Thoughts? How will everyone prep for, part out & package the harvest?

[CommonRookie]

As for the pate, it's a great use for the livers. I don't mind fried livers but I LOVE pate. I have to do it in batches so i'm going to try some different recipes this year to see if some keep better than others. I've made pate from meat too but i was looking for a use for organ meat as we don't eat much of it here. Still can't figure what the appeal of gizzard is... Especially after cleaning them. I've eaten all kinds of parts and pieces of animals, I do mean all kinds, but the value of a gizzard evades me.

Any who, most recipes are similar, basically livers are sauteed in butter and shallots, garlic, onions etc then put in the food processor with more butter and some seasoning. Now if you really want to knock it out of the park save your chicken fat during processing the birds and render it out and use it instead of butter. There are recipes out there both ways. We'll be trying to render and save fat this year. There is a guy who wrote a who freaking book on chicken fat called schmaltz. I intend to be enlightened this year.

We eat it on crusty bread, crackers, tostinis, etc. It's an awesome addition to cheese trays. We use it mostly for snacking or entertaining but I like to spread it on a baguette for lunch now and then. It's not for everyone. If you hate livers, chances are you're gonna hate this pate. It still has the taste of livers but it's a lot less overwhelming and the flavor and texture are far superior.

 

[Ridgerunner]

For me freezer space is at a premium. I often store berries or fruit in there until I pick enough to make jam or jelly. During the season I freeze tomatoes until I have enough to can a batch of sauce or whatever. I freeze carrots, peas, greens and such from my garden for winter, plus can a lot of stuff instead of freezing it.

I raise dual purpose chickens, not Cornish Cross, so I can time butchering to available freezer space. I cut the pieces into serving size and freezer those, double wrapping them in freezer paper. But I also save the carcasses and certain parts in zip-loc type bags and use that to make broth, which I them can. Sometimes I have to can a batch of broth or reduce fruit of berries to juice to create extra freezer space for something else. I know buy another freezer, but then I’d just fill that one up.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

For me freezer space is at a premium. I often store berries or fruit in there until I pick enough to make jam or jelly. During the season I freeze tomatoes until I have enough to can a batch of sauce or whatever. I freeze carrots, peas, greens and such from my garden for winter, plus can a lot of stuff instead of freezing it.

I raise dual purpose chickens, not Cornish Cross, so I can time butchering to available freezer space. I cut the pieces into serving size and freezer those, double wrapping them in freezer paper. But I also save the carcasses and certain parts in zip-loc type bags and use that to make broth, which I them can. Sometimes I have to can a batch of broth or reduce fruit of berries to juice to create extra freezer space for something else. I know buy another freezer, but then I’d just fill that one up.

How long can you keep your duel purpose before they are only good for stew? Ideally I would like to have all my birds (except my layers) in the freezer before November. But if I am out of space I could feed them until space is made.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve cooked a three year old rooster by cutting him into serving pieces (no brining, some people think it’s necessary but I don’t), freezing him, then thawing when it was time from Sunday until Thursday in the refrigerator (may count some as aging), rinsing the pieces off and putting them without patting dry in a tight-fitting baking dish. I coat with basil, oregano, and maybe parsley or thyme, then cook in the oven for maybe 3-1/2 to 4 hours at 250 degrees. That’s not a typo, 250. Save the liquid for broth. Nothing make better broth than an old rooster.

Coq au Vin is the traditional French way to make a gourmet meal out of an old rooster. Chicken and dumplings is about the best comfort food you can get. Pressure canning cooks the meat so it is really tender. Cooking overnight in a crock pot will result in the meat being so ender it falls off the bone. There are other methods.

Hunters cook pheasant, wild turkey, geese, or ducks regardless of age. The older the bird the slower it needs to cook and the moister it needs to be. When people complain about an older bird turning to leather or being inedible just means they did not know how to cook it. You cannot fry or grill an older bird but if you use age appropriate methods you can get a tasty tender meal out of any bird.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I’ve cooked a three year old rooster by cutting him into serving pieces (no brining, some people think it’s necessary but I don’t), freezing him, then thawing when it was time from Sunday until Thursday in the refrigerator (may count some as aging), rinsing the pieces off and putting them without patting dry in a tight-fitting baking dish. I coat with basil, oregano, and maybe parsley or thyme, then cook in the oven for maybe 3-1/2 to 4 hours at 250 degrees. That’s not a typo, 250. Save the liquid for broth. Nothing make better broth than an old rooster.

Coq au Vin is the traditional French way to make a gourmet meal out of an old rooster. Chicken and dumplings is about the best comfort food you can get. Pressure canning cooks the meat so it is really tender. Cooking overnight in a crock pot will result in the meat being so ender it falls off the bone. There are other methods.

Hunters cook pheasant, wild turkey, geese, or ducks regardless of age. The older the bird the slower it needs to cook and the moister it needs to be. When people complain about an older bird turning to leather or being inedible just means they did not know how to cook it. You cannot fry or grill an older bird but if you use age appropriate methods you can get a tasty tender meal out of any bird.

My grandma was in the brining group, the things your remember.
I never considered that you would cook them as you would a game bird, and your right, slow is better. Thanks now my last hurtle with the DH is gone, I will use my freezer space and keep the rest until I have room.

 

[CommonRookie]

If you want better meat from your dual purpose roos you could always caponize. I've never done it but it i've got 2 barred rock roosters and 2 easter egger roosters. One of each will become a capon in a few weeks.

 

[DreamsInPink]

I like reading about the different cooking methods. What exactly is brining? How do you do it?

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

I like reading about the different cooking methods. What exactly is brining? How do you do it?

Brine is is another word for salt water. Now maybe others do this differently, I am just saying what my Grandma did, nothing technical. She always soaked her chicken in saltwater for at least an hour before cooking, to tenderize the meat.

 

[DreamsInPink]

Thank you for the reply. I should have stated I knew what brine was. Haha! I am just not familiar with the process of brining.