More presentable butchering?

hennible

Crowing
5 Years
Jul 14, 2014
11,524
892
386
Central British Columbia
Does anyone know why the grocery store chickens stay " pliable "? All the joint still seem soft as apposed to the stiff bird you get with home butchering. Not that it matters I'd just like to get a more store bought look, it's just very presentable. Any tips would be appreciated.
 
Last edited:
As I understand it, have yet to do it myself... They go into rigor for a day or so directly after slaughter, stiff as a board. Clean em up and stick them in the fridge for a couple days. Rigor will pass and it will jiggle about like normal.
 
Last edited:
No, just slaughter it, clean it, leave it in friddge for a few days. All creatures go into rigor when they die. They get super stiff. I don't know how long it takes to work itself out but I know 2-3 days in the fridge and it will be loose and floppy just like a store bought. Exception to this may be very old birds but only due to the age = tougher meat. I can't speak to that exception though as I've never tried it.


*EDIT* I just realized you not in US. Maybe you call it different in Canada? Refrigerator, or an Icebox maybe.. where you put food to keep it cold so doesn't spoil.
 
Last edited:
Lol yes fridge, never heard the word rigor before, haha I thought you meant " rigorous" like the store bought birds where shaken rigorously ! :D ok thank you. Rigor as in rigamortis.
 
A butchered chicken needs to age a day or two in order for the tissues to relax again. The last time I did butchering I waited two days from slaughter to table, and the results were fabulous, I've known people that have roasted chicken the day of butchering, and the results were tough and not that tasty.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom