What do I do? I froze it right away.

[Andi]

I butchered my first chicken yesterday. I'm quite proud of myself, and it wasn't even a hack job. Problem is that I messed up and froze it when I was done cleaning it. From the time I slit the artery to the freezer was about 2½ hours.

What happens to the chicken if its froze too fast?

Is there some way to undo the mistake I made?

I'll add one other barely related question on, while I got your attention. In trying to find the answer to my questions I read that someone said all home grown chickens are tough and that they should be brined if you're not accustom to it. Is that true? The one I did was a 8 week Cornish X cockerel. Started at 7½ lbs and finished at 4½ lbs without the gibblets. Why are they tough, if that's true.

 

[UncleHoot]

It may be a little bit tough. I don't like mushy chicken, though, so mine generally go straight into the freezer. Then, they get roasted after being thawed. So, it's subjective. All I can say is that I would certainly enjoy it.

If you had an old hen, or perhaps a cockerel raised for meat, then you would want to take a few other precautions to keep it more tender, but with a fairly young Cornish X, I would not be concerned. I doubt that you would even notice much of a difference.

 

[jaku]

I think you'll be ok- a lot of people on here freeze immediately. I don't know how freezing actually affects rigor mortis, or if it's reversable after freezing, but maybe give it a day or two in the fridge once it thaws?? Also, you don't need to brine your birds, unless you want the flavor. An 8 week old Cornish X should be firm, but tender.

 

[FrenchHen]

I did the same thing. I just brined for about 24 hours and cooked low and slow.
The bird was fine.

 

[Andi]

Thank-you! I appreciate you taking the time.