We have about 30 chickens that were about 16 months old, mostly hens that we decided to cut up and freeze with the thought of using them in the slow cooker. Well, we tried one, cooked for 10 hours and you could just barely cut it with a chainsaw! ;O) We decided to cut it up fine and use it in a stir fry. This worked better, but was still chewy. Anybody got any ideas on how to tenderize this meat?There is an old story on how to cook up a merganzer that I might try.
Take one merganzer (a type of fish duck), place it in a large pot of boiling water. Add one piece of granite rock. When the granite is soft, eat it and throw away the duck.
Think it will work? I really need some help so that I don't waste all this meat.
LOL! I can always count on you for a good laugh!!!
ReplyDeleteGee, normally I'd suggest you find a homeless shelter to donate them to, but that might be considered cruelty to humans!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU!!
ReplyDeleteGOD BLESS YOU, IAN!!
STARRY.
LOL...great story. I wouldn't know, unless you can marinate the meat with in a sauce with some vinegar, or citrus juice. That usually helps to tenderize.
ReplyDeleteHi Ian - this is a common problem, no reflection on your skills at all. If you want to use them as a roasting bird they must be brined in salt just prior freezing. (links on google) I don't do this however, too much work when already tired and cold from the plucking :P I have a big stock pot and put a frozen tough chicken in it in the am. I don't add salt or anything else but cover with water and a tight lid. Bring to a boil and simmer until almost afternoon (or until the meat falls off the bone). The meat cooked this was is tender and flavourful. I take the chicken out of the water, that is now lovely soup stock (which could now be frozen for later if necessary). As I peel meat off the bones, the firm breast meat is wrapped and saved for sandwiches and the tidbits are used for soup and stirfries. I only use this method as it not only always produces excellent soft meat (no one would know it was boiled) and one chicken fills the menu for 3 or 4 meals (which is much better than a roasted chicken). -22 here today coldest day since we got here in 1997. Stay warm, enjoy your chickens! Peace
ReplyDeleteoh, Ian, this made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteWe just had a bunch of old hens processed along with our meat birds. Martin pulled one of these oldies out and said, "I want you to roast this up and see how it is."
lol, I wonder if it will be like yours - I can't wait to see - he's so sure that it will be tender (well, it's certainly fat enough, and the butcher DID say these old hens were very easy to process - soft meat) so we'll see!
hee hee
Well, I have never had one so tough the crock pot wouldn't tender it up..hmmm.We do let ours sit in the fridge 3 days before we freeze or cook them and that helps them to be more tender but you probably already new about that.
ReplyDeleteCharger is a big horn type sheep,an American Blackbelly and he is going on 3 years and his girls are Painted Desert sheep.They taste just like venison.
Hi Ian,
ReplyDeleteOur 3-year-old hen tasted just fine, and I roasted it! Not uber-tender like a young meat bird, but pretty darn close. I wonder if the breed has anything to do with it? Ours are Rhode Island Reds (the true heritage breed, not the hatchery kind).
Next on the menu is the big, fat goose!
OK, much thanks goes out to Ruralrose for the suggestion on how to deal with a tough bird! It really worked! Nice and tender and tasty.
ReplyDeleteTexwisgirl: So the Homeless Shelter is out of luck. We are not allowed to give non inspected meat to them.
Melodie: Sorry, I did not mean to call your sheep, a goat. This was the case of the fingers working faster than the brain
All: Glad I could give you a chuckle.