Interrupted processing

[K0k0shka]

I've always processed my birds in one go start to finish, so never had to think about this, but now I'll need to do an emergency batch processing of 5 birds at once, and may not have the time to do everything in one go. So I was wondering, if I refrigerate them after butchering, can I do the scalding/plucking/gutting etc. the next day? This spring's cockerels started crowing this morning and they need to be gone by end of day because my neighbors hate me. The chicks are only 2 months old and I was hoping they’d have more time, but nope. I'm working away from home until late today, and may not have time to do all 5 beginning to end when I get back from work tonight. Plucking especially, on tender young skin, takes forever (the skin is the best part though so I don't want to skin them and lose it).

So... Are there any downsides to waiting until tomorrow to finish them off?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

@U_Stormcrow

 

[Geena]

I've always processed my birds in one go start to finish, so never had to think about this, but now I'll need to do an emergency batch processing of 5 birds at once, and may not have the time to do everything in one go. So I was wondering, if I refrigerate them after butchering, can I do the scalding/plucking/gutting etc. the next day? This spring's cockerels started crowing this morning and they need to be gone by end of day because my neighbors hate me. The chicks are only 2 months old and I was hoping they’d have more time, but nope. I'm working away from home until late today, and may not have time to do all 5 beginning to end when I get back from work tonight. Plucking especially, on tender young skin, takes forever (the skin is the best part though so I don't want to skin them and lose it).

So... Are there any downsides to waiting until tomorrow to finish them off?

While you probably could do that safely, I wouldn't chance it. When I need to process a bird quickly I don't bother with scalding, plucking, gutting or even skinning any more than necessary. I flip them onto their back, cut the skin down the center of the breast from top to bottom and pull it back. From there you can then harvest the skinless breast meat and leg quarters. It's somewhat wasteful, but quick and easy.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What if you told the neighbors that evening that you are currently (like literally in the middle of) getting the male's gone and that you should be finished the next day or so?

Or is the processing a reason they're not fond of you?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I honestly don't know. I never interrupt the process, and I rarely pluck - most of my focus has been on culling older birds where the skin is of "limited" value. Like "even the dogs aren't interested in that shoe leather" limited.

 

[K0k0shka]

While you probably could do that safely, I wouldn't chance it. When I need to process a bird quickly I don't bother with scalding, plucking, gutting or even skinning any more than necessary. I flip them onto their back, cut the skin down the center of the breast from top to bottom and pull it back. From there you can then harvest the skinless breast meat and leg quarters. It's somewhat wasteful, but quick and easy.

I want to use the whole bird though, we eat everything at our house - feet, giblets, head. These are my only meat chickens for this year so I don’t want to lose/waste anything, but I had really bad luck this time around and got 5 boys out of 6. If I had more girls, I could’ve kept them longer until they put more meat on, and there would’ve been no time crunch in processing them. But the brood is a sausage fest this year… I’ve heard some people rest the bird in the fridge for a couple of days before cooking/freezing, so it spending time in the fridge is not a problem, I was just wondering if it would make the rest of the processing harder, or if there’s any safety risk with the guts still being inside… It would be about 16 hours of fridge time between butchering and the rest of the process.

 

[K0k0shka]

I honestly don't know. I never interrupt the process, and I rarely pluck - most of my focus has been on culling older birds where the skin is of "limited" value. Like "even the dogs aren't interested in that shoe leather" limited.

Crisp it up in a pan though… crunchy and flavorful… ooooh I love me some skin, no matter the age or species!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Crisp it up in a pan though… crunchy and flavorful… ooooh I love me some skin, no matter the age or species!

I have some 2 1/2 year old birds whose skin is well attached, I've had to use knife work to cut the connecting tissue from breast to skin and thigh to skin to disrobe those birds in the past. Thinking about a mild salt cure, trim to strips, and smoke as dog treats.

But since I don't have a scalder, that's a lot of hours effort for very limited benefit.

 

[K0k0shka]

What if you told the neighbors that evening that you are currently (like literally in the middle of) getting the male's gone and that you should be finished the next day or so?

Or is the processing a reason they're not fond of you?

I don’t want to talk to them, I don’t want to see them, I want nothing to do with them. They are mean bullies that made my life hell over the chickens’ mere existence a few years ago, and tried to pressure the town to either ban chickens, or restrict them to the point of it being impossible for people to comply and keep them. They are the new folks who moved in to a place where people have peacefully been keeping chickens, are unhappy with what they found and now want to up and change it. So they are looking for any small excuse to raise a stink, and I don’t want to give them the opportunity. That bridge has been burned to the ground (by them) so talking is not an option, like, ever again.

 

[Geena]

I want to use the whole bird though, we eat everything at our house - feet, giblets, head. These are my only meat chickens for this year so I don’t want to lose/waste anything, but I had really bad luck this time around and got 5 boys out of 6. If I had more girls, I could’ve kept them longer until they put more meat on, and there would’ve been no time crunch in processing them. But the brood is a sausage fest this year… I’ve heard some people rest the bird in the fridge for a couple of days before cooking/freezing, so it spending time in the fridge is not a problem, I was just wondering if it would make the rest of the processing harder, or if there’s any safety risk with the guts still being inside… It would be about 16 hours of fridge time between butchering and the rest of the process.

I get wanting to use the whole bird, we do as well, but sometimes there just isn't time. Supposedly you can age with the guts in, but not something I would do. I would imagine that it will effect the flavor of the meat, maybe for the better if you are into gamey, otherwise maybe not. It's very difficult to process birds while in rigor mortis.