Cooking Young roosters

[shaw613]

I just had the worst dinner experience ever! Took some 16 week roosters in yesterday to process, and left one out of the freezer for tonight's supper. I put it in my rotisserie oven, and it was so tough we could hardly eat it! The skin was like leather, and the meat would hardly pull off the bones. I didn't think at this age there would be an issue and I thought even at 24 weeks they would be good .... Do I need to use a Dutch oven or make soup? I raise ranger birds and harvest them at 10 weeks, so I'm familiar with home raised birds. Thanks for any cooking tips☺

 

[piminuse]

Hmm, did you make sure the bird was out of rigor mortis? Sometimes it can take up to 48 hrs for the body to go from rigid to relaxed, and cooking a stiff bird can lead to chewy results.

 

[speedy2020]

If the rooster is older than 20 weeks, put in the slow cooker or pressure cooker.

 

[333113]

Hmm, did you make sure the bird was out of rigor mortis? Sometimes it can take up to 48 hrs for the body to go from rigid to relaxed, and cooking a stiff bird can lead to chewy results.

My grandma used to say, don't eat them or put them in the freezer before they've "loosened up." Freezing can preserve rigor mortis, too.

 

[Flockincrazy]

I just had the worst dinner experience ever! Took some 16 week roosters in yesterday to process, and left one out of the freezer for tonight's supper. I put it in my rotisserie oven, and it was so tough we could hardly eat it! The skin was like leather, and the meat would hardly pull off the bones. I didn't think at this age there would be an issue and I thought even at 24 weeks they would be good .... Do I need to use a Dutch oven or make soup? I raise ranger birds and harvest them at 10 weeks, so I'm familiar with home raised birds. Thanks for any cooking tips☺

I always make noodle soup with young roosters they are usually tough idk why but they are

 

[nao57]

I'm confused.

So is the issue that he froze the bird too soon after death? Or that he cooked it too soon after it was frozen?

 

[Flockincrazy]

I'm confused.

So is the issue that he froze the bird too soon after death? Or that he cooked it too soon after it was frozen?

No she left one out to eat and froze the rest

 

[333113]

They call it "aging" but old timers like me know that you are just waiting until rigor mortis passes. Then the bird is more tender and more flavorful. (I can't answer as to whether it is more nutritious, too, but I have to think it is.)

If you haven't disjointed the bird, you can test this by shaking the drumstick. If it's loose, it's ready for the freezer or cooking. Otherwise, wait a couple days until the flesh is not as firm.

My granddad had a small shed that he smoked the chickens in after butchering. He applied the same shake-the-drumstick test for smoking as my grandma applied for chickens chilled in the fridge.

 

[shaw613]

They call it "aging" but old timers like me know that you are just waiting until rigor mortis passes. Then the bird is more tender and more flavorful. (I can't answer as to whether it is more nutritious, too, but I have to think it is.)

If you haven't disjointed the bird, you can test this by shaking the drumstick. If it's loose, it's ready for the freezer or cooking. Otherwise, wait a couple days until the flesh is not as firm.

My granddad had a small shed that he smoked the chickens in after butchering. He applied the same shake-the-drumstick test for smoking as my grandma applied for chickens chilled in the fridge.

Thanks .... so I shouldn't freeze them until rigor passes? If I thaw in the fridge and leave them for a few days, will that work? I have more in the freezer already. We age our beef for two weeks and it makes sense that chickens would be the same. Will try and thaw the next, and leave it in the fridge for a few days. Thank you!

 

[shaw613]

My grandma used to say, don't eat them or put them in the freezer before they've "loosened up." Freezing can preserve rigor mortis, too.

Hmmm. So freezing preserves rigor? Then I'll have to do something else with the rest I had processed. My fridge isn't large enough to not freeze the birds .... I had 5 roosters and 6 hens done. I'll try letting the next thaw and rest in the fridge and see if that helps. Thanks!