Anyone ever "age" fresh chicken?

[Anonymous]

We've got about 20 yard birds to butcher soon and I've been reading up on aging them. Seems 2 day max is ideal before freezing or cooking. Has anyone done it, what are your experiences, and are there any pitfalls to it?

 

[M5farm]

We've got about 20 yard birds to butcher soon and I've been reading up on aging them. Seems 2 day max is ideal before freezing or cooking. Has anyone done it, what are your experiences, and are there any pitfalls to it?

the only aging I've done on fresh chicken requires water, flour dumplings and eggs brought to a boil and simmered for about an hour. but I recall my grand mother chilling them in the freezer before she cut them up and packaged them. Everything was done in one day.

 

[CottageFarm]

I've tried it several ways. Freezing immediately, waiting 24 hrs to freeze, waiting 8-12 hrs to freeze.
The only important difference I found, was that it's better to wait until rigor passes, but that really only takes a few hours.
I just process and chill them. Then I package them. Most are cut up as well. Rigor is generally done by the time I get to the packaging.
Since poultry has such a high ph, I'm really not willing to wait more than 24 hrs to freeze them.

 

[HDRider]

I ain't falling for that aging thing again...

 

[Anonymous]

I've tried it several ways. Freezing immediately, waiting 24 hrs to freeze, waiting 8-12 hrs to freeze.
The only important difference I found, was that it's better to wait until rigor passes, but that really only takes a few hours.
I just process and chill them. Then I package them. Most are cut up as well. Rigor is generally done by the time I get to the packaging.
Since poultry has such a high ph, I'm really not willing to wait more than 24 hrs to freeze them.

Good info cf..thanks.
Hdrider, care to expand on that?

 

[Alan]

Great question and great answer, thanks cottage! Hope we have more answers!

Thanks Hook.

Alan

 

[dun]

I tried to eat "aged" chicken in Naples Italy. Maybe hanging in the window for 2 or 3 days wasn;t the best method of aging them, especilly with the entrails still in them.

 

[artesianspringsfarm]

I'm with CF in that it definitely makes a difference to wait for rigor to pass. If we do chickens first thing in the AM and they get chilled right off, I might put them in the freezer that night. If it's later in the day, I will keep them chilled overnight before I freeze. Otherwise I think the tendons and muscles, especially in the quarters, can be extremely rope-like and detract from the meat. just my .02

 

[HDRider]

I've tried it several ways. Freezing immediately, waiting 24 hrs to freeze, waiting 8-12 hrs to freeze.
The only important difference I found, was that it's better to wait until rigor passes, but that really only takes a few hours.
I just process and chill them. Then I package them. Most are cut up as well. Rigor is generally done by the time I get to the packaging.
Since poultry has such a high ph, I'm really not willing to wait more than 24 hrs to freeze them.

Good info cf..thanks.
Hdrider, care to expand on that?

See viewtopic.php?f=21&t=86955&p=1061828#p1061828

 

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah, there was that. Lol.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Seems 2 day max is ideal before freezing or cooking. Has anyone done it, what are your experiences, and are there any pitfalls to it?

My Dad said when he was in the service he saw birds hung by the neck (in some part of Europe) till they fell off the hook. Then they were considered fit to eat. Perhaps this is where all the Buffalo chicken burgers come from?
There used to be a lot of interest in aging game birds. I tried hanging (gutted) SD pheasants from the attached garage rafters. By the third day my hunting buddy and I had 18 hanging. I thought they looked very nice. The boss thought there was too much aroma, so they all got processed before their scheduled time. These birds were tasty!
I have seen ungutted birds aged in the truck box or the dog trailer. Not a good idea in most climates.
I think marinating in the fridge is the best approach for most folks. Do a couple a week and skip the freezer.

 

[3waycross]

I have aged drawn pheasants for 10 days hanging by the neck in a VERY COLD garage. They plucked exptremely easy and they ate good. Real good.

I would not even consider doing the same thing with a chicken.

 

[lavacarancher]

Sorry Hook, I don't eat aged chicken (if I know about it) and I don't eat them raw either. Same for pork. Just the way I was raised I guess.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, looks like I'll just chill them for a few hours then freeze. Thanks for all the responses everybody

 

[slick4591]

I leave my quail in a brine of brown sugar and kosher salt for 24 hrs after processing them.

 

[greybeard]

Seems 2 day max is ideal before freezing or cooking. Has anyone done it, what are your experiences, and are there any pitfalls to it?

My Dad said when he was in the service he saw birds hung by the neck (in some part of Europe) till they fell off the hook. Then they were considered fit to eat. Perhaps this is where all the Buffalo chicken burgers come from?

Balute is aged in the ground. Ya eat the liquid part--like a soup.
Not for me.

 

[dun]

Balute is aged in the ground. Ya eat the liquid part--like a soup.
Not for me.

Depends on the country. In china they chop it up and eat it in soup.

 

[TexasBred]

We've got about 20 yard birds to butcher soon and I've been reading up on aging them. Seems 2 day max is ideal before freezing or cooking. Has anyone done it, what are your experiences, and are there any pitfalls to it?

hook have you ever "sexed" a baby chicken? (Inyati will have the follow up answer).

 

[Anonymous]

We've got about 20 yard birds to butcher soon and I've been reading up on aging them. Seems 2 day max is ideal before freezing or cooking. Has anyone done it, what are your experiences, and are there any pitfalls to it?

hook have you ever "sexed" a baby chicken? (Inyati will have the follow up answer).

Yep. Hang em by their feet upside down. I the fight theyre a rooster. Not real accurate though

 

[TexasBred]

We've got about 20 yard birds to butcher soon and I've been reading up on aging them. Seems 2 day max is ideal before freezing or cooking. Has anyone done it, what are your experiences, and are there any pitfalls to it?

hook have you ever "sexed" a baby chicken? (Inyati will have the follow up answer).

Yep. Hang em by their feet upside down. I the fight theyre a rooster. Not real accurate though

Lay it in your hand on it's back....a pullet will pull her legs up...a rooster will relax and let his hang straight out from his body. :nod: