journey11
Garden Master
Nothing really wrong in your procedure, Smiles, but here are a couple things to consider...
Your young roo is the right age for a fryer, however, if they have been free-ranged or given much opportunity to run around, they can be tough anyway. I like to confine my young roos for butcher to a tractor or movable pen, then they can't really fight or stretch those legs too much.
Layers will always be tough and require a slow, moist cooking method or pressure cooker. They make great soup!
I know a lot of people brine theirs, but I never do. It is supposed to make the meat juicier, but I've not found a need for it. I suspect Jared is right about the water temperature. I will put mine on ice until I have them all done and processed to prevent food poisoning, but then I bag them up and rest them in the fridge. Two to 5 days is best. The temp in the fridge would be just below 40 degrees. Commercial birds are brined only to wash off the fecal matter that inevitably gets slung everywhere. They use bleach and salt to kill the bacteria. YUCK. A person at home, being much more careful with the intestines and taking precautions for a clean work area will not have to worry so much about salmonella. You do want to cool the bird to 40 degrees quickly as possible, but you don't want it freezing.
It is also really important to work quietly and swiftly, causing the bird as little fear as possible. The tension and chemicals produced by the body in the fear response stiffen the muscles. This is why deer that don't drop on the spot, but had to be tracked are always tougher meat. Before dawn, while chickens are still on the roost is the best time to butcher with the least amount of fuss and struggle for the bird.
But even if you mess up on any of those points, all is not lost. You can always select a slow, moist cooking method and make good use of the meat in soup or noodles. If all else fails, just boil it up with some onion, celery, salt, bay leaf and about 20 peppercorns for the most wonderful chicken broth, better than any you can buy. Even cooked carcasses from a roaster or Thanksgiving turkey will make a delicious stock.
Your young roo is the right age for a fryer, however, if they have been free-ranged or given much opportunity to run around, they can be tough anyway. I like to confine my young roos for butcher to a tractor or movable pen, then they can't really fight or stretch those legs too much.
Layers will always be tough and require a slow, moist cooking method or pressure cooker. They make great soup!
I know a lot of people brine theirs, but I never do. It is supposed to make the meat juicier, but I've not found a need for it. I suspect Jared is right about the water temperature. I will put mine on ice until I have them all done and processed to prevent food poisoning, but then I bag them up and rest them in the fridge. Two to 5 days is best. The temp in the fridge would be just below 40 degrees. Commercial birds are brined only to wash off the fecal matter that inevitably gets slung everywhere. They use bleach and salt to kill the bacteria. YUCK. A person at home, being much more careful with the intestines and taking precautions for a clean work area will not have to worry so much about salmonella. You do want to cool the bird to 40 degrees quickly as possible, but you don't want it freezing.
It is also really important to work quietly and swiftly, causing the bird as little fear as possible. The tension and chemicals produced by the body in the fear response stiffen the muscles. This is why deer that don't drop on the spot, but had to be tracked are always tougher meat. Before dawn, while chickens are still on the roost is the best time to butcher with the least amount of fuss and struggle for the bird.
But even if you mess up on any of those points, all is not lost. You can always select a slow, moist cooking method and make good use of the meat in soup or noodles. If all else fails, just boil it up with some onion, celery, salt, bay leaf and about 20 peppercorns for the most wonderful chicken broth, better than any you can buy. Even cooked carcasses from a roaster or Thanksgiving turkey will make a delicious stock.