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Farm Kitchen:  Roosters...  |
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knead2garden
True Blue Farmgirl
359 Posts
Ashley
Spring City
TN
USA
359 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 04:50:18 AM
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When it comes to eating your own meat, I am just about as green as they come! We had a mean rooster that we had to "take care of" and when it came time to, ummm "consume" him the meat was really really tough. Is that normal? This rooster was almost 2 years old and roamed freely.
While I am on the subject and for future animals...Are there any animals that the longer you wait to eat the tougher the meat is? I really hope that this post does not sound heartless, but I'm not sure who else to ask.
Thanks for your input.
~Ashley
"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught." -Baba Dioum |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 05:45:09 AM
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Ashley, anything free range you have to cook low and slow. Very slow. Like several hours slow. Especially chickens. I learned that the hard way! We butchered a very OLD hen years ago and we were having company. I fried it. That's a no-no. It was as hard as a brick! What a waste. I should have baked it in the oven all day and then it would have been so good. The same goes with grass fed beef. And your turkeys. I don't know what they do to store bought chicken to be able to fry it and it's so tender and juicy. It has to have been shot full of stiff to make it that way.
I also had an old pygmy buck that a friend butchered a few years back. It was very tender and sweet and really good. I would have thought it would have a bucky taste and be really tough. But it wasn't. So I guess it just depends. But with free range, grass fed meats you always need to cook at low temps and for a long time for it to be tender and fall off the bones good.
Good luck next time!
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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knead2garden
True Blue Farmgirl
359 Posts
Ashley
Spring City
TN
USA
359 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 05:58:23 AM
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Thank you so much! I roast store bought chickens all the time and they are always really good (and a cheap dinner for the family). You are right! My goodness they have to be feeding those birds meat tenderizer or something crazy like that!
So, do you think about 200 degrees for 6 or so hours would be about right?
This rooster was the first that we ever kept for food and boy was he a learning experience! We made about 15 mistakes with him, but I guess it is better to make most of them at first then to make several each time:)
~Ashley
"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught." -Baba Dioum |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 06:18:23 AM
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Ashley- Another thing you can do is research historic recipes. For example Coq Au'Van (or however you spell it) is a French country side developed recipe that was originally designed for roosters and old birds. In fact in some ways the old birds can be even tastier because they have more connective tissue and if cooked the right way can simply melt in your mouth. Good luck!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 06:25:22 AM
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I was told by the guy I got my $25 chickens from, to season really well and put in a roasting pan on a rack at 350 for about an hour covered,then turn down to 200 for the rest of the time, uncovered to brown. 15 minutes per pound. And these are 5-6 pound birds. I left the first one in a little too long and it was a little dry. I think the next one I will put in a pan with water and keep covered longer. But you have to remember these are meat birds. Your roo was probably a wiry little bird. So you have to keep checking them too. I hope this makes sense. I am bad with directions. I hope someone else pops in.
I just called the turkey lady. She has my 10 turkey babies! I am leaving to go in a little bit to pick them up. I am so excited! I just read in one of my favorite blogs, www.coldantlerfarm.com, about her BR turkeys and how well they are doing. I hope these will be ok. I read on another blog about this guy's turkeys have blackhead disease. It's caused by keeping turkeys where chickens used to be? I am going to talk to them about this.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Betty J.
True Blue Farmgirl
1403 Posts
Betty
Pasco
WA
USA
1403 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 06:29:33 AM
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Remember Ashley that chickens in "commercial" venues only live less than two months. If you find another particularly nasty bird again, make chicken noodle soup early. I think my grandmother used to clear out her roosters at about 3 months.
Betty in Pasco |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 09:33:55 AM
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The best way to cook roosters and older chickens, is in a pressure cooker, they will be tender and you can use the boned meat in other recipes, I just freeze meal portions and when I need chicken for enchiladas or tamales, I thaw out as many bags that I need.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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knead2garden
True Blue Farmgirl
359 Posts
Ashley
Spring City
TN
USA
359 Posts |
Posted - Jun 12 2010 : 3:57:31 PM
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Ha! I love you ladies...each of you are a wonderful wealth of information!
Kris: Sooo happy you are getting your babies!! Let me know if you need anything:)
~Ashley
"In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught." -Baba Dioum |
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Farm Kitchen: Roosters... |
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Roosters...
