Opinions on salt bath?

[JJchiknshak]

My sister and her husband raised 11 cornish meaties last year. They did not soak them in salt water after butchering them. They just put them in a large cooler with water. After all the processing was done, they took them up to the kitchen, split them in halves, and froze them.

I really am not too crazy about the flavor of those birds at all.


We had a rooster go evil on us. He was an amber sex link and about 9 months old. We butchered him, and I cut him into quarters then soaked the pieces in salt water for a couple days in the fridge, before he went into a soup pot.
That meat was DELISH! He made the best soup!

Has anyone else noticed this difference?

Do you soak yours in salt water, or not?

We have a Buff Orpington Hen we are going to butcher soon cause she's a pain in the butt, and super aggressive. I'll probably do the same with her as I did with the rooster.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

since you asked for opinions I'll give you mine, although you have the more practical experience.
I'm guessing you like the flavor of a more traditional chicken over the CX's.
Brining usually is used to help retain moisture and improve texture unless you were adding flavoring agents to your brine.
A 9 month old sexlink roo is going to be slimmer with more dark meat and a rangier flavor than a 9 week old CX (such as the difference between beef and veal). I too prefer the flavor of a bit more mature and exercised chicken . . . it just tastes more like chicken to me.

 

[JJchiknshak]

Hmmm... maybe that is all that the difference is.

My roo did have a LOT of dark meat on him.

Sis and hubby are butchering 5 cornish this weekend. Maybe I'll see if they will Brine a couple to see if there is a difference.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

great experiment! be sure to share the results.

 

[Bossroo]

The animals' fat gives the meat it's distinctive flavor. The older the animal, the more oportunity there is to lay down more fat between the muscle fibers, under it's skin, as well as it's body cavity. When one butchers an animal at a younger age, it has spent the majority of it's life growing bone and muscle, then fat from the food that it consumes. When the body has more food intake that the body needs for growth, it starts to lay down the excess as stored fat. So, when one eats a younger bird, one consumes less fat which is healthier for your own heart and bood vessels as well as keeping one's slim waistline. Isn't this always preached by your friendly family Doctor?

 

[JJchiknshak]

Actually their cornish birds had more fat on them than any other bird I've ever seen. They were SUPER fat. My rooster was as lean as could be. He got lots of exercise.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

that's what I thought . . .

 

[Chickapooh23]

Yeah, you can beat a good brine with poultry. I have brined my Turkey's for the last couple of years and I am a hero at Thanksgiving. The brine causes it to absorb more water. I weighed my turkey last year before and after brining and it actually gain a pound and it was so tender.

 

[mike67909]

Salt bath helps draw out blood from the chicken. I think that is the best benefit of using the salt bath

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
Not.

But then we don't raise mush birds.