Good and bad problem...

Farmfresh

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I do sometimes refrigerate overnight.

I have very severe arthritis and so I tend to break ALL of my work into small do-able bits, then I just basically diddle it to death! :lol: That is why you see me on this forum at all times of the day and night. I tend to work a bit and then HAVE to sit a bit. Sometimes my work takes a long time to complete, but physically there is no other way.

With these chickens I processed them one day and let them "hang" in the refrigerator for a couple of days to go through rigor mortis. I do that with all of my birds. These birds, since I knew I would be canning them, got less work than my regular chickens do. I just split their back open (or you can split the breast) to clean them out and plucked them well. Then they were soaked in salted ICE water for about 20 minutes, drained and went to a communal garbage bag placed in a HUGE roaster I have. I stuck the roaster in our spare fridge.

Two days later I popped them into a HUGE stockpot covered them with water and started to simmer them until done. You could also oven stew them or even use a crock pot to cook them. I like to work on them all at once since that makes it easier to fill up the canner and I only have to run it once or twice.

If I am canning meat I do like to work on it as soon as possible. Refrigerating over night is fine, but if you leave it in the fridge for several days and THEN canned it... :sick it could get gross.

If you look at my thread you will find that simply loading the canner with chicken the other day was a real chore for me. You will get nothing but sympathy from me when it comes to breaking a job into small parts. ;)

If you chill the broth you will have to heat it up before canning. My broth usually jells in the fridge. A warm broth will fill all of the spaces better when you fill your jars. :D
 

aggieterpkatie

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Spatchcocking the chickens (or turkeys) will really help you fit LOTS more in the freezer!!
 

Farmfresh

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aggieterpkatie said:
Spatchcocking the chickens (or turkeys) will really help you fit LOTS more in the freezer!!
True. That is one reason I like to cut mine all up in serving pieces and freeze them in meal size bags. Plus - Less freezer burn than when freezing a whole bird. ;)
 

Bubblingbrooks

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Farmfresh said:
I know that disappointment well.

Many years ago we had 28 Cornish crosses nice and fat. We were ready to clean them that weekend and on Thursday the neighbors dog came over and killed everyone of them while we were gone shopping. Just bit them and dropped them. :sick < (me sick to the point of puking). Amazingly :lol: (HA!) we received NO compensation. :somad

Once you can meat (and open it later to eat finding it SO delicious and good) you will be hooked!! It is so nice to have a jar of chicken, turkey or other meat ready to go when you want to make a fast dinner. Just be sure to always use your eyes and nose when you open the jar (It should smell like the delicious food it is supposed to be.) and always bring it to a boil for at least 20 minutes to be on the safe side. Since that is about how long it takes for me to get a fast dinner slapped together it is no problem at all. :D
My parents had that happen with about 30 ducks last year. They found them just after it happened, so they were able to hurry up and process all of them.
 

Farmfresh

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I am glad that your parents were at least able to save the meat. When we found ours they were hard and stiff. It tore me up filling those garbage bags with all of our meat.

As I said the neighbor (and we KNEW which dog it was), could totally care less.

People just don't understand the importance of an animal to us. If someone came in and destroyed or stole their groceries, you can bet they would be mad and want revenge.
 

Kingsfarm

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Bubblingbrooks, do you do the salt thing? soak in refrigerator for 2 days? at least I won't have to process all in one day...I sure hope this works out... what is your advice to all newbees about processing and canning? am anxious to hear from all about their experience, am sure I am not the only one reading this.....thanks again....G

Thank you Farmfresh ...getting it all together now....G
 

Bubblingbrooks

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I have not done much in the way of canning.
All I know about meat, is 10 pounds pressure for 90 minutes. Period.

I never soak my meat.
For old hens and all roosters, we tend to age the old fashioned way, to tenderize the meat fully. Kill, gut, wipe cavity with dry cloth, hang by feet in 40 degree temp for 4-6 days.
Remove head, and then dry pluck feathers.
 

Bubblingbrooks

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Well, we decided to go ahead and process the hens in batches, slow cooking about 6 at a time, then deboning and packing the meat in sandwich size bags for the freezer.
They will fit that way.
Then I will make stock and reduce it way down.
 

Farmfresh

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I only soak in salted ICE water for about 20 minutes max and then drain before doing the cold "hang" time in the fridge. They are just dry and wrapped or covered in the fridge. ;)

I see lots of British TV shows with them hanging birds like you describe Brooks, but I am afraid we just don't have a consistently cool spot that is guaranteed bug (fly) free except for in the refrigerator. :idunno

If you freeze a bird before it has time to go through the rigor mortis stages you end up with some terribly tough meat no matter how tender the bird was to start. I learned the hard way.
 

Farmfresh

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Bubblingbrooks said:
Well, we decided to go ahead and process the hens in batches, slow cooking about 6 at a time, then deboning and packing the meat in sandwich size bags for the freezer.
They will fit that way.
Then I will make stock and reduce it way down.
I love a stock like that! VERY flavorful. :drool I like to freeze some of my stock in an ice cube tray and then, when frozen, I put them in a Ziplock to keep. Really handy to grab a broth cube or two to toss in with some veggies. :cool:
 

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