Fred, I need some advice!!

[PJJ]

Hey Fred,

In the last week, 3 of the chicks I hatched have started crowing. There may be more......

Yesterday, I butchered one of them. I cooked him in the pressure cooker. I intended to make chicken and dumplings. The meat is so tough!:( Needless to say, we didn't have chicken and dumplings for supper last night.

I thought maybe if I put it in the crockpot it would help. I kept it in the fridge over night. So, today I decided to just make bbq with it. I cooked it for hours in the crockpot. It's still just as tough.

He's not an old rooster. They were hatched the beginning of Oct. Why is the meat so tough? Am I doing something wrong?

I butchered another one of them today. He's it the fridge in a big pot of salt water. I'll leave him there for 3 or 4 days and then try again.

Any advice on what I did wrong?

Thanks,

Penny

[Fred's Fine Fowl]

Ok, so you have one tough chicken and want to soften it up?...

Any chicken under six months of age is a pretty good eating bird and I must say, I've never encountered anything as you have described.. oy.

Let's go step by step...

You've just dressed out a chicken... still warm...

Washed it thoroughly and then placed it in the fridge, not the freezer.

The first 12 hours it will go from soft... to very firm... ( 24-48 hours minimum in the fridge, before cooking or freezing )

Allow the bird to return to "soft"... you'll know when it gets there, as you can depress the meat with your finger, right through the zip bag.

When wings and legs move easily and the meat is soft, then you may prepare it for cooking, or, place in the freezer for long term storage.

Now.. let's talk about what kind of "brick" chicken you have there?

All breeds are NOT the same when it comes to table fare... for example.. I'd rather eat my shoe strings than a leghorn. But.. a Rhode Island Red.. or New Hampshire... orrrr Barred Plymouth Rock...? mmmmmmmm.

Also, while we're talking about dressing a chicken... set your "table birds" aside 12 hours before dressing them out. Put them on fresh water and no feed. Chickens will clear their digestive system in 12 hours so you won't be dealing with any messy jazz.

So, in closing... rigor mortis must run it's course.... 24 hours minimum.. or you'll have "brick chicken" potentially....

Pick your breeds carefully... I recommend dual purpose stock.

Hope this helps?

Fred

www.FredsFineFowl.com

[JudyH]

Wow Fred.... your post needs to be "sticky".... this is awesome info! I never knew the process for meat birds.