**UPDATE** dead chickens... EATEN!

[TanksHill]

Great job for you!!! I wish I had someone near me who could teach me as well. Your Mom and Dad seem like a great source of experience.

gina

 

[bibliophile birds]

so, i cooked up the Brahma tonight! invited the parents over for dinner and spent all afternoon in the kitchen. it was great!

i had the chicken soaking in lightly salted water since early afternoon yesterday. i parted it myself (another first)- again, Polyface videos on YouTube were quite helpful. i was a bit messy with the cuts, but i got more than enough meat off the carcass.

i popped the neck, back, and spare bits into a stewpot with some onions and leaks to simmer most of the afternoon for some super fresh stock. unfortunately, i knew the stock i got off this one bird wouldn't be enough for dinner, so i had to add in a bit of store bought (the last can, hopefully ever!), but it was organic and low sodium, so i didn't feel too bad.

i browned the meat (left the skin on the legs/thighs and wings) in butter and olive oil. i have the world's most useless stove (it takes forever to get hot and then gets WAY hotter than it should), so the browning could have been much better. after the meat browned, i set it aside to rest and threw a cup of finely chopped leaks into the olive oil/butter infusion. once those cooked down, i added 3 cups of the broth, one onion (quartered), and about a dozen new potatoes (halved). also added salt, pepper, dried garlic and basil for extra flavor.

once that began to simmer, i nestled the meat down under the broth and potatoes. turned it down for a low simmer for 1.5 hours. again, the stove did it's own thing and got really hot for a little while, so i had to add more broth.

all in all, it could have been a bit more tender (i blame the stove and not the bird). and there was some flavor profile missing from the whole thing (probably carrots, but i didn't have any, or maybe cinnamon). but the bird was juicy and very flavorful. and the meal was quite good. the leaks basically melted and the onions were great. it easily fed the 3 of us with plenty of broth, veggies and one whole breast left over (and the wings, but i don't think they are worth eating). that will be great for lunch tomorrow.

all in all, i was very impressed with my first home-grown chicken meal! can't wait until i can say that about all the ingredients!

 

[The Vail Benton's]

Thank you for sharing the details of your first homegrown chicken meal! How cool!
My birds always seem to be a little tougher than I think they're going to be - I don't know if it's something I'm doing wrong in the processing, or if I just became so accustomed to store bought birds that probably never got to actually use their muscles. But one thing is for sure, the flavor is always superior with the ones I raise myself as compared to store bought.
Congrats! Your meal sounded amazing!

 

[gettinaclue]

That sounds realllly good.

If you're ever out this way and the urge to cook strikes you...my door is open.

Edited because of brain freeze.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Our birds have been a little tough too. We are still learning about the whole raising and butchering and cooking our own birds too.

It does feel great though to have a meal based on your own homegrown food.

 

[Farmfresh]

Be sure you all are allowing the plenty of chill time BEFORE freezing them. They should be held in the fridge for at least a day or two. That helps with the meat being more tender.

 

[bibliophile birds]

Be sure you all are allowing the plenty of chill time BEFORE freezing them.

this one never even made it into the freezer (killed on Sunday, eaten today).

the other's went in the freezer yesterday, so i guess they are right one schedule!