skin of our dressed out chickens a little pinker than grocery store

Erint

Hatching
8 Years
May 7, 2011
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0
7
We just processed some of our meaties and put them in the fridge for 24 hours than to the freezer. There skin is a little pinker than grocery store chicken. Did we do something wrong or is that typical?
 
You did nothing wrong. Mine are the same way. Once they thaw out and sit for a while the blood will come out. After mine sits in the fridge a day or so they are no longer pink.

I figure it has to do with the 20% fluid they inject into store bought birds. Yours are not injected with that stuff.

Darin
 
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I understand chicken skin color can be affected by the feed, water, and grit the bird ate. I wonder if not bleeding them out completely at slaughter, or your method of scalding, could make a difference?
 
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No it dosen't and it is not factual either. Commercially processed Ready To Cook poultry is not injected with anything unless it says so on the label. And then the amount injected for flavoring is limited to 3% by weight. What may be injected are flavorings such as spices and fluids enough to carry those ingredients. It is of, course, all food grade. This additional process is best known as flavor enhancer for turkeys. You can buy kits to do the same thing at home.

Federal poultry inspectors oversee the compliance with these rules. A commercial processor would be put out of business if any such activities became public knowledge.
 
They may not be injected, but most are placed in a chill tank and retain water, hence the labelling that most carry of "up to 10% solution" or retained water on the labels. Water + blood = diluted color or lack of color.

Color isn't an indicator much of anything other than the presence of some blood in the capillaries, and doesn't affect flavor or cooking. All of these chickens were raised together, slaughtered together the same way by me, and not soaked in anything. You can see some of the color differences
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If I was kept indoors all day long, all of my days.....I might be pasty white too.
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And so might have your birds....I'm guessing yours saw the light of day, unlike store birds?
 

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