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The fastest way is to snap the chickens neck as you catch it, just as if it were a wet towel and you were going to shake water out. Then next instant chop the head off a dead chicken.. Chicken never knows what happened. Not knowing what happened means no adrenaline flow.. That means better taste.
Still a cord wrapped around it's feet can be a wise idea. A dead chicken can still run... if you let that happen, anyone who see's it will be pretty sick.
Beat me to the punch on this one. That's how I kill any wounded game birds. But I have large strong hands so its easy for me. Sometimes I get an odd flop and the bird neck dosent snap all the way and proceeds to beat the crap out of me with its wings and feet until the next quick snap.
Had a buddy of mine that needed to BBQ multiple chickens for a rehersal dinner. We corraled the birds into a pen and waded into them like Sherman's march to the sea. Used deerskin gloves to get a good grip and protect the hands for the snap.
I hunt, but I don't like the killing... So the faster the killing happens the better off I am and the kill is. Better for the meat too. And that is the point for the killing.
I haven't read the thread but I want to know who did the gutting.
The hatchet work is the *easy* part.
Guess it depends on the person... I have more problems with the actual killing than the rest of the processing, do DH normally makes the kill and I gut, skin and butcher. This works out fairly well since I have smaller hands and get inside the birds and under skin much easier anyway. For larger animals, I might need his help moving the carcass around and hefting it on the gambrel, but DH escapes before I break out the knives and saw.
I don't normally have too much issue with the smell, but a dab of vapo-rub under your nose works wonders
Guess it depends on the person... I have more problems with the actual killing than the rest of the processing, do DH normally makes the kill and I gut, skin and butcher. This works out fairly well since I have smaller hands and get inside the birds and under skin much easier anyway. For larger animals, I might need his help moving the carcass around and hefting it on the gambrel, but DH escapes before I break out the knives and saw.
I don't normally have too much issue with the smell, but a dab of vapo-rub under your nose works wonders
Reminds me of Silence of the Lambs. "Do you still hear the lambs Clarice?"
I haven't read the thread but I want to know who did the gutting.
The hatchet work is the *easy* part.
I am divorced. My husband was definitely not a wuss. He had to kill a lambs for Ramadan, and his only fear is full-time employment. LOL Siiigh.
Nevertheless, he is not here, so I did everything myself. The gutting was super easy. Sadly, the killing for me was the difficult part. I'm going to try to make it quicker next time. The remaining rooster is being a PITA, and he's looking more delicious by the minute!
I know a little about anatomy, so I snipped down between the breast w/ kitchen shears. I snipped off the "craw" it looked like a little bag...and I definitely did NOT want to cut it open by accident. Luckily I didn't pierce it while cutting off the head. I cut from the neck to the butt, avoiding cutting the intestines. I tried to cut along the sternum, since there is supposed to be cartilage there and you can cut right down the middle.
This is after I plucked it, which was surprisingly easy. It wasn't totally super feather-free, but I didn't use hot water or anything and the feathers came off easier than I thought. Apparently programming has given me wrists of steel.
But I digress.
Once the chicken was open, I snipped around the tissue holding the intestines inside the carcass...My entire point was not wanting to see any undigested chicken food or (gag) poop.
The innards smelled terrible anyway, and I got lucky and did not have any "gallblader" issues...since I can't recognize the gallbladder anyway. I was too disgusted by the smell, so I didn't save the heart or liver. I just scooped everything out and chucked it. Then washed out the chicken super good, and soaked it in salt and vinegar for a bit before seasoning and refrigerating it.
BTW Harry, I put it in the fridge for one day only. I didn't have any rigor mortis issues. I shared it w/ my family and everyone said it was delicious.
Funny but true: since I'm now officially a killer (for food)...I saw one of the pesky rabbits in my garden, and my first thought was...if only I could catch it. LOL
Wild rabbits can carry disease (and worms) and there are only a few times a year around here that people consider them safe to eat.
Your point being?
Sheep, cows, pigs and chickens also can carry disease (and worms), yet we eat them regularly, and when hygienically processed and properly cooked have no issues.
My point being that the older folks in this area are pretty savvy and tend to avoid such diseases. Sheep, cows, and chickens are not WILD animals like wild rabbits.
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