Is it just me?

[PatS]

Oh yeah -- the chicken we "did" a week before Thanksgiving was sooooo much better than our sore-bought Thanksgiving turkey I can't believe it. Just don't let yourself worry too much next time. The flavor is incredible!

 

[Kim_NC]

Glad you enjoyed you first chicken. Some ideas for next time...

The preferred temperature for a refrigerator is between 35* - 38* F. (A side note: For eggs - USDA standard, which most states also follow, is 35* - 42* F.) So, if you are working outside in temps below 38* F, then you & the chicken are basicly refrigerated.

In cold weather, I can't stand my hands wet to dunk & pluck by hand. At those times, I dry pluck. Skinning is also faster, so I skin any chickens that will be eaten as bonelsss breast, used in stews/soup, wherever I would remove skin during cooking.

We eat a lot of boneless chicken breast, so sometimes I will pluck only leg quarters, cut those from the carcass, eviserate, then skin the rest of the carcass. Then I cut the the breast meat from the carcass. That leaves thigh/leg quarters with skin for grilling or roasting, boneless breast for recipes or grilling, and the main portion of the carcass for stock/soup, meatpies, etc.

 

[kooltex]

Quote:
If you have eaten store bought chicken and never been sick, then you are alot safer eating your own, them store bought birds live in filth!
I've eaten many a home grown and feel 100% safe when I eat them, I even feed them to my 1 yr old daughter without worry.

All this home grown chicken talk is makin me hungry!