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

[Tomtommom]

I saved a recipe for white wine coq au vin, as the DH doesn't like the purple meat from the red wine.

Mine got a stay of execution due to extreme rain. We have had 7 inches of rain in 3 days. We desperately needed it too. I have no problems with the meanies, but I have a really nice 11 month old cockerel with loose wings that I have to cull. Not looking forward to that. I'm going to try to do a hen that is no longer laying also. I don't know why, but mentally, culling a hen is harder for me.

Understandable. The hen has put in hard work. Retirement would be well deserved, but not everyone has room for that. It's life, I'm afraid.

 

[Beekissed]

I've always had more difficulty killing my roosters because I usually keep them around longer and we become old partners in the flock, with many stories and good trust between us. And they are so incredibly beautiful in their neck feathering that it's hard for me to slice into all that beauty and mar it with blood.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I saved a recipe for white wine coq au vin, as the DH doesn't like the purple meat from the red wine.

Mine got a stay of execution due to extreme rain. We have had 7 inches of rain in 3 days. We desperately needed it too. I have no problems with the meanies, but I have a really nice 11 month old cockerel with loose wings that I have to cull. Not looking forward to that. I'm going to try to do a hen that is no longer laying also. I don't know why, but mentally, culling a hen is harder for me.

So glad you got rain. The weather around the country is crazy. North America in bitter cold, but the rest of the world in record high temps. The average temperature for the US mainland is lower than Alaska's. How freaky is that?

Oh, I understand your feelings! It is sad and it is hard, but really, unless they are exceptional breeding birds or you just need a rooster to protect your flock, every male chick hatched is destined for the pot. Understanding the logic of the situation doesn't make it easier to do, though.

My husband and I will have no problem with purple meat. We ate that 11-month old Silkie pullet that drowned in my pool last night. I just left the meat on the wings and drum sticks and cooked them in curry for a few hours. Very tender. My husband had no problem nibbling the meat off the black bones. Purple wine-colored meat won't bother him. I have to say, I was bothered eating that Silkie with killing and processing the cockerels earlier in the day.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I've always had more difficulty killing my roosters because I usually keep them around longer and we become old partners in the flock, with many stories and good trust between us. And they are so incredibly beautiful in their neck feathering that it's hard for me to slice into all that beauty and mar it with blood.

Killing something with such beautiful feathers bothered me, too. I was surprised it did.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I saved a recipe for white wine coq au vin, as the DH doesn't like the purple meat from the red wine.

Mine got a stay of execution due to extreme rain. We have had 7 inches of rain in 3 days. We desperately needed it too. I have no problems with the meanies, but I have a really nice 11 month old cockerel with loose wings that I have to cull. Not looking forward to that. I'm going to try to do a hen that is no longer laying also. I don't know why, but mentally, culling a hen is harder for me.
WOuld love to have THAT recipe becuase I am more likely to have white wine than red in the house.

Glad you are getting the much needed rain!! I have been worrying about it for very selfish reasons-- CA produces the wonderful fresh fruits and veg in the markets here. I hope the land can absorb the 7 inches in 3 days-- tha would create a lot of run off here; maybe run off isn't so bad either, maybe I am oer thinking it, maybe the CO river will fill up!! ( a little)

 

[dutchbunny83]

jajean-- glad it's over with, hope you are feeling better soon & get out of that brace!


ALL 55 quail are DONE! We saved 4 girls. They were really good. The meat all had a dark meat taste to it, which is my favorite. And, I don't know how to describe this right, not really tough or chewy but a different texture than those frankenbird chicken broilers from the grocery store, I guess more gamey? Haha, I don't know we're new to eating our own animals, but it tasted really good. My 2 year old loved it, she ate 2 1/2 birds, I got 1! I don't know that we'd do them again, it was a lot of work for not a whole lot of meat. We will see.

OH, I also upgraded my vacuum sealer (I got one for $5 at a yard sale & it finally died on me). I was looking at a $300 food saver, but went with the one that was about $125. I really love it, made freezing them a breeze. Just have to pat them off with a paper towel first because if they're too wet it wouldn't seal right.

 

[Arielle]

jajean-- glad it's over with, hope you are feeling better soon & get out of that brace!


ALL 55 quail are DONE! We saved 4 girls. They were really good. The meat all had a dark meat taste to it, which is my favorite. And, I don't know how to describe this right, not really tough or chewy but a different texture than those frankenbird chicken broilers from the grocery store, I guess more gamey? Haha, I don't know we're new to eating our own animals, but it tasted really good. My 2 year old loved it, she ate 2 1/2 birds, I got 1! I don't know that we'd do them again, it was a lot of work for not a whole lot of meat. We will see.

OH, I also upgraded my vacuum sealer (I got one for $5 at a yard sale & it finally died on me). I was looking at a $300 food saver, but went with the one that was about $125. I really love it, made freezing them a breeze. Just have to pat them off with a paper towel first because if they're too wet it wouldn't seal right.

GOodness your little one is certainly loving those quail!! SOrry you only got one-- it's a mommy thing.

DId you pack each one individually, or several in a bag?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

jajean-- glad it's over with, hope you are feeling better soon & get out of that brace!


ALL 55 quail are DONE! We saved 4 girls. They were really good. The meat all had a dark meat taste to it, which is my favorite. And, I don't know how to describe this right, not really tough or chewy but a different texture than those frankenbird chicken broilers from the grocery store, I guess more gamey? Haha, I don't know we're new to eating our own animals, but it tasted really good. My 2 year old loved it, she ate 2 1/2 birds, I got 1! I don't know that we'd do them again, it was a lot of work for not a whole lot of meat. We will see.

OH, I also upgraded my vacuum sealer (I got one for $5 at a yard sale & it finally died on me). I was looking at a $300 food saver, but went with the one that was about $125. I really love it, made freezing them a breeze. Just have to pat them off with a paper towel first because if they're too wet it wouldn't seal right.

Awesome!! Glad you liked them, they just werent for us. I like white meat way too much, I dont like duck or goose either though lol

 

[Arielle]

Quote: My mom hung out with a group that did an annual piglet roast. Always delish.

I can't do piggies either-- would be happy to trade lamb for pork though!

 

[dutchbunny83]

I don't know that I could ever have a lamb & process, but it is my FAVORITE meat. On the occasion we go out to eat, if they have lamb it's what I get. Now you have me wanting lamb!!!

I don't dislike white meat, but I like dark better. Thighs are my favorite. Followed by chicken wings (which technically is white, but I don't know why it's dark colored). I've never had duck, but we have some ducks out there right now. Only 3 weeks old, but they are HUGE. I needed 15 for minimum order, I thought it would be easy to unload the extras, apparently I was wrong!!!

As far as packing them--
We cut off the wings, skinned, & took out the backbone, so it looks like a spatchcock chicken don't know if they call it that with quail. Then I put between 4 & 6 in each package & vacuum sealed them & labeled. We have 4 people in the family, so figured I'd do them in what I would need to thaw for the family dinner versus individual. We also have like 60lbs of ground turkey in the deep freezer too, we need to make some room if we're going to get freedom rangers in the spring!