Coq au vin? Tips for cooking year old roosters

[Chubbicthe2nd]

I've only ever cooked baby 8-week Cornish cross from the store before. I've been told that real grown chickens are a whole another story, and these were tough free range roosters that lived a full life....

Someone said that once upon a time Coq au Vin was a recipe designed for tough old roosters.

Does anyone have a personal recipe recommendation? I'm worried the recipes on the internet have been adapted in the modern era for soft store bought cornish cross babies....

 

[Molpet]

I never tried that way, but it's supposed to be good.

I use an electric pressure cooker and make pulled chicken.
The first 2 and half year old rooster I pressure cooked in 40 minute increments with natural release....until tender . About 2 and half hours

 

[Molpet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-would-you-cook-up-rooster.92006/

 

[MountainWoman73]

I roast them first and then boil down the entire carcass for soup in the pressure cooker. After I pick all the meat off the bones I add onions, carrots, celery, a little parsley and thyme and salt and pepper. If canning for later, you don't even have to cook the veggies Just pop them in the jars and pressure can. Before serving, I add soba noodles, egg noodles, or homemade dumplings, and some more fresh green herbs.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think @U_Stormcrow has made it before

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I think @U_Stormcrow has made it before

I was disappointed, but I'm not a red wine fan.

We are going to do it again, but in the sous fide this time, and using my wifes red wine reduction she uses for rabbits. Will let you know.

 

[Morrigan]

We've pieced-out, seasoned and then pressure cooked older roosters for about 40 minutes, then cut up the meat and used it to make gumbo. We save the bones and put in a slow cooker with carrots, onions and celery to make broth. It's really flavorful.

We also canned rooster meat using a pressure canner for use in stews, casseroles later. Like the broth, rooster meat is incredibly flavorful.

I've never tried coq au vin, and would be interested it hear if anyone has tried that.

 

[K0k0shka]

The absolute best way to cook "old" chickens is via sous vide. I highly recommend investing in the setup, as it's great for all kinds of other things as well. It produces the best, most tender steaks, too, and safe homemade mayonnaise if you don't want to risk it with raw eggs. But it's especially good for meats, all kinds of meats, because they lose zero moisture while cooking (without being diluted by boiling), they cook thoroughly and get tender, and then all you have to do when you take them out is brown them somewhere (pan, grill, etc) to get some caramelization, but everything else is already thoroughly cooked so you don't have to dry it out on the grill trying to cook it. You just brown it a bit and you're done.

 

[Molpet]

The absolute best way to cook "old" chickens is via sous vide. I highly recommend investing in the setup, as it's great for all kinds of other things as well. It produces the best, most tender steaks, too, and safe homemade mayonnaise if you don't want to risk it with raw eggs. But it's especially good for meats, all kinds of meats, because they lose zero moisture while cooking (without being diluted by boiling), they cook thoroughly and get tender, and then all you have to do when you take them out is brown them somewhere (pan, grill, etc) to get some caramelization, but everything else is already thoroughly cooked so you don't have to dry it out on the grill trying to cook it. You just brown it a bit and you're done.

That's in plastic bags?

 

[K0k0shka]

That's in plastic bags?

Yes. That's why the meat doesn't dry out, everything is sealed in the bag and stays there. But you can't use just any bags - there are special food-grade sous vide bags which are safe to use (plus the temperature is very low, low enough that things don't leach from the bag).