My meat is tough. Ugh.

[Michele S]

The first bird we ate was excellent, but the next two birds were really tough. Now I am bummed. What do you think would make the meat so tough? The feed? The processing? Growing too big, too fast? Not killing them sooner? They are eight weeks now. I am at a loss, except we sure are going to be eating a load of SOUP over the next six months.

 

[danielle82]

did you brine them after butcher?
I did some geese last year and experimented with the brine.... length of time in the brine solution made a huge difference

 

[Buster52]

These are from the freezer, right?

I'm guessing they weren't aged long enough before freezing. I don't know if you can age them after you defrost them or not.

 

[Michele S]

Quote:
How long should I age them on average? We are killing the rest in about 10 minutes. Those other ones we killed and just ate. We did not age them at all. Is that the problem? I am trying to tell my neighbor this but he swears he grew up on a farm and his mother never aged anything. I think he may have forgotten.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Two things could be the problem. In your last pic I noticed that your scalding temp was a bit too high. The skin shouldn't be cooked at all and it should be tear free. The skin is very flexible but when it's exposed to high temps it can rip right off with the feathers. The color of the skin will show you how the scald temps are. The skin should like something similar to these.

The second problem is what Buster said.... they do need to age at LEAST 24 hours but are best if you can age them for 3 days before eating or freezing.

 

[Michele S]

Thanks again so much. My neighbor's girlfriend did two birds yesterday (she's from Nebraska and her mom has grown X rocks for years) and the skin looks like yours on the newest birds. I have had one in the fridge since yesterday. Should I wait and make it on Monday? I was going to slow roast it.

 

[chickenlady81]

OMG thats alot of chickens processed. How long did it take you to process them all?

 

[Michele S]

Yeah, I should add mine looked like that minus 1000 birds. LOL!

 

[Brunty_Farms]

The more you do it, the more you will get a feel for what the temp of the water will be like. But yes eating it on Monday would be perfect, you will be surprised in the difference.


I think they may be a couple hundred in that pic, maybe a bit less. But normally we do 200 in about 4-6 hours it doesn't take long when you have the right equipment and about 3 people that very good at processing chickens. Jam to some music, drink a couple of beers, and before you know it... your done.

 

[Michele S]

Quote:
How about a bottle of wine and some good tunes? We did 19 birds today and I am the official lung-getter-outer and pin-featherer. I was totally "in the zone". I forgot how easy it is to get in the zone when you don't have someone interrupting you every five seconds. I cannot wait to try these new birds in three days. I am officially done with the meaties. What a relief. I am exceptionally grateful that this only lastest eight weeks and it is over and now I get to reap the rewards of all this work for months to come. I have come a LONG way from the child of a single mother, living in the Big City, and growing up on Hamburger Helper and Kraft Mac and Cheese. Woohoo.

Happy Easter!!!!