Plucking a chicken without a plucker

[GimmeCake]

I don't want to invest in the money for a plucking machine as so far there is a single chicken I want to pluck (and if I get hatching eggs, maybe a few more

).

I've heard that you can simply pull off the feathers (after soaking the chicken in hot water of course), but I've also heard that you need to use like a torch or something to help pluck the chicken (something about tiny feathers) if you don't have a plucker. Is that true? And if so, is there a way to get around it?

My roo makes me want to send him to freezer camp a little more every day.

 

[ohiocluckcluck]

It really depends on how picky you are about your chicken, if you want every little "hair-like" feather and pin feathers off you can use a torch or "duck wax" to pull all the small feathers out. At our house we don't really care about getting the fine stuff off, and we get done its pretty close to the same as a store bought chickens. The best way to pluck is to heat water to about 150 to 160 F and dunk the bird for about 45 seconds. then lay it out on a plastic sheet and just start pulling the feathers opposit of how they grow in. It normally takes me about 10 mins or less to strip a 10# bird. If you really don't want to pluck a chicken you can skin them but I find that it takes more time and I like to roast our birds so I want skin on, but if you are going to skin the chicken you can skip plucking! Hope that helps

 

[GimmeCake]

After being cooked, is there a difference when it's not plucked with a plucker? The last thing I want is to bit into something hard and crunchy.

 

[Highland Hens]

I use a weed burner torch it is a little big but it works. After we pluck I hang the bird from my ropes in our car port and fairly quickly go over all the bird to make sure all the pin feathers are burned off. I may get a small torch one of these days but I have no other use for one. You can spend more time and probably pluck all the pin feathers out by hand. A torch is just faster and easier.

Small Torch = $13.97 here's a link http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzoma...asic-Torch-Head-334496/202539575#.UlJoaDDn9cs

Small Propain cylinder = $3.25 here's a linkhttp://www.homedepot.com/p/Bernzomatic-16-4-oz-Single-Propane-Cylinder-327774/202044698#.UlJpOTDn9cs

Having a bunch of clean home grown chicken meat to eat = Priceless

 

[Highland Hens]

Using a torch, go over the bird quickly. The idea is to just burn the pin feathers off and it cleans them up nicely. And we haven't tasted any difference. Just inspect it good, so you don't miss any spots. It's real easy and fast and for just a few birds a good way to get it done.

 

[NikonD2xer]

you don't need a torch. if you really want to to remove the tiny pin feathers all you need is a rubbing alcohol and plate or pie tin.

just pour a small amount of alcohol on a plate...light it......and quickly move each side of the chicken over the flame.

just be very careful as to not spill the burning alcohol. we have singed hundreds and hundreds of birds this way over the years.

 

[Highland Hens]

I might try that next time sounds like fun.

 

[aoxa]

I just use a BBQ lighter.

It's little hairs. It's unsightly, but doesn't make any difference when cooked.

If I only had a few chickens to process a year, I would not invest in a plucker. It does save me 25 minutes per bird to use a plucker, and when I do at least 100 a year, it's a worthwhile investment!

 

[GimmeCake]

I just use a BBQ lighter.

It's little hairs. It's unsightly, but doesn't make any difference when cooked.

If I only had a few chickens to process a year, I would not invest in a plucker. It does save me 25 minutes per bird to use a plucker, and when I do at least 100 a year, it's a worthwhile investment!

Well, I can get that. But one thing is how long and where do I put the flame on the chicken? Never heard of a BBQ lighter being used lol.

 

[aoxa]

Well, I can get that. But one thing is how long and where do I put the flame on the chicken? Never heard of a BBQ lighter being used lol.

Well to be fair, it's like a torch...

Just long enough to see the hairs go away. You'll know when you see it.