Scalding in a large lobster pot over a fire?

[itsy]

I've been searching around on here for scalding ideas. I don't want to make anything too technical yet. I know a lot of people use old turkey fryers or old hot water heaters.

How about a large lobster pot over a fire outside? If I do this, what's the best way to build the fire pit? Do I get cinder blocks and make a stand of some sort out of them? Like a square that's missing one side? As you can tell - I'm not too familiar with this sort of thing.

I called a local farmer I found and I'll probably be going over his place today to pick up a couple adult chickens that I could use for meat. I may keep them for a week - feeding what I want to feed them, and then process on Sunday. He said he's got all sorts of chickens to choose from. I don't think he has any meat specific, but I'd pick up a couple DPs. I heard he also keeps rabbit. I'm hoping he has some already processed rabbit meat I could buy. I'd like to try to make my grandmother's rabbit stew. I haven't had that in AGES.

 

[KenK]

You could just boil a pot of water on your kitchen stove and then pour into the lobster pot and cool it off with tap water to about 150 degrees. A couple of cinder blocks would probably work just fine though if you really want to do it with a fire.

 

[Dogfish]

I use a varierty of pots, 3, 5 and 7 gallon, when I haven't rented a scalder. All of these sit on a propane cooking base from a turkey cooker. If you are only doing 3 or 4 birds, it should be fine, as I'd just pull the pot from the fire once it hits 150 or so. Trying to regulate temp over a fire it harder over time than just trying to hit a temp once. Borrow a turkey fryer base if you plan on doing more than just a few birds.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Lobster pot... anything lobster makes me drool! LOL.

Go with the turkey fryer, cheap investment and if you keep it clean will work to fry those chickens whole too!

 

[booker81]

How many are you doing?

I just use my water bath canner on the oven

I don't know how big it is, but it's big enough to scald a chicken one at a time. I've done up to about a dozen with it, by myself

You can get them at yardsales

 

[big medicine]

I use a large steel pot/cauldron, somewhere between 15-20 gallons. I set this over three cement blocks, makes it stable, still allows room to add wood. I gather limbs and blowdowns not big enough to warrent cutting for stove wood and use it when butchering. It does not seem to take very long to get cold water up to working temp. I have never used a thermometer, when it's giving off a nice little steam, run a test bird. Check the wing and tail feathers, when they pull fairly easily, time for the next bird, (if you have help). When they start taking longer, add more wood. You'll get a feel for it.

 

[itsy]

Quote:
Ya know - If I could raise my own lobsters in the tractors outside - I'd much prefer that to the chicken!!!

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Nice to know the method works, Big Med. Booker - I may be doing two soon, but when the time comes, I'll have at least 14 birds (if all goes well!)

 

[hudsonnascarfan]

dont see why a lobster pot wouldnt work out great and if you ever get up to maine as long as you stay inland a little and away from the coast we can get lobsters fairly cheap new years ece dinner was lobster here and at 4.75 a pound its not bad but summer prices have it back up to 6,99 now