Not worth fooling with?

[KenK]

I've seen that posted no telling how many times. I suppose one person's idea of what is worth doing often does not coincide with another's.

Killed a twelve week old game rooster yesterday, dressed weight about 2 1/2 pounds.

Before:

After:

Fried the wings, legs and pulley bones.

Boned the breast and thighs to make curry.

Used the bones and neck to make stock:

Rice pilaf made with stock, had about half the stock leftover to freeze.

My plate, I was hungry!

It took a lot of work to go from a live chicken to all this but it was sure worth it to me.

 

[Keara]

Wow that is making my mouth water. I think you can cook at my house anytime!!!!

As for processing birds, it is a lot of work. Chicken used to be a luxury food, even more so than beef today. It is only since the arrival of fast growing meet birds that chickens for dinner became more commonplace. I would not bother with raising a game-bird to eat, but if I had one and nothing better to do with it I would eat it! Yesterday I helped a friend process some freedom rangers, at 10 weeks they were dressing out at 6lbs. A much better choice if you are raising birds for meet.

 

[KenK]

I absolutely agree that the bona fide meat birds are a better choice for many reasons. My point was that a lot of people here raise other kinds of birds for a variety of reasons and there are always going to be excess cockerels...

 

[becky3086]

That's right and they definitely aren't useless. As you have shown, they will make a good meal.

 

[hencackle]

Chicken used to be a luxury food, even more so than beef today. It is only since the arrival of fast growing meet birds that chickens for dinner became more commonplace.

Yes, that's absolutely correct. I'm old enough to remember when chicken was reserved for Sunday dinner or special occasions. Both my gr-grandmother and grandmother raised chickens, but it was my Aunt Cornelia that had the huge flock that guaranteed she would have enough fried chicken to bring to the family reunion. I sure miss her and her fried chicken.

 

[hencackle]

Did you use the feet when you made broth/stock? I freeze the feet, backs, necks, and wing tips until I have enough to make 6-8 quarts of stock at a time.

 

[KenK]

Quote:
Not worth fooling with. : )

 

[mcf3kids]

Looks great to me and def. worth! We have 2 roosters in our mix that will end up like yours when they are a little bigger. Meal looks great!!

 

[booker81]

I have raised CX now, and have processed extra roosters and if I were forced to forgo one for the other, I would have a hard time making a choice.

I like the CX for the amount of meat on the carcass and short time to feed them. They are great for grilling and roasted fast.

However, I like the other chickens for their flavor more. I don't even stick with true DP now, however I'm a smart cookie, and I found it's a LOT easier to let someone else feed their chickens to a good age, and then just get the roosters for free

I don't even care what it is - a bantam to a barred rock, they are delicious. A dozen bantams in a huge crock pot makes gallons of rich deep yellow stock and a few good pounds of shredded meat, no matter their age.

I actually received an email yesterday from someone I picked up a few bantam silkie roosters from this past winter. She has a dozen more roos, and a friend of hers has half a dozen, all 3 months old, all free

She's about 5 miles from me, so I'll be picking up 18 chickens, no idea what they are, all free. I can't beat free meat, even if they are small guys again - I do need to make more stock!

Even the small birds are totally worth it for me...especially if someone else raised and fed them, and all I have to do is use the gas to drive 5 miles and back for them. Fantastic deal for me!

 

[Keara]

No I am all with you KenK... use what you got. I've grilled up a bantie roo before! In fact I've raised cornish x and will not do it again... gross birds. I raise marans and love eating the roosters, best chicken meat I've ever eaten.