Processing Problems

[Chickspa]

Hi all,

We processed 12 birds yesterday - not our first time. It was hot and particularly exhausting. We kill, dip, pluck, eviscerate and then put the bird in ice water. We were short on cooler space, so the birds only chilled in the ice water for about 15-20 minutes before we bagged them and put them in the fridge. Exhausted, we cleaned up afterwards and then got on with the rest of the day with the kids and house and the million other things we do. Around 9pm, we checked on the chickens in the fridge and many were chilled to only 45-50 degrees. ARGH!!!!!!!!!! Total neglect on our part. We ramped the temp down and they were chilled down to 40 by midnight. After reading article after article, calling the local butcher, my microbiologist friend and friends who hunt, I have a million mixed opinions on whether these birds are safe to consume. The idea of throwing away all that meat after raising these birds and being so conscientious until this last stupid mistake is heartbreaking, but so is poisoning my family

The opinions are:
Local butcher says unsafe.
Microbiologist friend says cooked thoroughly and handled carefully, they should be safe.
Hunter friend says they should be safe and recommends brining before freezing or when thawing.
An article in the journal food science said they mimicked a power failure and let birds sit at room temp for 54 hours (birds internal temp was 63 degrees after 10 hours), and only saw microbial growth after 26 hours, and recommended continuing processing under 26 hours.

Thoughts?

Thanks for your insights. Feeling incredibly stupid right now.

 

[Molpet]

I would use as usual.
Shooting pheasants and carrying them around half the day before processing is quite common.
Also people hang whole unprocessed game birds in a 50f to 40f area for a week to age them. Then they pluck and gut.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I'd use them too. Cooked to a safe temp they will be fine and I agree too that that meat was as fresh as it's going to get so if you're within the time frame that you mentioned, there won't be any spoilage. Food poisoning only occurs because 1) food wasn't cooped to safe temps or 2) cooked food was left outside for too long and surface bacteria grows. Surface bacteria will occur on all uncooked meat, but this is why you cook it and why even steak should be at least cooked "rare".

 

[Acre4Me]

Local butcher says unsafe.

Of course, bc he does NOT want to be liable for any advice he has given you. Cant blame him. Plus he has to adhere to very specific temp and time guidelines .... using his commercial equipment. So, anything he chills, will chill fast.


I think you are fine to continue on. Don't even think you need to brine unless that is your preference. Personally, I would continue on if this was my situation.

We just processed 11 birds - took more cooler space than I expected, so I totally get that. However, we had enough cooler space, thankfully, but just barely, so all got sufficiently chilled.

 

[RUNuts]

Totally safe. I'd have no issue eating those birds. Remember, refrigeration is a modern invention. Freezing was something done when it snowed. Since it doesn't snow down here, everything was kept in a smoke house or salted to preserve. Never chilled. Less than 24 hours at 40°F. No worries.

After stuffing the freezer full of chilled chickens, it takes a couple days to get down to freezing. Bon appetite.

 

[neo71665]

Safe as long as fully cooked

 

[Parront]

Your microbiologist friend is right.
First, your home processed chickens began cleaner than any chicken the butcher will ever get. You process each one carefully, clean as you go, and they were chilled initially in the cooler, which is a lot cleaner than any corporate chicken plant.
Second, they were cooled down by midnight, so ~18 hours? And by 12 hours it sounds like they were well under 50. I would bet money that your birds have less bacteria than any store bird right now.
Third, you never eat raw chicken, do you? You would be cooking to well done, and practicing normal food handling practices as you would with the store chicken.
I would eat those chickens, if I were you.