Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question

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kimT

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #15 on: December 04, 2008, 09:37 »
We cull, pluck and gut straight away while the bird is still warm.

We have turkeys for the first time and we are told you do this or you do that so it's a bit confusing.

I thought it best to cull leave to hang for 24hrs then pluck and gut I just don't fancy the guts been left in for a long period.

What is your opinion?

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GrannieAnnie

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #16 on: December 04, 2008, 10:55 »
Like we've said before Kim, pluck while the bird is still warm, harder to get out when they are cold.  Leave guts in until you are ready for the bird as they start to deteriorate quicker once gutted, and dry pluck s once water touches them hey also start to deteriorate quicker.

Please listen to people who have been there and done it, although I think Bodger tends to do his straight away, but Munty says the muscles should have time to relax after culling, hence the idea of hanging for a while before gutting, and we think they taste better after being hung.

If the turkeys are for you, why don't you try it both ways and see which you think tastes best?  After all, its all a case of personal preferences isn't it?  Hope you enjoy your turkeys!!!!

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kimT

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #17 on: December 04, 2008, 16:57 »
Thanks for all the advice about the chickens and turkeys. I think your right that it is personal preference and I do think you need to try it different ways and see which you prefer.


As for the cull of the turkeys we are personally not doing the kill but we are doing the plucking and gutting. I am told that if you leave them hanging with the guts in the flavour is stronger when it’s cooked.

How long would you leave a turkey to hang for with its guts in?

Having never done this before I am eager to learn from those that have experience.

Thanks

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nettynoodles1

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #18 on: December 08, 2008, 12:25 »
great thread here thanks  guys.
I had my 2 spare cocks culled this am and have just finished plucking them. 1st time for me.  the 1st was easier to pluck as it was really hot still, plucked within 20 mins of culling 2nd was harder as i left it whiel i had a uppa and smoke  :oops:  :oops:  to calm the nerves. If anything would make me eat meat it would be these boys as i know what life they have had and how fresh they are.
So do i gut and dress them tomorrow? well rather does my hubby or  my man who can? (the chap who culled them for me) they are currently hanging in my shed in a bin bag. i used the bags to catch the feathers lol.
the boys were bought as chicks roughly 2-3 weeks old in  july so are just about right age.
I plan on eating them for xams dinner lol

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GrannieAnnie

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #19 on: December 08, 2008, 17:20 »
Hi Kim, we leave our turkeys to hang for 6-7 days with the guts in, but while I was away last week, Brian didn't get around to doing 2 of the ones that were in the garage, so they had been there for 2 weeks. But garage is very cold  He gutted them Saturday and I cooked them that day, cut them all up and froze in portions.  They were lovely!!!

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merle

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #20 on: December 09, 2008, 20:20 »
I have some muscovey ducklings that i want to put in the freezer next week, can anyone tell me how long to hang them for? also do they hang from the neck or the legs?   :?

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GrannieAnnie

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #21 on: December 09, 2008, 22:52 »
Not usre bout ducks Merle and Brian is asleeep, but always hang from the legs so the blood drains down into the neck, otherwise it stays in the body and isn't nice!

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pushrod

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #22 on: December 13, 2008, 20:44 »
Read the thread and didn't see (apologies if i missed it) any one saying that you should starve your birds before culling them, particularly important if you are going to hang them for any time. Our Christmas turkey will hang for 7 or 8 days, but it has been up to 10 days, plucked but with (empty)  guts intact. IMO hanging a turkey for a week dramatically improves the flavour. Must admit the first time i did this i was really unsure as it seemed a long time to leave the guts in but now i don't give it a second thought.
All these moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.

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Carolinew

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #23 on: January 06, 2009, 15:59 »
I've read the thread through - so sorry if I've missed the answer!  My husband will be culling some hens at the weekend, and we plan to cook one and put the others in the freezer.  We're complete newbies to this - glad it's him and not me that has to do the dirty deed!!  :oops:

I've gathered that we (read 'he') should pluck as soon as he's culled, so better to only do one hen at a time.  Also that hanging is a matter of preference.  Does that also apply when you're freezing the bird?  Or do they need to be hung then? (sorry if I'm being dim and it's a silly question).

Also, the hens are 13 months old.  Is it still possible to roast, if they've been boiled for a bit first?  Again, probably a silly question - but we're branching out for the first time away from plastic packed supermarket chicken!

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kentishlad

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #24 on: January 06, 2009, 20:16 »
Quote from: "Carolinew"
I've read the thread through - so sorry if I've missed the answer!  My husband will be culling some hens at the weekend, and we plan to cook one and put the others in the freezer.  We're complete newbies to this - glad it's him and not me that has to do the dirty deed!!  :oops:

I've gathered that we (read 'he') should pluck as soon as he's culled, so better to only do one hen at a time.  Also that hanging is a matter of preference.  Does that also apply when you're freezing the bird?  Or do they need to be hung then? (sorry if I'm being dim and it's a silly question).

Also, the hens are 13 months old.  Is it still possible to roast, if they've been boiled for a bit first?  Again, probably a silly question - but we're branching out for the first time away from plastic packed supermarket chicken!


Hi Caroline,
The consensus seems to be:
Pluck immediately as it's easier
Dry plucking is better(than wet plucking) and should be done this way if hanging the bird
Hanging a bird is not necessary but hanging for a day or two helps improve the tenderness and flavour.
Hang the bird 'guts in'
I believe hanging for a day or two before freezing will be fine, we did this recently and are still around to tell the tale!

Hopefully someone else will chip in and confirm/correct the above :)
Cheers,

Wayne.

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muntjac

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #25 on: January 06, 2009, 23:13 »
ok folks lets clear this one up ....( this is my way)  kill and pluck all domestic birds the same day ..... chickens i hang for 24 hours and then process.. turkeys which are classed as a game bird are hung plucked for up to 2 weeks in the right conditions ie very cold  weather which will make the birds meat taste more gamey if this is what you prefer.( note it is extremly hard to try and pluck a cold turkey  the wing feathers are particulary hard to extract .. even with pliersand more prone to tearing the skin ) if its cool then hang for less upto about 7 days will make the meat tastier . pheasants hang for a couple of days only in the feather , this is usually because you get given them in the feather anyways when they are cold .  for any chicken of real age i prefer to boil and roast it . boiling makes the bird fill out by taking on moisture and it makes the meat softer .roasting then for about an hour or so with plenty of seasoning and maybe some butter dressing bacon on its breast etc adds to the flavour and prevents it drying out




 chickens ....young birds under a year old just treat as normal when cooking. older birds i prefer to boil as i say.
 if you want to eat a bird straight away . wet plucking can make it easier . you need the water just below boiling point .immerse the bird completly for about a minute and then start plucking  i have done a chuck in less than 10 mins this way but i do prefer to do them dry ... less mess :wink:
still alive /............

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Carolinew

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Hanging Meat Bird / Poultry Question
« Reply #26 on: January 07, 2009, 10:21 »
Thanks, Muntjac and Kentishlad.  I feel confident I know what to do this weekend, now  :)



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