Picture Guide - Fast & Easy Rooster Slaughter - Skinning & Gutting - GRAPHIC and PIC HEAVY

[ladybrasa]

Lungs are those pretty red marbled things way up front inside the carcass and flat against the rib cage. Kind of hard to see in the dark interior. I’ve just scraped them out with my fingers, and if there’s some bits left behind ... Basically same with the kidneys, those are so tucked up against the back that i

You could also try spatchcocking. Cut out the spine with sharp poultry scissors, then Knick the inside of the front end of the breast bone and spread out the carcass flat. This is nice on smaller birds. Then you can basically scoop and pick out the organs with better lighting. Cooks faster and more evenly than an intact bird! DO be careful of the rib ends where you cut out the backbone though (when processing) those are sharp and pokey!

Oh, I have seen some special lung remover tool available at places that sell processing supplies. Maybe that would be helpful to you?

 

[WingItRanch]

I know this is an old post but I see @QueenMisha is still active on the site as of August of this year. I bookmarked this post as I found it to be one of more thorough explanation of the process but I do have a question.

I've read on a couple posts that people recommend resting the carcass in a fridge or ice chest to let rigor mortis pass before you start butchering. Is this still recommended if you plan on skinning instead of plucking and immediately processing?

My 7 month old cockerel has been so great and I was holding out hope but he's started to show aggression towards me and I want to be prepared.

Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've read on a couple posts that people recommend resting the carcass in a fridge or ice chest to let rigor mortis pass before you start butchering. Is this still recommended if you plan on skinning instead of plucking and immediately processing?

I never rest the carcass before processing whether I skin or pluck. I gut them, remove organs and other innards, and part them into serving pieces and other pieces I want.

If you kill several before you start processing rigor mortis could possibly start to set up in some of the later ones. That would not be pleasant. I avoid that by not killing the next one until I'm practically finished with the previous.

In those couple of posts, did anybody tell you why they recommend waiting to butcher? I'd love to be able to read that in context. Sometimes things that don't make a lot of sense to me are perfectly reasonable in certain circumstances.

There is no reason you could not wait, say you needed to kill them now but the processing party with friends and relatives couldn't happen until the weekend as long as they are kept cold. Not frozen, but cold.

 

[WingItRanch]

I never rest the carcass before processing whether I skin or pluck. I gut them, remove organs and other innards, and part them into serving pieces and other pieces I want.

If you kill several before you start processing rigor mortis could possibly start to set up in some of the later ones. That would not be pleasant. I avoid that by not killing the next one until I'm practically finished with the previous.

In those couple of posts, did anybody tell you why they recommend waiting to butcher? I'd love to be able to read that in context. Sometimes things that don't make a lot of sense to me are perfectly reasonable in certain circumstances.

There is no reason you could not wait, say you needed to kill them now but the processing party with friends and relatives couldn't happen until the weekend as long as they are kept cold. Not frozen, but cold.

This is helpful, thank you! I'll try to find those other posts discussing resting for rigor mortis and link them so you can review.

 

[WingItRanch]

Post in thread 'Any Home Bakers Here?' https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/any-home-bakers-here.921333/post-27852553

Hmm after looking through a couple posts about resting, I believe I misinterpreted it. It appears is a personal preference and makes the meat more tender?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hmm after looking through a couple posts about resting, I believe I misinterpreted it. It appears is a personal preference and makes the meat more tender?

Waiting until rigor has passed makes the meat more tender. That's whether you age them before butchering or after.