Processed my first cornish x

[fairestfinches]

I processed my first batch of 10 cornish X a couple of days ago and ate the first ones this evening. All I can say is. . . YUM!

Most birds I have processed at one time. I normally only process one wild turkey at a time during fall bow season. 10 cornish X at game hen size only took a few hours from start to finish, which seemed pretty good for my first time with this many birds.

Decided to keep this batch game hen size and the weight of each bird was right at a pound when cleaned. We'll see if I can do it twice when my next batch is ready.

I messed up and forgot to cold dip the birds after scalding them and the skin tore. At the time I couldn't figure out why and skinned them since the skin was tearing. I figured it was because the birds were young and the skin might be thinner. Roasted two of them in our corning wear glass roaster since they had no skin. They came out perfect!

Now that I messed up and forgot to cold dip the bird after scalding I'll never forget that again. Of course that means that I'll end up forget some other critical step.

I'm done buying packaged chicken from here on. Our family will only eat the best we can grow ourselves.

Thanks for all that have posted in the past, and those that will post in the future. All of your posts have helped in my success at raising meat birds.

Sean

 

[Faverolle]

Did you hand pluck them or use a machine? I have 10 that I need to butcher later this month but I never butchered a chicken before, only deer.lol

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

I messed up and forgot to cold dip the birds after scalding them and the skin tore. At the time I couldn't figure out why and skinned them since the skin was tearing. I figured it was because the birds were young and the skin might be thinner. Roasted two of them in our corning wear glass roaster since they had no skin. They came out perfect!

If you have your scald temps right the skin will not tear. We don't cold dip our poultry after the scald. On chickens we scald at 125-130 for 1-1.5 minutes. This is a light longer scald and the first skin will remain on the birds. They have 2 skins and when done hotter the first one is gone. Plus this will give your chickens that yellow skin (first layer) if done on the light scald.​

 

[fairestfinches]

Faverolle - I hand pluck.

Harp Turkey Ranch - My scald temp was at 130 for 1 minute for the first bird, and the feathers came out easy, but the skin tore all the way through to the meat. After the first on I reduced it to 30 seconds at the same temp and the feathers were a bit tougher to pull and the skin tore all the way through to the meat. After those two tore I tried the third for around 1 1/2 minutes and still tore the skin all the way through in a couple of spots. After trying three times and tearing each time I just gave up and skinned them. All three had the yellow first skin.

Does any one know if the tearing of the skin may have been due ti the fact that these were game hen size? i.e. does a younger bird have thinner skin, or more delicate skin than a slightly older bird?

Thanks,
Sean