I processed 10 'red broilers' (meat-type NHRs, I believe?) this morning all by myself. It took 5 hrs including extensive setup and cleanup time, which is a lot better time than I was making last fall so clearly I am learning
I think that's about the most birds I'd want to have to do solo in one day, though.
I think I may be finally getting the hang of scalding to pluck. I still don't have a thermometer
but experimentation today has shown that if I get the water hot enough that I can *almost* not stand to put my hands in briefly to swish the fluff around so water penetrates to the bird's skin, and then leave the bird in there for a minute or so until the feathers rub fairly easily off the drumstick, then that is about right.
I had a couple that plucked really easily and thoroughly that way. I also had some scalded too cool that are sitting in the fridge with significant amounts of pinfeathers and small actual feathers on them
; and I had two apparently scalded too hot or too long or both, one of which started to peel a yellowish layer off all its skin and the other the skin ripped very badly and I ended up just skinning the carcass.
If anyone's curious, I believe the economics have worked out almost exactly equal to the CornishX I did last fall -- these birds ended up smaller (I would have liked to let them get bigger but we're leaving town next week) but ate correspondingly less food. So the cost per lb dressed weight worked out almost identical. (e.t.a. - and with the cost of supermarket chickens in Canada, it is still a bit cheaper than I would pay even on sale)
I had really wanted to let these grow out to an older age and see if they'd taste better than the CornishX, though. Oh well, next time.
Pat, with pretty much no free space left in the fridge right now
I think I may be finally getting the hang of scalding to pluck. I still don't have a thermometer
I had a couple that plucked really easily and thoroughly that way. I also had some scalded too cool that are sitting in the fridge with significant amounts of pinfeathers and small actual feathers on them
If anyone's curious, I believe the economics have worked out almost exactly equal to the CornishX I did last fall -- these birds ended up smaller (I would have liked to let them get bigger but we're leaving town next week) but ate correspondingly less food. So the cost per lb dressed weight worked out almost identical. (e.t.a. - and with the cost of supermarket chickens in Canada, it is still a bit cheaper than I would pay even on sale)
I had really wanted to let these grow out to an older age and see if they'd taste better than the CornishX, though. Oh well, next time.
Pat, with pretty much no free space left in the fridge right now
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