Our First Processing Experience! (Pics)

[buzymom13]

Nice work....we didn't skin ours but I was thinking maybe we should have. We're in the process of building a Whizbang chicken Plucker for our next venture...

Good Job!!!

 

[Liamm_1]

can someone explain how well a skinless bird freezes, compared to a bird with skin on? I never eat skin anyways, so perhaps this would be the way to go. I guess baking skinless chicken might be dry? but I've bbq'd skinless breasts plenty of times.

 

[NonnasBabies]

I'm not really sure on the fresh meat, but I always skin my meat that I buy at the store before freezing an it freezes just fine. Hubby can't stand skin on his chicken unless it's fried. I used my food saver to package mine up today. But I was reading another thread earlier and the person was talking about skinning the chicken, slicing off the breasts and cutting the leg & thighs off and chunking the rest. Not even having to gut it out. It's a thought.....

 

[twister]

ty for posting pics...interesting. Our first processing is in about 1 month. THIS post was helpful. (esp the compressor thing!)

 

[averytds]

They look great.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Thanks!!

 

[patman75]

Very nice!

the air compressor was a good one. I'm storing that little nugget away for future use.

 

[halo]

Great pictures, you did a super job with them.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
You will be amazed at the difference it makes!! We watched a youtube video where they just skinned it so that was how we did the first one. Well he fought with that thing he went ahead and tried it and the first thing he said was "Oh Yea! MUCH better!"

If you do it make sure you wait till you hear the 2 popping sounds before you stop the air!!

 

[maggiemooscluckers]

I have processed 10 birds so far. The first 4 I skinned and it took no time at all. I also couldn't bear just throwing all the good extras away so I made stock with the backs, wings and necks. The last 6 I decided to try the plucking to see which way I preferred. The plucking wasn't to bad and I was able to also finish the dressing in a short amount of time. That is until I took the birds inside to finish cleaning them. It took me so long on the first one to get all the pin feathers out that I just gave up and skinned them. YES even after all the work of plucking them. I let all of them rest in the fridge for 3 days before packing them into my vacume bags. They really look nice in the freezer. I cut up all but 2 birds and got lots of servings. Each chicken weighed out around 2.5 - 3lbs each at 10 weeks. (slow broilers) I will probably always cook the meat in my solar oven which will cook it nice and slow. Smothered with veggies will also help keep it from drying out! Can't wait! If anyone has a suggestion on getting the pin feathers out please let me know. I would really like to try leaving the skin on but I refuse to fight the feathers. I don't have a plucker.