Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: The second video sure shows that you should make two cuts on the neck below the jaw, it shows that pretty good there

 

[Sally Sunshine]

The steps we used were......

Withhold feed from eve before, NOT WATER though
Cone with neck slices (see this video

watch how they do the necks two slices) make sure your cone bottom hole is big enough!

let bleed 2+ minutes into a bucket with water so the blood don't clot so you can throw it out with ease
we cut the head off with a hatchet, and wing tips just because!
We had one large trash can with black trash bag for waste of the bird, it fit partially under our table so we could swoosh all feathers and guts into it.
dipped washed swooshed in 5 gal bucket half full of water, one cup ACV, a squirt of dawn and Half cup of bleach (this took the chicken poo stench away immediately)
I had another bucket the same for washing hands and tools
then rinsed with hose and dipped in 150 degree EXACTLY soapy water with again nice size squirt of dawn
Kids counted to 45/60 and when the feathers at the middle leg joint came off easy we put them on the table for easy plucking
we rinsed them with the hose again
and followed that video

for gutting (we didn't quarter so we didn't even need a cutting board)
cleanup with hose and bleach!
I am brining them and cooking all of them right away, no freezing I have some in a 5 gal bucket of water with 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of salt

 

[Wax Myrtle]

The steps we used were......

Withhold feed from eve before, NOT WATER though
Cone with neck slices (see this video

 watch how they do the necks two slices) make sure your cone bottom hole is big enough!

let bleed 2+ minutes into a bucket with water so the blood don't clot so you can throw it out with ease
we cut the head off with a hatchet, and wing tips just because!
We had one large trash can with black trash bag for waste of the bird, it fit partially under our table so we could swoosh all feathers and guts into it.
dipped washed swooshed in 5 gal bucket half full of water, one cup ACV, a squirt of dawn and Half cup of bleach (this took the chicken poo stench away immediately)
I had another bucket the same for washing hands and tools
then rinsed with hose and dipped in 150 degree EXACTLY soapy water with again nice size squirt of dawn
Kids counted to 45/60 and when the feathers at the middle leg joint came off easy we put them on the table for easy plucking
we rinsed them with the hose again
and followed that video

 for gutting (we didn't quarter so we didn't even need a cutting board)
cleanup with hose and bleach!
I am brining them and cooking all of them right away, no freezing I have some in a 5 gal bucket of water with 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of salt

Looking forward to your menu post! Got ideas/plans yet?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

oh I have plans allright! The are big enough so we will brown bag them! brb

 

[Sally Sunshine]

here is the same recipe I use for turkey!

Ingredients

• • 1 (18 -20 lb) whole turkey
  • 2 stalks celery ( roughly chopped)
  • 1 carrots ( roughly chopped)
  • 1 onions ( cut into quarters)
  • 3 -4 crushed garlic cloves
  • olive oil

Directions

1. Take everything out of the turkey. There will be a giblet bag and some other stuff.
2. Next add vegetables to the inside of the turkey. You dont even have to peel anything. This is easy because the veggies are just for flavor -- you are going to throw them away later.
3. Take the onion and cut it into quarters.
4. Chop a nice long carrot.
5. Do the same with a couple stalks of celery.
6. Add several cloves of garlic that you mash between a broad kitchen knife and the kitchen counter.
7. Throw it all inside the turkey.
8. Then rub the turkey all over with olive oil -- not butter because butter usually has salt in it and salt is the enemy of a moist turkey. Make sure the whole bird is covered in olive oil.
9. Put the turkey in a roasting pan and cover it with a large brown paper bag.
10. Staple shut. If you have a huge turkey use two paper bags at each end. It wont stick to the bird because of the olive oil.
11. Sprinkle the bag all over with water.
12. Place into pre-heated 350 F oven. ON THE MIDDLE RACK.
13. The bag won’t burn because paper burns at 451 and we're at 350 degrees.

1. The advantage of the brown paper bag over the Reynolds cooking bag is that the paper breathes so the turkey ROASTS. In the Reynolds bag the turkey STEAMS, giving it a different taste.
   
2. Roast for 13 minutes per pound.
3. When you think it's ready, shove a meat thermometer through the bag and into the turkey and give it a minute to register. Make sure it doesn’t touch the bone.
4. The thermometer should register between 163-170 degrees.
5. Remove from oven, cut away the bag and remove the basting pan.
6. Do not throw out the drippings!
7. To make the gravy, strain the pan juices into a really big pot. Any juices that accumulate on the turkey platter get poured into the pot.
8. Add six oz. of boiling chicken broth and 1/8 cup of corn starch to the gravy to thicken it up. Cook on low heat and stir and cook and stir.
9. If it seems it isnt going to be thick enough, add a little more corn starch.
10. What about the talk that brown paper bags are unsafe for cooking?.
11. If you mean unsafe because of fire, it is important that the bag doesnt make contact with the heating element of the oven. If you mean because of the recycled paper bag releasing toxins into the turkey, all we can say is that this recipe has been around for over 30 years. Over 10 years and never had a single complaint that anyone got sick. We've had hundreds of emails that this is the best turkey they've ever tasted and the perfect recipe for first time chefs!

 

[Wax Myrtle]

here is the same recipe I use for turkey!

Yum! I'd add three small points, especially for those new to cooking whole birds: unsalted butter works as well as olive oil. I personally prefer the butter. Stuff a quartered apple in with the veggies, too. And when using cornstarch to make gravy, mix it with a little cold water before you add it to anything hot, or you will get glue balls surrounding dry cornstarch.

Do post your best Martha Stewart style photos of a beautiful table spread with those birds front and center!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

LOL

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Found a cool link from Hinkjc 's thread! Shows EXACTLY with drawings and images how to skin along with butchering a chicken FAST!

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/grim79.html

 

[grannychicken54]

Don't worry about being gentle in response,
just be kind and honest.
I know this is the route we want to go. HELP get us through this please!
And maybe even help others down the road!


I have met so many people on here that cant get through the first steps,
suggestions to help ease our way in!


This week will begin a new chapter in our life, I know its not a lot but we have 4 Giant Sweet Brahma roosters that will be sent off for processing.


I chose to send off to start to ease into the process. I am having old age tender footedness! I have envisions of opening up zip locks and finding that I know EXACTLY which bird is which drumbstick!


How do I separate myself from them?
This is a step I not only NEED to take, but its a step I do WANT to take.
We are not vegetarians by far, we love our meat and we do spend a small fortune on chicken at the Grocery store.

If I could turn vegetarian then things would be different, but we are meat eaters and as these generations go by we are loosing touch with reality and what's on our plates, I know I have for sure.....


I am giving my own therapy aren't I!

​

I think it might help when you consider what the birds that come from the store go through before they are slaughtered and that your s get to live a normal chicken life and be happy and not stuck in a tiny cage until they are killed, it helps me

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I wanted to add, that we did NOT do the cold water bath in between plucking


also, butchering was a breeze, but a tool like this would be cool as the lungs are the stinkers stuck in there last,
I saw them for sale, but wondering if I could make one somehow, looks like its just a ring with teeth.


http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/lung-remover/Poultry-Processing-Tools-Accessories