Tough meat

[FarmerRob]

Quote:
Everyone's advice about resting the meat for a day or two is spot on. I personally would be a little uncomfortable with four days, but it must be working out for some. Also, if you are freezing them be sure to slow thaw in the refrigerator starting the day before you plan to cook it. Forced thawing can affect the cell structure and could add to the grainy texture.
Whether I eat them fresh (after the resting period) or thawed from freezer camp, I like to brine them in icy salt water for a two to three hours. This does not make it too salty, just keeps it moist and tender. I never cook a turkey without brining it overnight (larger bird needs more time) and they always come out moist.

 

[jjparke]

After I process mine they go in a cooler with ice water and salt for 24 hours then to freezer. Always come out tender

 

[oesdog]

I doubt if 4 days resting will be a problem - Never done it with a chicken but have with Pheasants and they say they are just wild chickens! Always come out tender and yummy!

 

[firstbatch]

Is there a ratio of salt to water for the coolers during the 'rest' period? We are going to be processing our first ever batch of CX birds in about a month, trying to get a good handle on what I need to have ready to go.

 

[abbey2140]

Ok, we processed all the birds whole, I "rested" them in the fridge for 4 days then into the freezer they all went. When we cooked one it was awesome. No grainy or tough texture and we didnt have to use a bag. We even put one out on the grill and it turned out WAY better than all of them did last year. Thank you everyone!!!!!!

 

[eKo_birdies]

awesome!! i'm so glad it went better for you this batch

 

[Slinkytoys]

See how smart we are here at BYC!!!!

Glad to hear that your chickens were soooo much better tasting.
Slinky

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
Just FYI,

I know in this case where the birds were butchered and froze right away there is not much choice but don't do this normally. They go through a process called thaw rigor which will also make them tough! This goes for just about anything you butcher, chickens, turkey, deer, ect.