Tough broilers

[ChickenDavid123]

Just finished my first 10 week try with broilers, received 26 chicks and ended up with 26 processed birds. 112.5 pounds of processed meat, 4.33 pound average. Picked up birds yesterday from processor and excitedly cooked one of the smaller birds on the grill, meat was though, really kind of chewy. The texture reminded me of wild fresh pheasant. Should I have waited a while to cook the bird, will they get more tender with cold storage? They really did not move around much while growing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[bigredfeather]

Resting them in the fridge for 2-3 day will get rid of some of the toughness.

 

[wsmoak]

Were they processed the same day? Sounds like they would benefit from resting another couple of days before you cook them.

Yes, freezing them for a while and then thawing slowly in the fridge will improve things.

They _are_ going to have more texture (and taste!) than store bought chicken though.

-Wendy

 

[tankerman]

At what age to chickens become permanently tough?

 

[backintime]

I'm on my 4th batch of broilers and have butchered at varying ages, and they are always tougher than storebought chickens. I think it has more to do with their living conditions -- the same chickens packed shoulder to shoulder inside a broiler factory seldom stand up and move, so naturally they are more tender. Personally I like knowing my broilers had room to stretch and run in the fresh air, even though it means chewier meat.

I think the ones at the broiler factories are also slaughtered quite young, no older than 7 weeks, which might make a difference.

Resting the birds several days before freezing or thawing slowly in the fridge hasn't made much difference in my results.

Lately I've been experimenting with brining - especially before grilling or using other high-heat methods. A quick google search will lead to tons of brine recipes. Basically, you just soak whole or cut-up chicken in a bowl or zip-loc bag of water mixed with sugar and salt. Does something to the proteins to make the meat more tender. Otherwise, I depend on my pressure cooker to do the job.

I've had good luck with "beer can chicken" on the grill, even without brining. The can of beer (or any other liquid) inside the body cavity helps keep it moist. We used to love baked chicken, but that seems too chewy for my home grown broilers.

 

[tankerman]

I've tried baking/broiling a couple of chickens that weren't even a year old, and they were too tough to eat.

Putting them in the crockpot or stewing them works well.

Usually shred the meat afterwards (cut the longer strands into smaller buts), then add it back into the stewing liquid (that's been reduced). Comes out tasting very flavorful.

The meat cooked in this fashion works great for pot pies, casseroles, tacos/burritos/enchiladas and of course soup.

 

[cassie]

How old were the chickens, and did you rest them in the fridge a couple days before you cooked them? I raise my broilers a little longer than suggested because I like big roasters. One was almost five months before I processed him. He dressed out over 16 pounds and he wasn't tough at all.

 

[bigredfeather]

Most grocery store chickens have been brined prior to packaging. That is one reason they are more tender. That is also part of the reason they can sell them cheaper than we can raise them......they are selling you some salt water, as it absorbs into the chicken.

 

[mi chicken]

put them in 1/2 cup kosher salt with 2 quart s water in the ice box 4 hours rinse . cook

 

[snowflake]

very interesting... a few yrs ago we did Cornish X they were very good and tender... we did not eat the same day I wrapped and froze...butchered at 9 or 10 weeks. we cooked a 1 7 yr. old rooster a few weeks ago I let it sit in the fridge for about 4 days. then crock pot cooked it for a good 12 or more hrs. it was very tender and tasty. We have Freedom Rangers waiting to be butchered now hopefully they will be tender. May try the brine.