Saturday, January 2, 2010

Another Post About Chickens for Dinner

Warning: This post may contain pictures that not everyone wants to view.

Previously, i shared my initial experience with the sending of chickens to the land we call freezer camp. I have heard that story was very entertaining. I'm glad i could amuse you. =D No, really, i AM glad i could amuse you.

Recently, the time became urgent to purge two more young roosters from our flock and refill our freezer. Since the imminent moment was to arrive during the holidays, i thought this would be a good chance for my hubby to get his initial experience. Of course, he had the benefit my previous escapades, so his experience isn't quite - or even nearly - as amusing. But it has some amusement.

As you might recall, my main trouble with my first experience was the logistics of putting the bird in the right position to come to a quick and painless death, and then keeping him there, and actually doing it QUICKLY. One of the problems before was the absence of sharp knives. So we bought some sharp knives. My previous solution had been the use of twine twisted around the rooster's feet and then around two nails on a tree. And after the first ridiculous event, that arrangement worked well for me. But this was not hubby's preferred method.

Many people use something called a killing cone. Basically, imagine a megaphone nailed narrow side down to a board or wall or tree or something. We don't have a killing cone, but we were going to substitute an empty 2-gallon size bleach bottle. Somehow, the bottle i've been saving for months, now fails to exist. So the hubby went looking for something to substitute. So, instead of a killing cone, we ended up with a killing rectangular prism. It doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?

From james first butcher 1 2 10

It doesn't work quite as well either.

From james first butcher 1 2 10

This is James trying to fish the poor thing's head out of this perpendicular hole. He protested a bit. But there's something about being up side down that helps a rooster submit.

Then next comes the part that makes me giggle. As i said, when i attempted this previously, i had a horrible and ridiculous time trying to cut the artery with my sad excuses for knives. So anticipating trouble, my loving man used our brand new, sharp, non-serrated knife, and made a very deliberate and wide cut - to make sure he got the artery.

To our great surprise, that wonderful knife made a perfectly clean cut all the way through the neck in that one move.

From james first butcher 1 2 10

And then, as you might have guessed, our killing rectangular prism didn't really confine the boy quite like a cone. And the body ended up here.

From james first butcher 1 2 10

Right, the ground. That's right where i wanted it. Geez.

But, after that, things went pretty smoothly. Hubby did the plucking.

From james first butcher 1 2 10

This is his new favorite activity.

And then he handed the chicken off to me while he went for the other. Reportedly, the second one went without incident and without ending up on the ground. I wasn't there to document this because i was inside using sharp knives on the first one.

It turns out, i'm developing a pretty good system of my own for this little process. And in less than 3 hours, we (two super-newbies) were all done except for some minor clean-up.

Two cleaned, resting birds.
From james first butcher 1 2 10

Four feet for a chicken-foot-loving friend.
From james first butcher 1 2 10

Two gizzards and two necks and two hearts - for making chicken stock.
From james first butcher 1 2 10

Oh, oh yes, and three proper tools for which i am extremely thankful.
From james first butcher 1 2 10

9 comments:

  1. OMG Beth I am so proud of you both.... YOU DID IT again! Yippee

    I laughed about the head just plopping off.... and then I saw his body... I know he did not suffer and it was fast..... before he knew what was up..

    You two are the wannabe pros and you have a lot of courage doing something like this for the first time alone. I admire that.

    Yippee.....

    Q

    did they still have to soak in brine? Packing on ice for RIG ? Covered in plastic or not either way?

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  2. I will still probably soak them in brine when i'm getting ready to COOK them.

    On the resting before freezing - some people soak them in ice water, which is what i did last time. But then i learned that that isn't necessary and just might take away some of the natural flavor, so this time, i'm letting them rest dry. I put water underneath the grate in that roaster - and covered the tops with plastic wrap - just because i don't want them to dry out while resting. I will let them rest for 3 days before i freeze or prepare to cook them.

    The main thing is that they rest. Some say 12-24 hours, but last time, i didn't have much success with that small amount of time. More days doesn't hurt me any, so i'm going with 3 whole days.

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  3. Ohh, Beth, I wish I could see our rooster J.T. like that!! What did you do with the chicken feet! :P

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  4. I'm saving the chicken feet for Jan. She makes a special soup out of them.

    You wish you could see J.T. in a pot?

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  5. yes she does........ but they are working on showing him who is boss.. He has become to confidant and aggressive

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  6. My husband recommends a 2x4. I'm not sure if you see a 2x4 in your future. I hope you have success with bringing him into submission however you do it. Mine just shudders at the thought of being held by me, so that's all it took. He knows i can pick him up and hold him, and he can't get loose. If he gets a little testy, i just look him in the eye and ACT like i'm going to do something. ;) Hope that lasts.

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  7. JT is moving in to the soon to be constructed JoyHouse Rooster Coop. Breeze has two awesome brothers who are coming to help me get situated and they are bringing JT with them. Sammye has grown weary of being unable to enjoy her chickens and I am hoping to muster up the courage to overcome the fear and for me myself to become the number one Rooster of this place.....

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  8. Are you going to use him or eat him or just house roosters 'cause you're a nice lady?

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  9. I would like fertilized BA eggs and if I ever "dress" him... I will send him to the Mardis' Freezer Camp.... I am hoping that he will live happy with other roosters and no hens until the honeymooon plan..

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