What to do with older hens?

[U_Stormcrow]

...and for what its worth, I don't use pressure cookers. If you do, ALWAYS remember to vent the pressure first, and let them cool down some a lot.

Twice in my life I have opened them w/o doing so (yes, that's not supposed to be possible, and is much more difficult now than it used to be). Both times involved essentially explosive evacuation of much of the contents and significant burns. I'm a slow learner. Don't be me.

I don't fry much, either.

My wife says I have "no respect for heat". She's right.

 

[ssramage]

Thanks for all of the feedback! I was wondering if pressure canning the chicken would be good as well? I've canned a lot of deer meat in the past and my family really enjoys it.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thanks for all of the feedback! I was wondering if pressure canning the chicken would be good as well? I've canned a lot of deer meat in the past and my family really enjoys it.

While I assume so, my wife does the canning (me and pressure cookers and lack of respect, see above!), and we haven't had enough spare chicken that we needed to yet.

Maybe another commenter has experience???

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

Thanks for all of the feedback! I was wondering if pressure canning the chicken would be good as well? I've canned a lot of deer meat in the past and my family really enjoys it.

Yes! I pressure canned some hens (almost 2 yrs old) last week and the jar we tried was delicious.

 

[3KillerBs]

Interesting! Lots of people have recommended pressure cooking, which will be hotter. Or is that still under the threshold of too hot? Storing this info away for a time when I might need it.

I'm not experienced with pressurecookers, but @U_Stormcrow has explained things very well.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks for all of the feedback! I was wondering if pressure canning the chicken would be good as well? I've canned a lot of deer meat in the past and my family really enjoys it.

Yes, and I do can, both pressure can and water bath. I'm debating making Mimosa jelly using oranges from a a neighbor's tree. They look like they will be ripe in a couple of weeks. Canning supplies are hard to find but I have enough for a batch of jelly.

I have not canned chicken, a freezer is more convenient for me, but people I trust say they have and the meat is fully cooked and falls off the bone. I'd think the meat would be more suited for tacos, chicken salad, or soup than trying to serve it as a piece. But with your deer meat you would be better positioned to judge that.

 

[bobbi-j]

I pressure can all my old hens. The last batch were about 6 years old. Canned chicken is great for so many things. I typically skin them, bone out the breast meat and take the legs. The rest of the carcass is used to make broth/stock. Bits of meat from that can be frozen or canned to use as well.

 

[aart]

Old hens are delicious.
I rest cleaned carcass in fridge for ~4 days,
then pressure cook for about 40 minutes,
remove meat and return rest to pot for a couple hours for great broth.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've never processed a chicken. PLENTY of wild birds, but never a chicken.

Then you should have no problems cleaning a chicken. You are way ahead of a lot of people on here.

I was more concerned with how to process as adequate table fare.

How do you cook your wild birds? Different families are used to different things. Expectations and presentation have a lot to do with how acceptable something is. I'd think of recipes similar to your wild birds if they eat the wild birds.

I've also never made broth but am going to give it a shot this year.

I think my wife likes my broth better than the chicken meat and she likes the meat. When I butcher I save the backs, necks, and such for broth and freeze them until I'm ready for them. When we eat the chicken I save the bones. Cooking during broth-making will sterilize them. There are all kinds of different ways to make broth, in the oven or on the stovetop, a pressure cooker or a slow process. I use a crock pot.

I put in a bay leaf, a few peppercorns, a carrot, celery, onion and garlic. I also add herbs, typically basil and oregano, maybe thyme or parsley. Sometimes chives or leeks instead of onion, depends on what I have in the garden. Add the bones and reserved chicken. Cover with water and cook on low overnight. For me that usually means 16 to 20 hours. Strain the liquid through a sieve to remove the chunks, de-fat, and strain through cheese cloth to get the little stuff. You can either freeze or can that liquid.

It takes time to make broth but to me it is well worth it.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I keep all my flock members no matter if they are laying very little. They are great broody hens and wonderful at showing the young ones how to do things and the way the coop life is.