Sad but true... now to the stew with you!

[2102Simm]

First I would like to say I adore roosters and hope to have one in my flock again in the future. Now to my problem Mr. Sparkles, my barred rooster has turned people aggressive. He's my only roo in a flock of 5 hens, and 9 pullets all are laying. When it comes to his girls he's fantastic I couldn't ask for better he's not rough, is attentive and even helped my pullets find the nesting boxes when they started to lay. Now to the bad he's despised my husband from day 1 but left me and my 2 and 5 yr old alone...until a few weeks ago. As of yesterday he tackled my 2yr old son and scratched up his face... so now despite the good he must go.
My question is what is the best way to cook an older bird? I've never butchered or processed a bird before and don't know what's the best method to ensure a flavorful tender meat. He's a little over 1 yr old.

The culprit watching me from my basement window.

 

[nuthatched]

crock pot, or pressure cooker, Coq au vin. a dish made for old roosters

 

[2102Simm]

crock pot, or pressure cooker, Coq au vin. a dish made for old roosters

Thank you. Should I brine it in something before cooking?

 

[nuthatched]

depends on what you do with it, a wet dish like soup, stew etc is best for older critters, you can brine it in salt water for 8-12 hours, might make it more flavorful, but older birds are already more flavored than your average chicken meat since the average meat chicken is only a few months old at dispatch.
maybe even fajitas, sliced thin.
Basicly, you can use an old chicken for any chicken recipe, but the flavor will he stronger and the meat tougher.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thank you. Should I brine it in something before cooking?

You should age it. Let it rest in the fridge or in ice water in a cooler until rigor mortis has passed. Rigor mortis will set up a few hours after it dies and will pass in a couple of days. Some set up or pass rigor mortis faster than others. The way to test is to wiggle a leg or wing. If it is stiff at all, wait some more.

Brining is when you add salt to the water as you age it. The salt adds some salty flavor to it but that's not why you brine it. Brining causes it to hold moisture. If you are going to cook it with a wet method, you do not need to brine it. At that age you should use a wet method.

Marinade is when you soak it in an acid solution. The acid is typically vinegar or wine. The acid causes some of the tissue to break down, which tenderizes it. A wine marinade is a big part in a good Coq au Vin, which is how the French make a gourmet meal out of an old tough rooster. You don't have to marinade an old rooster with some recipes. A crock pot or pressure cooker can tenderize it for you.

There are lots of ways you can cook an old rooster. Other than using a pressure cooker which gets very hot, they generally involve cooking at a low temperature for a long time and keeping them moist. If you are making chicken soup do not bring it to a full boil. Keep it to a gentle simmer until the meat falls off the bone.

 

[aart]

I pressure cook until meat is done(~45-60mins) and is saved aside then a couple more hours to get that bone broth.

Resting the cleaned carcass in fridge for 48-72 hours for rigor to pass is essential for chewable meat from any bird(except maybe CX?). Tho no homegrown bird I've eaten, layer or meat breed, is as soft as a grocery bird, they are more 'toothsome'.