Processing tools and equipment

[aart]

When I'm done they are stuffed into a stock pot and slow cooked until all the meat falls off.

You don't rest carcasses before cooking to let rigor pass?
Are these CX?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

You don't rest carcasses before cooking to let rigor pass?
Are these CX?

They are my bantam cockerels, usually 16-20 weeks old. I haven't found a difference in toughness whether i rest it or not. I know rigor mortis is delayed and prolonged under cold conditions so perhaps the long slow heat just makes it pass faster. If it were going on the grill it would be a different story, I'm sure.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

When harvesting fresh meat, you have two windows of opportunity to avoid tough flesh due to rigor; immediately after death before rigor, or after rigor sets in and fades. You have to get the flesh heated to cooking temps (over 200 F) before rigor can set in, or rest and cool while it passes and then you can either cook or preserve. The time rigor takes to pass varies by animal and temperature, as well as mass/density, type of muscle, and some chemical factors. My chef friends are nit-pickers when it comes to this stuff. I've fallen asleep to many late night discussions on this and on ageing meats in various ways. Chefs can be quite passionate about their food!

Excellent butchery information can be found in Fergus Henderson's book The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating. I highly recommend it for the explanations, diagrams, photos, philosophy, and comprehensive coverage of so many types of animals.

 

[aart]

immediately after death before rigor

I've found rigor to set in before I get to gutting, after plucking...like less than 15 minutes after jugular slit. At least it seems so, legs are very stiff and can make it harder to gut.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Most of my butchering so far has occurred in colder months, so that helps. I also do relatively small batches. I think the most I did in a day was 8 or 10.

 

[Leighe]

I just made my investment in processing materials and here is what I bought:

Plucker - $548.00 +shipping
fish filet table $69.00 -
kill cone $28.00
boning knives $15.92
shrink bags $34.95

Links should work. I already have a huge stock pot and propane burner for scalding, and plan to air cool before bagging in a huge chest freezer with a temperature controller.

Wow Kabouter.....you're all in, lol. I'm three years into doing my own birds and I still go cheap, lol. I use traffic cones (got from a friend) and they are clamped to saw horses. Use a portable propane burner, a huge stockpot (BIG one), a tree to hang chickens from for plucking and a table (with bleach to keep clean) for cleaning out chickens. Ice chest to keep chickens in. I leave skin on but yes, they are easy to get skin off. I've never had enough to bag but have seen the process and if I ever am goin to do more then 20, I'll probably invest in bags. We gather family and friends and work at stations to do meat birds and lots of extra roosters and everybody takes home food.

 

[Leighe]

I had CX and BR that didn't fit in the metal cone.. I seen on BYC where someone made one from a kitty litter jug, 3 screws to the support w/a large washer.. I keep them both up and if the bird doesn't fir in one it goes in the other LOL .. I process a few at a time as I need them usually.View attachment 1059838

Okay....that is so COOL! Gonna have to get me a kitty litter box, lol

 

[aart]

Most of my butchering so far has occurred in college months, so that helps. I also do relatively small batches. I think the most I did in a day was 8 or 10.

HUH? ~August thru May?

I only do 3-4 at time......cooler, fridge...and stamina capacity.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Yup, autocorrect makes life interesting and confusing.

Yes, in chickens you gotta be fast to beat rigor. Was my point. I'm guessing that boiling them a long time overcomes any issues with tough meat. I can't say I've ever tried that myself. I'm usually too tired and sick of looking at bird guts to cook a bird the same day.

 

[Maeschak]

I've found rigor to set in before I get to gutting, after plucking...like less than 15 minutes after jugular slit. At least it seems so, legs are very stiff and can make it harder to gut.

x2. Rigor sets in on my birds before I even get to gutting.... I chalk it up to my serious slowness in butchering.