Just had my first batch processed and have questions

I also looked at another book I have on chickens "How to Raise Chickens" by Christine Heinrichs. She says to break the neck like the gentleman did and the blood will pool in the broken area.

Anyway, I did unpack and soak the birds in a cold water bath overnight and there was alot of blood. I also called another person to process the rest of my birds which I was going to do anyway. Since this if my first time with all of this, I wanted to go to several people just to get to know them, see their technique, learn, etc.

Personally, I would like to see less blood/dripping in a packaged chicken. When I am handling the birds for cooking, it is nice not to deal with the blood getting all over.

In terms of food safety, I think we need some science here! You know testing meat where the blood has been drained vs. not drained. I will try to find some research and if any of you fellow foodies out there find anything too let's post it.

Interesting discussion! Thanks

Kelly
 
BTW kelly...
How did you go about finding processors by you?
I am trying to do this too...
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I processed my first birds ever last week, and I did hang them but there was so little blood that I was surprised. So I wouldn't be too concerned if your guy didn't hang them.

To find a processor in your area, ask around at your feedstore, local meat markets, etc. or call your local county extension office.
 
As far as finding a processor, I practically asked everyone I came in contact with!! Feedstore, farmers market, called meat packing plants, game bird farms, deer processors, the librarian who gets eggs from a local family, the PA Grange, extension office, yahoo pastured poultry group, craigslist.

I finally have three names. Each charge $2.50 to $3.00/bird. I will give serious consideration to doing my own processing next year. I am keeping my eyes open for a stainless steel sink/countertop at the thrift store, etc.

It has certainly been an experience!!

Good luck!

Kelly
 
I FINALLY found a processor near me. They charge 1.25 per bird. Not too bad!! BUT, they DO NOT package them. You waite while they are processed..and put them in you own cooler. I am taking 21 CC in Tuesday morning. I will let you know how it goes.
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If you break the neck and hold the bird upside down, the blood "drains" into the neck skin area near the break in the head. The down side of blood in the meat is that in US culture, it is not as "good" looking, and apparently doesn't keep as long frozen due to the increased time it takes to freeze the body. Nothing wrong with the blood... sometimes we drain the blood into a bowl of water and salt, and let it solidify. Then you cook it like tofu and eat it over veggies. Yum! I think blood being "bad" and "no good" to eat is also an a US cultural thing.

As for the tail gland, if he gave you back the whole bird, it's all a matter of presentation. When you buy a bird at the Asian market "whole" they don't remove the gland for you. You remove the gland yourself, along with the head and neck if that's not part of the presentation/dish. When it comes to cooking it though, do cut the gland off as the oils are bitter.

I would say that any fresh chicken will have "a lot" of blood versus a store bought, 4% by weight saline submerged bird. To get that 4% by weight of saline in the meat... they do have to soak the birds in a brine before packaging, and that brine with blood is what you never see. So what you were seeing as "a lot" may have been normal.

Best of luck!
 
My grandmother always bledd her chickens and I will do the same when I get around to meat birds. 2 reasons...

1. The meat will last longer in the freezer

and

2. I can tell the difference in the taste of the bird. I have tried both and to this day can tell if a chicken was bled or not. I do not like them un-bled.

Just my 2 cents worth
 
He did not bleed the birds. He snapped the bird's neck and then dipped it in the scald water. After that he did the gutting.

This is the way my husband did it growing up. Making a single cut across the front of the animal's neck, severing several arteries in order for it to bleed to death is the kosher and halal way. I'm not sure which method I prefer. I'll find out in a few months when the boys start crowing.

I've always hated chicken. Not sure if it's US processing methods or the way the birds are raised. While in Peru I was given chicken soup with a big piece of meat on top. I was horrified but didn't want to be rude so I tried it and it was delicious. Wish I knew what method they used to butcher and how old the meat was. I’m sure the chicken was a ranging, garbage eating bird.​
 
It is the breed, injecting with water and the feeding that makes the difference in the U.S. bird. If you ever looked at the chicken you ate in Peru the body structure and proportioning of meat is very different from what you buy in the store.

If it was a local that served you, the bird was likely at least 6 months. The meat is much firmer and flavorful than North Americans are used to.

I did 5 years in South America and still hate the tasteless, salt brine injected garbage they sell in the stores. Typically in S.A. they slice the throat and let it bleed out.
 
We just processed our flock rooster. He attacked me at sundown, and my husband ended that ongoing problem - Boom - just like that. But we were totally unprepared. And it was getting dark. So he just took out the breasts and legs as quickly as possible. I put them in the refrigerator in a big bowl filled with brine. I changed the water out a couple of times over the next 48 hours, and it was a bit bloody. So, we didn't bleed him out, but I felt that I got the excess blood out while soaking. Slow cooked it in the crock pot and it was beyond delicious. The taste was very different from what we are used to.
 

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