Letting Meat Rest

[BCMaraniac]

I rest mine for a day or so before the freezer. It depends on what I've got going on.

Why not try eating a fresh one, resting a few and right to the freezer with others? You have enough and if you mark it on the packaging, you can see if there is a difference.

I have always read that you MUST rest the bird. I also watch a lot of cooking shows and many that are filmed in other countries. I always find it interesting that in other countries, a bird is butchered and goes right in the pot. Makes you wonder.

That is how my 82 year old father-in-law's mother did it.....but she could kill, pluck, gut, cut up, breaded and have it in a hot iron skillet in 30-45 minutes. If you get in the pot less than an hour after slaughter, then rigor mortis will not have had time to set in, which is what toughens the meat.

 

[rswojo]

My grandma used to butcher one for Sunday dinner every Sunday years ago and it got stuffed and went right into the oven. I was very young then.

I notice they taste a little "wild" if you eat them the day of butchering so I let them sit in the freezer for a week before I start eating.

Most backyard breeders wouldn't have enough refrigerator space to let them rest for two days at a cold enough temperature to avoid spoilage. I butcher 20/year. I have 4 freezers and even dividing them up 5/freezer they take a day to freeze solid so maybe they are "resting" a day before the freezing is complete. I raise my White Rocks to about 4 pounds at 17 weeks and they are tougher than a cage raised commercial bird because they are older and get to use their muscles. I can still make them on the grill but I have to grill them slow for about 45 minutes, longer than store chicken.

The rigor mortis theory makes sense. I will have to try "resting" a couple this year. Around here I have never heard of anybody "resting" their birds, they all go right into the freezer.

If you have a local meat processor that smokes try taking some in to be smoked. Around here it is expensive, a little over a $1/pound but they are delicious.

 

[Triple Willow]

I let mine rest in a cooler with ice for at least 2-3 day and have let them rest up to eight days. I also add a little salt which is great at drawing out any blood that might be left in. My 85 year old mom says that the salt makes them a little more tender. You will be surprised at the amout of blood that it draws out. Yes I remember back in the day when a chicken would be killed and at the same day. Good stuff!

 

[jerseyrooster]

I rest them at least 3 days, my last batch went almost a week.