Roo's are going to be dressed

I've had chickens for eleven years and have never eaten a one.
We enjoy their eggs and they have been almost pets. Well...
we have two nasty roosters that crow well before dawn and are
fiestier by the day. We found a menonite place that will take them
live and return them for cooking. $1.75ea.

Sooo....

These guys were born at the very end of April. So they are 7.5mo
old. Will we be able to roast them or will they be too tough?

Thanks
Tam

It depends a little on the breed and how they have been handled....active, free range tend to be a bit tougher.

I don't know the breed - yellow with bits of brown. They were hatched
as Rhode Island Reds but maybe really are buff orpington or mix of the
two.

They've been completely free range - silly things would not come into
the barn all summer. I got 10 chicks from a friend who is a kinder garden
teacher. I kept them in the barn 'til they were large enough to browse
the property. All other chicks I've had came in at night. These guys
stayed out later and later until the stopped coming in. All but these two
were eaten by predators. (They roosted in trees 'til they lost their
siblings and then roosted in my flower pots on the deck).

Here's one in my flower basket. Probably buff orpington?

if you have a slow cooker that might help . slow and low as they say.
and if all else fails. Lots and lots of gravy :)

I hadn't thought of a slow cooker. I think one will make a nice
chicken noodle soup. Slow cooker for the other.

Tam

sounds yummy !
i love my slow cooker . and don't forget to make your own stock with the bones and legs.

Got one for you. Soak them in an icy cold brine overnight. That tenderizes most bird. Not too salty. Just enough to purify the water and barely taste.

I was wondering if that would help. I've brined turkeys
but never chicken. Great ideas!

oh that is a good idea !
i always forget brines

I always remember when I try to bite into it and find I can't, lol...

LOL

Well... the guy that dressed my roo's told me in his
heavy Pa Dutch accent "now these won't be as tender
as the ones you buy in the grocery store. You'll need
to cook 'em slow & all day long". :-)

I gave one away and have the other on the stove
in a stock pot. (I couldn't fit him in the crock pot - his
legs were sticking out and I couldn't get 'em to bend
nor cut 'em off easily.) So... he'll be in the pot for a long
simmer.

Tam

They make the BEST chicken-n-dumplings, ;~)

I have never made dumplings. That's a very interesting idea.
I'll have to go look for recipes. Thanks.
Tam

Flour, salt, pepper, and chicken soup stock. Til the consistency is something you can roll out and cut. .5" x 2" strips. yummy.
(local farmer's wife told me that was the 'only' way, lol)

The easiest and quickest way to make dumplings is with flour tortillas. Just cut them in 1 inch strips with a pizza cutter and drop them in the gravy when it's done. I know it sounds too easy but try it once before you discard the idea. They are delish. Never gummy.

{{Put up yer dooks, Cajun. Them's fightin' words!}} lol. ;)

My grandmother always would take the cheap biscuits, the ones you buy in the store and pop open. Take those, tear them in half, and drop them in with the chicken.

Ok, first things first, put in the chicken, cover it with water, and low boil it until tender, where the meat drops off the bones. Take the chicken out of the broth, remove the bones, and tear the chicken into small pieces. Add some milk and butter and salt and pepper to the broth, then put in the biscuits torn in half. At first the dumplings will float, and that's normal. When they begin to sink to the bottom of the pan, they are done. Add the chicken pieces back in.

That's the way I remember it any way.

I'd wondered about the milk...

I looked at a bunch of recipes. About half included milk and butter in the stock.
The stock will be done this morning. I'm going to let it cool, strain out the veggies
& chicken. Defat it. And clean the meat so use in the soup / dumplings and some
for another batch. I should be able to reuse the bones too for another batch of
stock - don't you think?

Tam

Just peeking in Girls........ Cant tell you how good this all sounds! I was thinking about a big of pot of Chili, for tonight , since the temps have dropped again.....but this sounds tooo mouth watering!!!!!!! Chicken and dumplins in the Crock pot...... Ohhhh Myyyyy!

I never make white gravy on anything. Everything here gets a rhue and ends up brown. I like the tortilla duplings because they are not big and gummy.

Got me there, Cajun. lol -I'm a big-n-gummy fan....

Tammy you didn't get pics of the legs sticking out of the pot did you ???
that would make a great holiday card LOLLLLL ok i have a sick sense of humor sorry

I should have taken that picture but I did not. sigh.

I just strained the stock. I have a big batch. I'll clean
the meat & make up a batch of chicken & dumplings for
lunch. DH suggested chicken pot pie. And chicken
noodle soup. I bet we could easily get those three
dishes out of the stock & meat I have.

Oh ... it was blessedly peaceful in the morning today. :-)

Tam

yes chicken pot pie ! is a must in my house . oh yes . i m so hungry LOLL
glad you had a good morning.