tough and chewy 8-9 wk old chicken meat

[hope9497]

We started butchering our fryer chickens. They were a cornish-cross, if I'm remembering correctly. They are around 8-9 weeks old.

The few days ago we butchered 2 for supper. I decided to pan-fry them. I did it just the way I always have with the chicken we had gotten from the store. I let them soak for 20-30 minutes in lightly salted water with a splash of lemon juice before coating them in egg and seasoned flour. Then I fried the pieces in vegetable oil. But the meat turned out tough and chewy.

Today we butchered 8 more. I froze 6 of them and thought I'd cook the remaining 2 for supper. I didn't soak them prior to cooking. They had just been butchered and cleaned. I thought maybe the soaking in salt and lemon had done something to the meat to make it tough and chewy. This time I roasted/baked them in chicken stock, seasoning and bacon laid across the top of the meat then sealed with foil and baked. But just like before, the meat was tough and chewy.

Does anyone know why the meat is turning out so horrible? Each way I prepared them was a way I have done so numerous times in the past with no problems and very little food left over. Now we have a ton of leftovers no one wants to eat because the meat is tough and chewy.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks....
Kristy

 

[holachicka]

I haven't done any butchering yet, but from what I read, you are supposed to let the chickens "rest" in the fridge for a few days after butchering to ensure rigor has passed. I'm sure you'll get some more really knowledgeable responses soon though!

 

[Me & My Peeps]

I have been studying up on Cornish X's myself and, thats what I have been learning. They need to sit chilled, for 18-24 hours.

Here's a link to another thread on BYC that talks about it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=335322

 

[chicks4kids]

Yep...24 hours is the way we do it here, in a brine solution.

 

[lavacaw]

Unless you are putting them in a pressure cooker for chicken and dumplings or pot pie, you need to let them rest at least one day and two is better. Learned this the hard way!

 

[Beekissed]

I don't brine or chill in any kind of water but I do let mine rest a few days in the fridge....makes even an old hen more tender and juicy.

 

[jaku]

Yes, resting is absolutely necessary. If you don't, you're eating rigor mortis muscle. I go 48 hours, but 12 is probably enough in a pinch.

 

[dancingbear]

You might want to mark the packages on the ones you froze, since it sounds like you froze them without aging. Then when you get ready to eat them, thaw them a couple of days early, and let them age a day or two before you cook them. I'm not sure aging after thawing works as well as aging before freezing, but it's worth a shot.

I like to let all the chickens I butcher age at least 2 days, before either freezing, or cooking.

Grocery store birds are pretty certain to be at least a couple of days old before you buy them.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

This was a good lesson for me too. i also had killed a chicken and soaked it and in a few hours cooked it....OMG, I almost pulled my teeth out..so I see now I should have soaked them in brine for about 24 hrs....thanks guys.

 

[burntmuch]

Once again. Great info Ill be needing in a couple weeks. So the brine is just salt water right? Sorry double post