Tough to eat .. what did I do wrong?

[wanda047]

I decided it was time to butcher a couple of my buff orpingtons yesterday. So about 4 in the afternoon, I eliminated 3 of my unwanted roos, hubby skinned them for me and we had supper cooked and on the table by 6:30. I fried them like I have any store bought chicken in the past.

However, this chicken meat was so tough that it was almost inedible. This roos were only 19 1/2 weeks old. Did I wait too long to butcher them? My daughter-in-law says they were too old and big, but I disagreed. I have been wrong before though.

These were my first... so tell me what did I do wrong? Should I have soaked the meat overnight or something? I still have 3 more to butcher and I sure like fried chicken, so would appreciate knowing how to NOT have this problem next time.

 

[jaku]

You ate rigor mortis. You have to wait at least several hours before you cook them. I wait 48 hours before I freeze or eat.

 

[Mahonri]

My mother put the meat on ice for the first couple hours and then soaked them in buttermilk for at least 12 hours IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

Then she dipped in scrambled egg w/ butter and then dipped again in flour w/ corn flake crumbs and baked on 320 for about 5 or 6 hours.

Mouth is watering just thinking about it.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
That sounds yummy! Explain this to me better, please. Did she melt the butter and add it to the eggs? And how much flour to corn flakes? like 1/2 and 1/2?

 

[wanda047]

Well, I should have researched BYC a bit more before posting, cause I found several things I did wrong after reading some of the older postings on this issue. Guess I'll know next time, huh?