rubbery meat

[rhodeislandredraiser]

This is my first year raising reds. Last weekend i killed and processed two of the roos. I invited my family over on thursday for a home cooked chicken dinner. It was a disaster! The meat was so rubbery my 6yr old grand daughter chocked on it. That was absolutely terrifying. Not to mention she was the most excited about eatting the birds. She has helped with the birds since they were chicks and is one of the few family members who understand the process of raising them for food. The reds were about 18 weeks old. A big problem that i have is, I have 14 more roos. Why are they so rubbery and what can i do.

 

[miss_thenorth]

How long had they been "resting" before you cooked them? And how did you cook them? All birds need to rest a few hours to a few days for the meat to relax from rigor, and when cooking older birds, it is usually necessary to slow cook using a liquid of sorts. You could brine them ( I never have, but) you could also marinade them for a long period of time (24 hrs), or you could cook them in a soup or stew. Crock pots are your friend too with older birds. don't let this discourage you from enjoying your other birds. They can turn out quite delicious.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Did you cull and then cook, all meat(except fish) needs to go through rigor before preparation. And then you have to take cooking method and time into account. Free range critters should be treated the same as wild game when preparing a meal. I would at least let the chicken sit wrapped or bagged in the fridge 24 hours or more. If you are looking for that store flavor and tenderness then I suggest you brine the chicken also.

You have several options in cooking, frying least favored for a roo. Slow roasting with skin on will make a great bird, but the empasis is on slow. Pressure cooking is faster and will make the meat fall off the bones but some of the flavor will be lost through the effects of the steam. Crock pot slow cooking will also deliver falling off of the bones.

My favorite for wild game and it works great with roos is lightly brown the game/roo set to the side. In a deep pot put chopped garlic, onion, parsley, and oil and brown. Add one can of tomato juice, one can of tomato paste, ripe tomatoes if you have them or canned. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, add game/chicken. Cook for two or more hours. Right before the sauce and meat are done prepare your favorite pasta, and I like to saute mushrooms and peppers to toss in with the sauce before serving.

 

[al6517]

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Well said !!! you will learn as you go and get better, your birds and store bought birds will always have texture differences, commercial factorys use many unatural things to achieve that mushey soft texture. just do a little more looking around on the subject and you will learn a ton and feel better about what your trying to acheive.

AL

 

[rhodeislandredraiser]

I didn't really let them set i froze them within an hour of killing them. So you think i should put them in a bag and leave them in the frig for 24 hrs before freezing them.

 

[miss_thenorth]

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EEEK!! that's when rigor sets in. Definately let them sit for a bit first. If you still have some in the freezer that you have already processed, let them sit in the fridge for a few days after defrosting, and then cook in the slow cooker with lots of onions and/or tomato to tenderize the meat.

 

[al6517]

Yes 24-48 hrs is what I do, I also brine mine as they rest very easy and very benificial to the flavor, Also try to process your Roo's earlier than 18 wks, their hormones will be raging and that does toughen meat.

AL

 

[Opa]

I noticed that my tasted a little rubbery

 

[jaku]

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Bingo- that's your problem. I wait 48 hours before I eat or freeze, but I'd go at LEAST 12, more if you have the time and room.

 

[WalkingWolf]

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