Rock Cornish Cross Question

[13 chickens]

does the meat turn light yellow a while after freezing

 

[snowflake]

I would say yes, although it has been a year seince we had the cornish X our last meat birds were freedom ranger,

 

[bowhunter862]

Here's a shot of one in my freezer right now. I can't see yellow really. Maybe a very light tan, some may be a bit pink, but I can't find a yellow one. Are you seeing fat or meat?

 

[13 chickens]

meat

 

[13 chickens]

how did you butcher yours

 

[bowhunter862]

I place the bird in the cone, kill with a scalpel slice, bleed, scald, pluck, gut, wash, dry, package, weigh, and place them in the fridge for 3 days before freezing. My system produces a perfect bird for the table for me.

 

[bachbach1]

I place the bird in the cone, kill with a scalpel slice, bleed, scald, pluck, gut, wash, dry, package, weigh, and place them in the fridge for 3 days before freezing. My system produces a perfect bird for the table for me.

Why the 3 days in the frige before the freezer.

 

[bowhunter862]

The "rest" period which, some say should be 1 day, some say should be a week and some say is unnecessary is supposed to allow time for all rigor mortis to pass from the carcass before freezing. It is believed, by most anyway, that freezing a bird before the rigor mortis has passed will result in tough meat. I have frozen them without the wait and have tested 1, 2, & 3 day resting period. My experience is; immediate freezing DOES make the meat tough, but there is little difference between the 1 and 3 day rest. I always process mine on a Friday morning so Sunday night just before bed, I transfer them to the freezer. It helps me remember and doesn't interrupt the rest of my weekend plans.

 

[bachbach1]

The "rest" period which, some say should be 1 day, some say should be a week and some say is unnecessary is supposed to allow time for all rigor mortis to pass from the carcass before freezing. It is believed, by most anyway, that freezing a bird before the rigor mortis has passed will result in tough meat. I have frozen them without the wait and have tested 1, 2, & 3 day resting period. My experience is; immediate freezing DOES make the meat tough, but there is little difference between the 1 and 3 day rest. I always process mine on a Friday morning so Sunday night just before bed, I transfer them to the freezer. It helps me remember and doesn't interrupt the rest of my weekend plans.

I hear you, myself I don't know about toughness. My father was a USDA meat inspector, and he always pounded into me that beef would take a beating, as far as fridge time, but pork and poultry need to be frozen a lot faster. He not among the living anymore for me to ask, I will give it a try the next time I am chickenmurderin, that is a Texas word I think LOL. One of my friends taught it to me when it came over in the middle of me processing 30 chickens. I saw your user name do you hunt deer with a bow.