Scalding question

[jpace]

Yesterday morning I butchered my first CR - mostly it went well. With what I have learned here and the Whizbang blog I didn't goof it up to much.

I had my water at 150 degrees and dunked and swished him several times, probable for 30 seconds total. The skin is a darkish yellow now and tore a bit as I was processing him.

The question: If I scalded the CR to long, can I still cook it as normal with the skin on? Or do I need to remove the skin completely now?

John

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

You can still use it like normal with the skin on. I would maybe buy a second thermometer and double check your temp. I like the candy thermometers, since they clip to the side, but be sure to stir thoroughly before taking a reading. At 150 for 30 seconds, your bird's skin should not have changed color or tore. I usually do mine at 145-150 for 45-60 seconds when using a mechanical plucker. For hand plucking, I do 155 for 45-60 seconds. I have only seen the yellowed, slightly cooked looking skin when the bird was scalding at 160 or above.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

IMO you have your water too hot. We never go over 140 as any hotter and you start to have problems like that. We When we get to 150 or so we cool off the water by adding cold water to the scalder.

 

[Burbs]

Quote:
Were you spraying the chickens with cold water as you plucked? The cold water not only helps cool the birds after the scald but adds lube to prevent tearing.

I would agree with the other posts above, sounds like the temp was too high. I try to maintain my scald at 140 to 145 and usually take about 1 to 2 minutes of swishing and dunking. Never had torn or discolored skin.

 

[fasbendera]

I think 140-150 is ideal. Probably to long in the water. We try to pull a couple of flight feathers and if they come out fairly easily we know they are perfect and ready to go.

 

[jpace]

Thank you for the info everybody - you know I did not stir the water before dunking, maybe I was to hot after all.

Did another test scald / process yesterday morning and it went much better, no tearing and a lot less discoloring of the skin. This time I did not have to read the instructions as I processed the CR

This time I only dunked him 3 times, for a count of 3 each time. So I figure about 9 or 10 seconds total.

Back to the skin: These two CRs were my first birds I have processed, so I do not have a visual frame of reference to work from; after scalding and plucking is there a paper thin "onion skin thin" layer of yellowish skin that will peel/rub off?

John

 

[jpace]

Were you spraying the chickens with cold water as you plucked? The cold water not only helps cool the birds after the scald but adds lube to prevent tearing.

Burbs: No I was not, but I will try that. Will probably process a few more Wednesday evening.​

 

[Burbs]

Quote:
Burbs: No I was not, but I will try that. Will probably process a few more Wednesday evening.

That reply is assuming you were using a whizbang from the indications in your original post. If not then ignore.

 

[jpace]

That reply is assuming you were using a whizbang from the indications in your original post. If not then ignore.

Not using a Whizbang plucker yet, that is on my short list of things to build. I already have the parts - just missing the time!

John​