Processing Cornish X: A First Timer's Overview/Experience (pic heavy, only 1 "graphic")

[Tre3hugger]

Well I cooked the bird today!! First I brined it in a bowl in the fridge for 24 hours.

The brine was water, salt, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, thyme and sage. I turned it every couple hours so both sides would be exposed to the brine.

Then I put it in a glass oven pan and added onions and garlic to the cavity of the bird. I also roasted up some potatoes and carrots and onion and garlic in that too. Poured some white wine over it and added some pepper,

I had company over. This bird fed 5 hungry hippies lunch! It felt SO GOOD to share this food with my friends around my table...I think it is safe to say I am hooked, considering I just ordered 25 more cornish x. Went with Freedom Ranger Hatchery this time. They are in my region and family owned, Shipping 8/31!

 

[3KillerBs]

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Thanks. I'm gonna bookmark this thread. Nice job.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Thanks. I'm gonna bookmark this thread. Nice job.

Thank you!

 

[aart]

Not necessarily of the utmost importance, but, personally, I like to take the organs out all at once after loosening the crop so they stay intact. With the bird on it's back and after making the initial cavity incision, if you reach way up into the top of the bird going above the gizzard and along the rib cage and sort of loosen all those connections starting from the top and following the ribs with your fingers ending up at the back bone (where the strongest connections are) and then doing the other side, after that you can basically grab all the organs in one hand and plop it all out on the table (not including the lungs generally, but sometimes they come out too if you get it just right), it's at that point when I remove the vent by cutting it out with the last bit of intestine in my hand to make sure I don't cut it. It really ensures a clean evisceration to keep it intact while taking it all out.

Yes! I remove the crop and the neck, then reach in and loosen as far as I can reach before tackling the other end. I cut off tail and oil gland with vent when all guts are out.

They make the BEST stock! (You have to "take their socks off" -- scalding them then peeling off the outer cuticle down to the toes where you sort of pinch off the toenails).

I toss all the feet in scalder at the end, then peel skin and POP toenails off.
Scald water I keep at about 150-155, if you over-scald the feet the skin is a bear to get off cleanly.

 

[Tre3hugger]

@aart Thanks for the input!! About to do three more in a few minutes. Just waiting for my wife to get back with a couple bags of ice. I threw the feet in the freezer to be "desocked" later the last time. This time I think I will try scalding them at the end and removing the socks then. Going to butcher 2/3 today, so we'll see how that goes!

 

[iwltfum]

@aart Thanks for the input!! About to do three more in a few minutes. Just waiting for my wife to get back with a couple bags of ice. I threw the feet in the freezer to be "desocked" later the last time. This time I think I will try scalding them at the end and removing the socks then. Going to butcher 2/3 today, so we'll see how that goes!

Definitely alot easier to peel the feet after scalding the bird during evisceration. I try to get them peeled during the pluck. It can take some extra time though. Sometimes I'll leave the feet unpeeled and freeze them like that and then boil them without peeling them and then I'll put a scoop of that stock on top of my dogs food everyday. They love it (obviously) and I'll admit to tasting it and it wasn't much different than boiling peeled feet. I feel like peeling them is just for the fact that they probably have bits of poop engrained into the scales.

 

[3KillerBs]

I feel like peeling them is just for the fact that they probably have bits of poop engrained into the scales.

Yes. Exactly. Only instead of "probably" I'd say "certainly".

There is no way I could adequately scrub the feet to remove all the poop. Therefore, taking their socks off.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Just finished up 3 in about 2 hours 15 minutes. Getting better! Gonna give them a couple hours in the chill tank. Then, butchering 2/3. Should be fun!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Here is some of the cuts I ended up with.
Leg

Boneless skinless breast

I also got some wings.
Butchering was fairly straight forward. Easier than a rabbit imo.