skinning or plucking

[mikeksfarmer]

Skin is loaded with fat and when cooking it bastes the chicken. Keeps it moist. protects the meat from drying out. Skinning is so easy compared to plucking. Cover your skinned chicken when cooking and or baste it with butter or other oil. Yum yum!

 

[menageriemama]

Slow, moist cooking: Ok to skin
Any other method (grilling, roasting etc): pluck

I always leave the skin on unless there is some out of ordinary circumstance. My philosophy is that if I worked my butt off to grow it, I want every little bit out of it that I can get!! (even if the dogs end up eating it)

 

[miss_jayne]

Quote:
here, here! and amen! i want all of it, well, except some of the inside parts...

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
here, here! and amen! i want all of it, well, except some of the inside parts...

I agree!

 

[silkiechicken]

I do it either way depending on how it will be used. Plucking meat birds really isn't that bad since they are lightly feathered. Just use 140F water and you won't tear up the skin.

 

[pdpatch]

I would have to agree with those who say keep the skin on, as the fat layer adds flavoring to the meat. scalding at 140 to 145 and testing to see if the feather come out easy or not, and using a piece of scrap wood to keep moving the bird around the in the water.

We did an assortment this year so we had several different breeds. Some were harder to gauge how long to have in the water.

Tom

 

[picklespickles]

i think it depends on what you can stomach during processing. i can't do the wet feather smell. can't. would rather lose the skin. now fi someone ELSE is doing the plucking, hey pluck away and give me the first piece.

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
You can always dry pluck immediately after the blood has drained or use a drill plucker. No wet feather smell that way.

 

[jackiedon]

I'm glad I'm the only one that can't stomach the smell of wet feathers.

jackie

 

[rypie13]

Well, my wife wouldn't let me eat the skin anyway I am now informed, and we are using a vaccuum sealer, so I didn't get the green light for plucking anyway... but thanks for all the info I am learning a lot.