Okay I found a meat processor that only skins the chickens doesn't pluck them. Would that cause dry meat? There is a big price difference she only cost $1.50 per bird and the other commercial place is almost $4.00! What does everyone think?
The skin does make it juicier.. Try rubbing it with olive oil or butter before cooking and also maybe use a method that will keep the steam in (foil/clay pot/etc) Edited to add: They will also get freezer burnt quicker without the skin.. To combat that you can shrink wrap them
Unless you want to roast or fry it, it shouldn't matter. We don't eat the skin anyway, so it wouldnt' matter to us. Cook it gently and it'll be fine.
Well I can't do it I passout at the sight of blood but mainly I do roast my chickens in a rotisserie. I don't know, but I really don't think I could do it.
We want to start butchering them. Paying a processor negates the whole purpose unless you're just doing it to get meat that you know is organic. Two roasters at Sam's run around 8.00. I can understand if you want organic, but butchering it would sure save some money. Can't be much worse than gutting a fish.
We have done both ways. Recently, we skinned our old layers since they aren't good for much except soup anyway. No need to scald or pluck....really cuts down on the processing time. I can't kill, but once their heads are off (can't have 'em staring at me either) then I help do the rest. No big deal really. I thought I wouldn't be able to handle it, but I did. Maybe some day I'll even work up to killing 'em! If you are planning to use them for dishes that you wouldn't need the skin for, I would save the money (and the extra fat & calories) and go for skinless.
Well if I was in your shoes I would go with the cheaper one. When the meat comes back, I would cut off the breast to have skinless/boneless breast meat that could be prepared anyway. For the legs wings and thighs just bread them and serve them in a number of ways. One thing that worries me though in your situation is the fact if a processor isn't willing to pluck the birds there is probably an issue. More than likely he/she doesn't have a plucker and doesn't want to hand pluck them. So they skin them instead. Anyone in the buisness of processing poultry will not hesitate to show you their facility before getting your buisness. Also if your going to be in the buisness of poultry processing you MUST have a plucker or fast hands to keep your customers happy. I've never met a processor that doesn't offer "plucked" chicken. SO if I was you I would ask to see where the deed is done, and if he/she is worthy and clean than ok, but if not I would run. But more than likely it's a fly by night guy that wants to make a few bucks. So in this case, it may be much better for you in the long run to pay the $4.00 / bird and get a nice job done.
It's a nice Amish lady that doesn't have a plucker and doesn't want to hand pluck them. I have only talked to her on the phone but she seems nice.
