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Submitted by: Stephanie

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I've been raising chickens for several years and I raise them mainly for fun and eggs. The roosters, I harvest them mainly for feathers for fly tyers so the birds are far past the time to be made into a roasted bird. (I made the mistake of trying to fry one once. Tough doesn't even begin to describe the consistancy.) However, I felt it to be too much of a waste to throw the meat away so I have found the best way to fix the birds is to boil them slowly. First, I take the bird right after butchering and put it in the fridge for a day or two. (This helps to rid the bird of rigamotis.) I then throw it in a crockpot, cover it completely with water and go to work. When I come home, the meat is literally falling off the bone. Now I can make: chicken soup, chicken enchilades, chicken salad, tortilla soup, King Ranch Chicken, gumbo, etc. and I can even can the chicken (because I usually harvest a lot at once--usually the beginning the fall so I'll have less birds to feed during the winter when they eat more). The Blue Ball book will tell you how to do this with a pressure cooker. Hope this helps you!

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Submitted by: buzzards<3

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that was halarious

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Submitted by: Anonymous

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Reds are a multy purpose bird, raise just meat chickens feed them for 6-8 wks. they are a lot more tender & way more meat. Then smoke at a low temp like 225. Enjoy, hope it helps...

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Submitted by: SmokerBill

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Tough meats (or chicken) can be made more tender by cooking at a lower temperature for a long time. One way you could make those tough birds edible would be to braise them. This can be done either on the stovetop or in the oven. On the stovetop, a heavy pan like a dutch oven is best. The sides and lid capture heat and radiate it all around the cooking chicken. A lighter baking dish or pan can be used in the oven, but even there, heavier is better. Cut the old buzzards into the usual pieces. Season with salt and pepper and brown the chicken quickly on both sides in hot oil. Use your braising vessel to brown the chicken in. When done browning, drain off most of the oil, but leave any browned bits and pieces for flavor. Place the pieces in the braising vessel with just enough broth (chicken or vegetable) to cover the pieces halfway. On the stovetop, bring it slowly to a boil, then lower the temperature to a low simmer. Continue cooking, covered, for a couple of hours, adding more broth as needed. If braising in the oven, bring it to a boil on the stovetop first, then place it in a 300 degree oven. Again, check occassionally and add broth as needed. Cooked long enough, the chicken will be fall apart tender. For more flavor, add sliced onions and your favorite herbs to the pot along with the chicken pieces. You could also cook the chicken on the smoker or the grill. After the first hour of cooking wrap the bird in a double layer of heavy duty foil and continue applying heat until tender.

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