Meat birds and processing

[Estelee]

Hello everyone. My question has to do with processing the meat birds. After we have completed the plucking process and we put into ice water correct? How long do we leave in the water? Is this to help the muscles relax so not to have tough birds? If someone knows of a video to share that would be amazing. Week old birds and wanna learn as much as possible as we’ve never done meat birds. Done other one time for dinner rooster. But not a 20 birds process.

 

[Isadora]

You will want to eviscerate the bird (remove the innards) before placing the carcass in the ice water.
This video shows kill to full evisceration.

 

[Estelee]

Thank you!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Dispatch.

Remove "icky bits". (actually, the parts which decompose fastest)

Chill to get carcass out of the bacterial danger zone

Rest/Age for rigor mortar to pass (approx 8 hours)

Continue to wet or dry age to desired tenderness. **OR** move to freezer (will require a wet age while enzymes work during an extended defrost period for tenderness.) The closer the bird is to freezing before moving to the freezer, the fewer (and smaller) the ice crystals will develop, resulting in less cell damage, and thus less fluid loss during ddefrost and rest.

[Mild, low acidity marinades or brines can be used during this period to impart flavor - high acidity marinades break down proteins, leading to mealy texture, and should be brief - not more than 8-12 hours. Brines add flavor and aid moisture rention in low slow cooking methods - like smoking - but do not create tenderness. That occurs when the meat is taken past "done", allowing connective tissues to gelatinize.]

 

[CNJ]

Hello everyone. My question has to do with processing the meat birds. After we have completed the plucking process and we put into ice water correct? How long do we leave in the water? Is this to help the muscles relax so not to have tough birds? If someone knows of a video to share that would be amazing. Week old birds and wanna learn as much as possible as we’ve never done meat birds. Done other one time for dinner rooster. But not a 20 birds process.

I don't use ice water, I just put in a bag after I process it and rest it in my ice box for a day before freezing. However, I only process one at a time, up to five per day. I get tired after 5.

 

[CNJ]

This video shows kill to full evisceration.

I like the way this girl took the neck off. I usually use a paper towel for grip, but she was able to twist it off without it.

 

[iwltfum]

Joel salatin's demonstrations of chicken butchering on youtube are gold. There are several that I watched over and over again before, during, and after my first couple times butchering.

Daniel salatin also has done a few parting videos showing how to piece a chicken out into its various cut-up parts that are really valuable learning resources as well if you're interested in digging deeper.

 

[CNJ]

Joel salatin's demonstrations of chicken butchering on youtube are gold. There are several that I watched over and over again before, during, and after my first couple times butchering.

Daniel salatin also has done a few parting videos showing how to piece a chicken out into its various cut-up parts that are really valuable learning resources as well if you're interested in digging deeper.

I saw all those, but this girl took the tail off with the vent backwards and cut the leg joint and crop off backward too. Lol, Its something I never saw before. She does everything backwards.