My leukemia's back.

[N F C]

Ugh....is it morning already?

Go back to bed Blooie, it's still windy out.

 

[donrae]

I don't know what to do with my poor brain. Seriously.

I have cockerels to butcher. I wanted to pressure can them, so decided to skin them instead of plucking. I was thinking I don't need the skin, and it would be less grease in the jar, probably a good thing for a better seal. I have not skinned a bird myself, but I watched Honey do it years ago. I watched a few videos and started dispatching birds. I planned to do 4. Usually 2 is a good number for me, but everyone says how skinning is so much easier than plucking, I thought I could maybe do more.

Nope.

The first bird was a mess. I knew what I was doing, but actually doing it was so difficult. I couldn't figure out my anatomy landmarks and got all confuses about what I was cutting. By the time I got the skin off the poor thing, I felt I'd done a full day's work. And I still had to gut it. Plus, I had the feeling I was breathing in feathers and dander all the time, not good for the lungs. I wanted to pluck the others, but thinking about how long it would take to heat the water I decided to continue skinning. Go slow, I said. No hurry. Concentrate. Focus. Yeah right. Well, the second was a bit better, maybe, but I still didn't like it. And the third bird.....I just gave up. I tried to pull out the thighs and breast meat, but it turned into such a mess and I was so frustrated and tired I just chucked the entire bird. Lesson learned. I'll just pluck from now on. Really, I don't see the big deal about plucking. it doesn't seem to take that long. Maybe if I had someone walk me through it, and did a few birds, skinning would be better, but maybe it's old dogs and new tricks and all that. It was just frustrating.

 

[Blooie]

And Ken would rather skin the chickens - we've never plucked a bird. Of course, we both grew up pheasant hunting and getting them ready to freeze, so it may well be you're right and that it depends on what you're used to doing.

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Howdy guys....

 

[donrae]

I'm up for a road trip. How about I load up my cockerels and come see you all once the weather clears? I don't mind the dispatching, you can show me how to skin easily, and we'll have chicken enchiladas for dinner

.

I don't know why I got so frustrated. I feel like my brain is going backwards, not getting better.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

No butter ?

Princess has been buying Irish butter from Costco.

Ooooh, kerrygold? There is just nothing better than good butter! DD was laughing at me while they were here because she opened the freezer and saw my butter stash (not the good stuff, just my baking butter)--- heck, I'm down to "only" five pounds right now, she should have seen it before the holidays!

Ugh....is it morning already?

It's always night somewhere, just pretend you are in a far off, exotic location

I'm up for a road trip. How about I load up my cockerels and come see you all once the weather clears? I don't mind the dispatching, you can show me how to skin easily, and we'll have chicken enchiladas for dinner

.

I don't know why I got so frustrated. I feel like my brain is going backwards, not getting better.

Somehow that doesn't sound like a very fun road trip with a bunch of squawking cockerels..........

 

[N F C]

Somehow that doesn't sound like a very fun road trip with a bunch of squawking cockerels..........

The trip back home would be a lot quieter, lol.


Good morning everyone!

 

[sourland]

 

[lazy gardener]

Rachel, I have tried skinning, with feathers intact, and did not like it. Ended up unzipping the bird, filleting the breasts off, or using scissors to sever at the cartilage connection of posterior ribs, and then removing the breasts with intact rib cage, then... dislocating hips, and using scissors to slice thigh at hip junction. But, it gets feather and other dirt on the meat. Not pleased with that. I guess, when all is done and said, I will continue to pluck, even if I skin the bird after the plucking. I do always cut them up so they make a smaller package in the freezer. No matter how hard I try, it takes me about 45' to process a single bird, even when I am hanging one to bleed out while plucking and eviscerating the other one. I think having a really sharp knife would help matters immensely. And a good work station. Next up, learning how and getting comfortable with pressure canning. All the "how to" about pressure canning says to leave the skin intact and put the skin side out. Would love feed back. Any readers pressure can without the skin? do you ever add water, or does the meat truly have enough moisture???

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Ooooh, kerrygold?  There is just nothing better than good butter!  DD was laughing at me while they were here because she opened the freezer and saw my butter stash (not the good stuff, just my baking butter)--- heck, I'm down to "only" five pounds right now, she should have seen it before the holidays!

It's always night somewhere, just pretend you are in a far off, exotic location



Somehow that doesn't sound like a very fun road trip with a bunch of squawking cockerels..........:/

I like that idea..... So I just close my eyes and pretend it's Jamaica.... Wow.... Jamaica smells kinda like a skunk...... (also works for Rachael's neighbors house)