Chicken Flock ~ Foamheart

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I decided today I should try one before giving away the others. I was slow to the camera.


They were still not exactly what I wanted but better than anything else they could get. Very juicy, good flavor without being hammy, but if I said to look for a hammy taste you'd realize it. I also tried something I never did before toward rewarming. I put the own chicken in a hot of warm, not boiling water and just allowed it to heat up. I like that the chicken didn't cook further. But it didn't get too warm either. I put the bird in the water heat the hot water till you could see vapors raising off the water, then turned it off and let it sit. 

I am guessing if I let it set longer it might have warmed better. It achieved two things. It allows others an easy way to warm the bird without additionally cooking and there are no dirty dishes. No heating the house from a hot oven, and we all know what a micro wave does nuking it. 

Just passing it along, I am sure most of you folks already know all this. I was happy.
 
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I also found lowering the seal setting to have less vacuum leaks if there is any liquid in the pouch. Keep on eye as the liquid is pulled to the top, stop the pulse and use the manual seal function.

After a few 1000 seals, you'll be a pro. 
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OMG 1000? But I learn fast, maybe 750? Thanks
 
 Foamheart, another way to pack such items is to put in the freezer on a plate or something and then vac/seal after they are frozen.

Great post as usual. 

Chuck
Thanks Chuck

Trying not to freeze 'em. But good info. Its probably only a one time thing since I know whole birds won't be that cheap next week!
 
 
Nice job Kevin!

Great post!

Points for sure!!

Al
Thanks Al.

Tell your bride I hope she all well soon.

You know back before I was here and taking pictures I miss some of the best photo ops. We, Pop and I once did 300 chicken halves at one time in a TP, had the halves on bread trays on rolling bread racks. Now that was something to see. But back then computers needed a warehouse to house one. LOL
 
Kevin are you shipping them? Man they look so good all tanned beautiful color. Points

Richie
Thanks Riche!

Birds are just bread and butter around here. My biggest problem is as always, I either don't write it down or I decide to try something new to make 'em better. LOL  I think its a male thing. If its perfect, lets make it better. 
 
 
Beautiful lookin' grub Kevin....  
2thumbs.gif
 .....  points...
Thanks Dave..... 
 
The extra effort really put a good color on those cluckers brother.  Point. B
The skin was not rubbery. Another thing I think I see is, rub, totally useless. It can't get thru the skin. Its great on the skin to make the skin taste better but I can't say I have ever tasted any rub getting thru and in the meat. So I have completely quit rubbing, the birds look better because they don't look like the stuff that fell down on them when cooking. Its a smoothed color, no streaks.
 
Looks great. A little dry ice on one of those and it can be delivered right to my door. I'll even pay for shipping! Haha
Thanks Chris

I actually was thinking of that exactly. Packaging them just has to be good. You could fill a reefer with 'em and just warm and serve as needed. Or just left folks dropping by and taking one. Sort of a Boston Market?  Who knows? It would be cool.
 
Now those do look good. Great thread, thanks. Point

T
Thanks Tom

I still have that country ham to do. And next year its gonna be cheese. but this years batch gets better with every tasting....LOL How can ya not like smoked cheese late at night or in a baked mac & Cheese..... 
 
 
Looks-Great.gif
Love chicken too even at the higher prices still cheaper than beef and pork is reasonable now too.  
points1.png


Was all the fluid from all that rain you'll had?

Warren
Thank you Warren

Yeppers.... this spring as been different than the norm. In the past we'd get weeks and weeks of April showers, you could set your watch by them every afternoon. This year..... we are getting mega inchs a couple a days then sun for 5 then a big rain a couple then dry all week, etc. The spring is when all the northern rain comes down the river, so the water table is really high, so a big rain has no where to go. Takes some time now to dissipate. 
 
Nice job my friend, great color  Had to be good 
points1.png


Gary
 
 
I decided today I should try one before giving away the others. I was slow to the camera.


They were still not exactly what I wanted but better than anything else they could get. Very juicy, good flavor without being hammy, but if I said to look for a hammy taste you'd realize it. I also tried something I never did before toward rewarming. I put the own chicken in a hot of warm, not boiling water and just allowed it to heat up. I like that the chicken didn't cook further. But it didn't get too warm either. I put the bird in the water heat the hot water till you could see vapors raising off the water, then turned it off and let it sit. 

I am guessing if I let it set longer it might have warmed better. It achieved two things. It allows others an easy way to warm the bird without additionally cooking and there are no dirty dishes. No heating the house from a hot oven, and we all know what a micro wave does nuking it. 

Just passing it along, I am sure most of you folks already know all this. I was happy.
yahoo.gif
Great idea boiling bags I hate and don't use microwaves to heat hardly anything especially meat.

Warren
 
Hey Foam I need to add something else. I said great Color, I think those are the Best looking Birds I've seen in a long time

Gary
 
 
This week someone must have finally listened to my continiously bitchin and lowered some grocery prices, and by more than just a couple a pennies. I got 6 chickens for the same price I would have paid last week for 2. They kept using the gas prices as the reason for the raising prices.... so now that gas is 1/2 as much?

OK, first my rookie mistake, I got too many chickens. Seems my bucket briner will only hold 25# of chickens with some pork to fill it completely up.

I opened and cleaned the birds.


I made a proper cure/brine. You know how.

Cure/ Brine

1T #1 Cure

2/3C Canning Salt

1C Brown Sugar

1C White Sugar

2T Crystal Hot Sauce

1T Tony's "More" Spice

2 oz. Maple extract

1 Gal. Spring Water

Add meats to cure and weigh down with a fluid filled ziploc


Five days later.....Removed, rinsed, patted dry and into the reefer to dehydrate over night. Looking for that pellicle!


Look how red that pork came out!


Note all the yellow, those the subcutaneous fats. You'll see a yellow fat thru the skin and the skin will become slightly more tacky.  Did I mention a fan can achieve this also?


Rubbed the skin with suntan lotion (it was peanut oil), and did a light rub of andouille spice on the pork pieces.

Yadda Yadda Yadda into the smoker........../w light hickory and heavy apple.


Took about 5 hours at approx 220 degrees to an internal temp of 163 on the lowest far left chicken. This would be the coolest spot in the smoker.

BTW did I forget to mention the weather is Ucky!


Ewwwww,...........


About 3 hours in the pork strips were done! Pulled into the kitchen



Inside they come to glide up two more degrees then cool.


Thats it. I made all this so inexpensive I think I'll bag it up and be neighborly, maybe the church ladies tomorrow, how knows. A smoked cured chicken and a piece a tasso, maybe even a jar a jelly man thats a care package I'd like!

If I decide to keep one, will cut it tomorrow for lunch already had Chicken & andouille gumbo for supper though. I can't complain about life!
 
This week someone must have finally listened to my continiously bitchin and lowered some grocery prices, and by more than just a couple a pennies. I got 6 chickens for the same price I would have paid last week for 2. They kept using the gas prices as the reason for the raising prices.... so now that gas is 1/2 as much?

OK, first my rookie mistake, I got too many chickens. Seems my bucket briner will only hold 25# of chickens with some pork to fill it completely up.

I opened and cleaned the birds.


I made a proper cure/brine. You know how.

Cure/ Brine

1T #1 Cure

2/3C Canning Salt

1C Brown Sugar

1C White Sugar

2T Crystal Hot Sauce

1T Tony's "More" Spice

2 oz. Maple extract

1 Gal. Spring Water

Add meats to cure and weigh down with a fluid filled ziploc


Five days later.....Removed, rinsed, patted dry and into the reefer to dehydrate over night. Looking for that pellicle!


Look how red that pork came out!


Note all the yellow, those the subcutaneous fats. You'll see a yellow fat thru the skin and the skin will become slightly more tacky.  Did I mention a fan can achieve this also?


Rubbed the skin with suntan lotion (it was peanut oil), and did a light rub of andouille spice on the pork pieces.

Yadda Yadda Yadda into the smoker........../w light hickory and heavy apple.


Took about 5 hours at approx 220 degrees to an internal temp of 163 on the lowest far left chicken. This would be the coolest spot in the smoker.

BTW did I forget to mention the weather is Ucky!


Ewwwww,...........


About 3 hours in the pork strips were done! Pulled into the kitchen



Inside they come to glide up two more degrees then cool.


Thats it. I made all this so inexpensive I think I'll bag it up and be neighborly, maybe the church ladies tomorrow, how knows. A smoked cured chicken and a piece a tasso, maybe even a jar a jelly man thats a care package I'd like!

If I decide to keep one, will cut it tomorrow for lunch already had Chicken & andouille gumbo for supper though. I can't complain about life!
foamheart i have never seen a better looking flock.

dannylang
points.gif
 
 
yahoo.gif
Great idea boiling bags I hate and don't use microwaves to heat hardly anything especially meat.

Warren
Thanks Warren. I hate nuked foods too. Especially MEATS! But part of it was from the macho attitude, high and fast, right...LOL I am learning now how to eat store bought veggies sometimes in the winter. Throw a bag in and steam it for three mins, allow to cool and doctor the flavors and serve.  Maybe my taste buds and budettes are just getting old.

I don't know its the way to go, but it almost worked for me, I was just too impatient. I'll try again.

I just had a smoked chicken sandwich and they are still tastee and juicy.
 
 
Hey Foam I need to add something else. I said great Color, I think those are the Best looking Birds I've seen in a long time

Gary
We have three to chose from in my area. these, the Mandel sisters brand and the "free range". yeah right! I had chickens you know what free range would be like to a chicken meat company? 50 layers were a pain, think about millions of fryers....LOL

My only problem with todays chickens is size. when I was a kid, fryers came iced in a waxed cardboard box weighing 4 to 4.5 pounds max. all these today are almost exactly 6 lbs each. I swear they are tuffer.  Those smaller chickens fried feel off the bone almost. Now all the fast food chicken companies get the small ones I guess.

There I go rambling again..... LOL

They are large and pretty much consistent in quality which does make 'em easier to smoke.
 
Back years ago when we moved to East Texas Bo Pilgrim  (Pilgrim's Pride Chicken) had a commercial he did, He would say " We don't sell no fat yellow chickens"  I started to email them the other day and ask if they would start running that commercial again but change it up just a little to ----- "All we sell is fat yellow chickens" 

Gary
 
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