrot and celery). I find papery onion skins add a very rich color.

 

[Anime2lover]

Good morning, everyone!

On Saturday morning we culled 3, 22 week old mixed breed cockerels. They have been resting in the fridge for almost 2 days and probably will stay there until at least tomorrow morning.

I kept one of the carcasses fully intact in hopes to cook it in the crockpot on low. I've heard read 8 hours on low is plenty? Is this a good method? Also, I'd like to put it under the broiler in the oven when it's cooked to crisp up the skin.

Do I add any liquid to the pot with the chicken? Vegetables okay to add?

Thanks much!

Yes, we use that method often. Delish!!

 

[Anime2lover]

We usually turn ours into a chicken soup. We use

Chicken bones (cook that, then strain them out and use the resulting liquid to cook the meat and veggies), chicken brother, water, celery, carrots, green beans, Pease, lime beans, parsley, oregano, onions, salt, pepper, green and red peppers, garlic (sometimes), and cream of mushroom/chicken (if we use that then we don't put the brother), and usually cook up angel hair spaghetti.

 

[3KillerBs]

I find papery onion skins add a very rich color.

Anyone trying this for the first time should make only a small batch. My family finds the stock too bitter if I use the onion skins.