Processed the first bird today

[sesa]

Wasn't planning on it but I ran over the chicken moving the tractor and busted it's leg up pretty bad. They are going to be 7 weeks old wednesday. I'm going to need a sharper knife when I do the rest of them. I skinned it and the whole thing took about 10 minutes, wasn't nearly as messy as I had thought, got the pieces soaking in ice water, can't wait to eat it.

 

[Rolsjo]

Congrats! Our group of meaties is only 2 weeks old, so we've got some time before they are ready. We're planning on skinning as well, it just seems so much easier. My husband has helped a friend processing the traditional way, so we may do 1 or 2 roasters that way.

Don't forget to post and tell us how they were!

 

[tackyrama]

Way to go! the first is the hardest. We did about 15 last fall and will do at least twice that this year. I have chickens all over the place! Note of caution. We had two with very strong taste we couldn't even eat. I've been asking lots of questions here and it seems its very important to get all the trachea (wind pipe), all the lungs and do not cut into or break the gall bladder (by the liver). It's my understanding that any one of these can impart a strong flavor especially the gall. We knew about the gall but will be careful from now on with all three. The lungs are much easier to remove with cold water.

I let the meat age one day in the fridge then brine for one day. It makes sense to brine them (1 cup salt - 1 gal water). The ones from the store are injected with a brine solution and are also rested. What it does is lets the meat retain more juice while cooking. I found out a local restaraunt's recipe for their famous delicious chicken. They simply brine their chicken overnight . My wife and I have been eating their chicken since before we were married (38 yrs) and it is by far the best chicken around.