Processing cornish game hens

[trifecta]

Did you age them before eating? I just did my first home processing this morning, 4 cornish X that are about 4 weeks old. Their live weight was right around 3 lbs (some slightly over or under). I ended up hand plucking mine... they still have a few tiny fuzzy feathers in them but I think they'll be ok!

Anyway, mine are split and hanging out in the fridge. I am curious how long I should wait before vacuum sealing and freezing.

I feel kind of bad because I'm STARVING after splitting the 4 of them...took a lot of self control not to fire up the grill at 10a today!

 

[the_great_snag]

I tried doing game hens a few years ago and had a terrible time with pin feathers, especially along the back. Does a tub style plucker work for getting them out?

Also, I have read that smaller birds require shorter fingers that are closer together. You guys seem to be having ok luck with standard plucker set-ups though, right?

 

[jdywntr]

Did you age them before eating? I just did my first home processing this morning, 4 cornish X that are about 4 weeks old. Their live weight was right around 3 lbs (some slightly over or under). I ended up hand plucking mine... they still have a few tiny fuzzy feathers in them but I think they'll be ok!

Anyway, mine are split and hanging out in the fridge. I am curious how long I should wait before vacuum sealing and freezing.

I feel kind of bad because I'm STARVING after splitting the 4 of them...took a lot of self control not to fire up the grill at 10a today!

I processed mine on a Thursday, put them in the freezer on Sunday and ate the first (still in the fridge) on the following Friday. Was great. I have not eaten anything before a few days of resting in the fridge but they are small so rigor should pass quickly.