How to portion when processing?

[HomeInsteader]

Howdy!
I just got in my first batch of Rainbow Rangers. All 30 arrived safely from Meyer. Our local university extension (University of Nevada Reno) has a certified mobile meat processing trailer which makes the endeavor seem more manageable since I don’t have to invest in the processing equipment. My question is this: would you heat shrink all of the birds, or portion and freeze some of them? I’d like to give some away, and won’t want to give a whole bird, and may not feel like thawing and cooking a whole chicken every time. But I also don’t want much to go to waste (like the carcass) during processing if I am portioning it out. Thoughts? Experiences? Thank you!

 

[DemeterAD9]

Freezer space is precious and storing whole chickens takes up a lot of space. Cutting them in half or spatchcocking them wouldn't be a bad idea. I would definitely portion some out, maybe just legs and thighs in one bag and breast meat in another. Whichever way you prefer really. You can even choose to can some if you want.

We've never used a processor for our meat so I don't know how you'd go about that. I'm sure you can ask them to do it a certain way but I don't know if they can/will save the odds and ends for you.

In our house we already have the usual processing equipment like a vacuum sealer, pressure canner, and grinder so we do all our wild game and poultry processing at home. For 30 meat birds I'd probably keep 5-10 whole for rotisserie, part out the rest and freeze for fried chicken and/or pressure can for soups and quick meals. Then you can take the leftover carcasses and throw them in a large stock pot to simmer for chicken broth.