If Skinning the Chicken do You still Need to put in Hot Water?

[MyraNC]

I'm going to do a few chickens today and don't have a plucker so I am taking the skin off. Do I still need to put it in the hot water?? Thanks

 

[PurpleChicken]

Nope.

Let them hang for 5 minutes to bleed out then skin while still warm.
It's easier that way.

Once skinned get them in salt water for a few hours. If you plan on
doing a true brine then change the water after a few hours and put
them in a real brine.

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

nope. that is how I do it. its just like taking off thier coat!!!

I hang them from the next with a slip knot it gets tighter as you pull... then pull skin off towards feet all the insides go thru butt, then break feet off it makes it clean!!!! crop is only thing that can be tricky it gets pushed back inside! then goes out with everythign else!!! good luck

 

[MyraNC]

Thanks friends, now I will shut the stove off and start. lol

 

[mcg30_40]

ok, I've been skinning chickens for a few years now and both of those post had info I didn't know. Why put them in salt water? And can you give more info on how you skin them when the insides come out with the skinning? The way I do it is: chop off the head, hang to drain, cut off feet, skin it starting at the back between the wings, cut off legs and thighs, slice wings away from underside, then pull insides away from rest of chicken (breast). I would love to try new ways and see if it is easier

 

[PurpleChicken]

I've learned this here from folks like MP and through experience.

After I process a bird, regardless of plucking or skinning, I soak them
in salt water (1oz of salt per gallon water). This is just a bath. It helps
clean them and the salt can prevent bacteria growth or kill other germs.

My next step is to rinse them off and freeze them. If I'm gonna cook them
within a day, especially of they are an old bird, I will let them sit in a brine.
A true brine is 1/2 cup of salt to 1 gallon of water. This helps tenderize
the bird a lot.