[Sammy]

We killed our first bare necked cockerels yesterday.  Having done the deed, plucked it etc I roasted it and it was disappointingly chewy!  

It was born at the beginning of April and `roasting' weight was 5lbs.  Any ideas on how to breed something more edible?  We have rather a lot of cockerels to kill and am wondering whether I will need to slow cook all of them.  Advice please on producing something slightly more tender (it was however quite tasty!)

[mdueal]

We found our meat JA757's, even at 12 weeks, far more chewy meaty than supermarket chicken that we are all used to. I put it down to the fact that supermarket meat is pumped full of water and c***. It may be that?? As you say - they are very tasty.
I remember someone saying about steaming older birds before roasting to make them more tender - someone will be along to enlighten you on that i'm sure!!

[agapanthus]

Try roasting it very slowly.......125c gas mark 3......something like that for about 3 or 4 hours. Cook it under foil and take the foil off for the last 20 minutes......you should find it a lot more succulent!

[GrannieAnnie]

12 weeks is hardly 'older'. I think when Munty told me about steaming before roasting, he was talking about much older birds, but with a 'proper' chicken, like wot we grow, they are a totally different bird to the pappy stuff you get in the supermarkets, even the  so called free range ones.

Real chicken is made of meat and should be roasted on a lower temperature for a longer period of time, so no 180C for just over an hour!!!!

We do ours on 150C for 2 hours + depending on the size of the chicken and they are beautiful!  Succulent and how to describe it?  not chewy certainly, but like meat!!  I cover the chook with a bit of foil until the last 20 minutes, then uncover it for a crispy skin.

[GrannieAnnie]

LOLOL Aggy, I think we are nearly in sync tonight.  This is the 2nd post we have answered almost together in similar vein!!!!

So have you eaten one of your chooks now???  Our biggest so far is 11lbs dead weight, but Brian hasn't finished killing them all yet!

[blossom1044]

To make it more suculent on a shorter cook with higher setting.  Roasting tray with bird on a wire rack raised off roaster bottom.  cover bottom tray with boiling water and put bird on wire rack.  Cover bird with foil.  do not let bird sit in water.  Cook at 180 for 1 hour.  top up with extra boiling water if needed during the hour.  Then remove water at 1 hour and roast chicken for 20 minutes to finish off.  
You can add herbs and spices to water to flavour chicken.
Keep the water from the roasting tray and use as stock or gravy.

Also to help massage and marinate into chicken in olive oil and herbs of choice for 1 hour in fridge or overnight.

God I'm hungry thinking about it!

[Sammy]

Many thanks for all of your useful tips, I will definately try a slower cooking method for the next lot.  

Now for my next question can anyone help me on sexing my chicks?  I started with a few eggs in the incubator for the kids to enjoy but am now overrun with chicks and wonder if there is any way the amateur can tell the boys from the girls.  I have tried looking at the vent and some do have a very small projection, is that it?!  Tips please! :?