How to tenderize chicken breasts?

[OakCreekRanch]

We have some commercial Cornish X chickens (they were rejects from Gold' N' Plump so I got them for free) here. Most of times they were tough and chewy every time we cooked the chicken. I tried to pound them with a mallet but I ended up ruined them. Anyone have better tips for how to tenderizing the chicken breasts?

Also I am new to chicken thing but I have few questions about chicken keeping. Should I separate the runts from the big guys to growing the runts to the acceptable size for butchering or just leave them with the big guys?

 

[Hook]

How long did you grow them for, to what size?

 

[presmudjo]

Soak in orange juice, cut with a wee bit of water. Adds nice flavor too.

 

[OakCreekRanch]

How long did you grow them for, to what size?

To 3-5lbs in shortest time as possible. The big guys will be butchered first soon so the runts should have the whole pen to themselves.

 

[OakCreekRanch]

Soak in orange juice, cut with a wee bit of water. Adds nice flavor too.

The actual orange juice?

 

[M5farm]

A pot of dumplings will make them tender

 

[Hook]

Pressure cooler, orange juice, crock pot and dumplings.

Just for reference, we just butchered 17 Cornish cross. 10 weeks total time and they were kept penned up so they didn't forage and get tough. Average live weight. 7-8lbs.
I don't know enough to say that's good or bad, but they aren't tough. They are flavorful though. Not in a bad way. Just richer

 

[ga.prime]

Boil for six hours and put in brunswick stew.

 

[OakCreekRanch]

I've heard that broilers (the white commercial types) don't forage that much, is that true? The big guys we have here are rather lazy but that's fine we don't need have them run faster than us. Is it okay to feed them food scraps?

 

[dun]

Easiest way to tenderize them is run them through a blender

 

[presmudjo]

Yes, orange juice from store in a jug container.

 

[3waycross]

The reason Orange Juice works is the acid breaks them down a bit. Pineapple juice will do the same thing and papaya will also with an enzyme that is a natural tenderizer.

 

[cow pollinater]

I've heard that broilers (the white commercial types) don't forage that much, is that true? The big guys we have here are rather lazy but that's fine we don't need have them run faster than us. Is it okay to feed them food scraps?

The commercial type broilers almost won't forage at all. Food scraps might be part of your problem. The best way we've found to make them tender is to feed twice a day turkey starter and then switch to non-medicated chick starter a week before you butcher. You want them to be growing at full speed when you butcher and it takes a bunch of protein to do that. If their growth slows down the muscles quit growing and harden up.

 

[mwj]

If you butcher your own birds remember that they have to set for 24 hours before they are frozen. If they go strait into the freezer they will all be tough. If using fresh they should be cooked quickly after they are butchered.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

The reason Orange Juice works is the acid breaks them down a bit. Pineapple juice will do the same thing and papaya will also with an enzyme that is a natural tenderizer.

In addition beer and wine work as well. Smoked some wine tenderized chicken that was different but really good. It was red and colored the meat, next time I'll use white.

 

[alisonb]

[Smoked some wine tenderized chicken that was different but really good. It was red and colored the meat, next time I'll use white.

That doesn't sound too great :shock:

 

[ga.prime]

One time I marinated some chicken in pineapple juice too long and it turned to mush. It was pretty bad eating. Reminiscent of scrambled eggs and hog brains.

 

[Kingfisher]

A friend of mine from La told me to try marinating in crab boil when I spoke of trying to make "popeyes" chicken. I Tried it with a Turkey. It was alright.

 

[CottageFarm]

The reason Orange Juice works is the acid breaks them down a bit. Pineapple juice will do the same thing and papaya will also with an enzyme that is a natural tenderizer.

X2
Papain (from papaya juice) is the active ingredient in most commercial meat tenderizers, but it will turn things to mush if left too long.
Any acid in your marinade will work to tenderize. Brining is also a good choice. It doesn't so much tenderize, as it just keeps it from drying out.

If you are processing your own, in addition to the 24 hr rest being important, your scald temperature is also important. 150 degrees seems to be perfect. Any hotter will make the muscle tighten, or worse start to cook it.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

[Smoked some wine tenderized chicken that was different but really good. It was red and colored the meat, next time I'll use white.

That doesn't sound too great :shock:

Believe it or not, it wasn't the best presentation. :lol: