last week we butchered 4 hens, i did what ever says on here let them rest 24 to 48 hrs. and i baked one tonight and it was tough. should i have not baked it? shake and bake maybe or just soup?
Baking is dry heat, something you won't want to do with a bird that's not brined, or marinated. How old was the hen, what diet and exercize did it get before processing, these can all effect taste.
If you can brine for 24 hours it will add a lot of moisture to the bird. Did you leave the skin on - it will help keep the bird moist.
You can cook in a covered casserole dish to help keep some of the moisture in also.