Cindy..How do you butcher??

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Cindy (or anyone),

You mentioned butchering in your other post. Can you explain in this one, for those of us who need to do our first ones, what to do? I did not grow up with parents that did this, so I'm clueless. I know the head has to come off...:o) How do you keep them still? What do you cut it off with? I tried once to cut the head off, but the knife was dull, so I let the bird go and it just looked at me funny. Didn't even hurt it. Of course, I was cringing, so maybe I wasn't pushing that hard. What is next??? Sad, isn't it? Help. I have three year old Leghorns that are vexing, but I can't get rid of them. ha! My young birds lay better, but I need to do something to cut feed costs. My theory of cutting our grocery cost is hampered by the fact I have never killed a chicken. I know they laugh at me behind my back! How do you know what to pull out of the body??? What if I "rupture" the wrong thing? HELP! ~Novice~ (intimadated and only city relatives to ask)

-- novice (novice chicken@yahoo.com), December 31, 2001

Answers

I didn't grow up around it either. With Cornish, you lay a stick or broom handle over their necks against the ground. (Oh you can calm them by rocking them while holding them by their feet). Pull on their feet and their body's separate easily from their heads. They've even pulled their own heads off before.

Let them bleed, you've heard the expression run around like a chicken with it's head off, well they roll around like that, they also get bruised that way, you can hold their necks to the ground to bleed, once the major bleeding is done, you can hang them from a line if you want them to completely bleed out.

Dunk them in hot but not quite boiling water til their tail feathers pull out easily, just of few seconds. Pluck them, singe them-put feathers in compost pile-to get the pin feathers off-a torch works great....put them in a pan of water-dish pan huge bowl, prefereably metal...scrape all over the skin...change water. A book with pictures is best or someone to walk you through...Anyway. you cut off their feet. some people can those.... cut off the oil gland next to tail on back side not belly side... cut out craw just below neck to the right.... cut off wing tip, there's a smaller tip the old timers tell me carries any the disease if there's any, but I cut off the whole part cause it's pretty well useless.... Cut around anus being very careful not to cut into intestines. if you want to leave whole, then cut off legs and wings first...cut down sides where legs were/are...be careful now...pull apart enough to insert your hand...pull out everything....separate gizzard, liver- should look bright like other liver, it will lose color if soaked too long- and heart-trim off top, discard everything else...scrape inside of bird with your fingers to get lungs(lights) testicles and all those other little glands. As you cut up the bird, put it in cold water...Cut rest of chicken how you want it...clean around the neck carefully, there're glands? there... that's all but the gizzard...cut along side of it. There's a certain side, but I couldn't tell you which one...cut into carefully a little at a time. if you do it just right you can pull it away from the inner bag....that bag is where the grit is... chickens don't have teeth so they eat grit to digest their food...if the bag splits it's o.k. just wash the gizzard off and put in cold water...you can leave the parts in ice over night to get out the heat or you can put them in the fridge, we prefer the fridge method. I just finished bleaching it out but the meat loses less flavor that way...next day wash each piece and pick over carefully. Freeze cut off bone if you want. wrap in freezer paper and label. On a good day after I do a few I can cut one up in about 5-6 minutes, and pluck one in less than 10.

If you live close by, I can show you if you decide to raise Cornish.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 31, 2001.


Sounds yucky but sure is good eatin can't wait to get some.

-- melinda (speciallady104@hotmail.com), December 31, 2001.

Thanks! :o) I do not want any of the family helping until it looks like I have done it lots.(They figure I can't do it) Hee hee. I do not live close, but I think I can try your method. I can't imagine these old tough hens giving up their heads that easy, but it is worth a try! Even if I have to wrestle them for it. I know they will have to be in a stew or pressure cooked for sure, as they got lots of exersize! :o) How do you keep them on the ground if you are yanking on their body? Do you put them back down and pin with the broom handle to let them bleed? What do you hang them up with? Just wire? Thank you!!!!!! I am willing to do the "yucky" if it saves money!

-- novice (novice chicken@yahoo.com), December 31, 2001.

You stand on the stick have one foot on eah side of the head. You can hang them with wire or rope, don't put htem back in the pen. Cornish are beheaded that easy, I've never killed other chickens but have cut up one or two, same process. Don't know, you may have use a hatchet. If you really want to you can do it. Something really satisfying about raising your own food. Keep me posted. You may want to can yours if they're really old. I'm going to can broth this time and can some chicken next time.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), December 31, 2001.

If you can get hold of the Pastured Poultry tape that shows exactly how to gut a chicken, it is much easier to do after watching it a few times.

Hubby usually uses a sharp hatchet to de-head the bird, and lets it bleed into a bucket.

I think skinning is much easier than plucking. I've done it both ways.

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), December 31, 2001.



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