Lots of chickens! And a question-

hollyfp

A local farmer is processing chickens on Tuesday and we are getting 10 (discount w/10 yay).  Our spare freezer is going to be FULL.

We are planning on keeping 3-4 whole for baking/ rotisserie and cutting up the rest.  I have found plenty of online guides for how to do this (my first time) but if anyone has specific tips it would be appreciated!  I would like to keep 1/2 the breasts bone-in and debone the other 1/2 (also never done this).  

We are planning on making stock w/the random parts/bones and canning it...but I won't have time to do this until Sunday (I want to roast then cook).  Would you freeze the chx on Tuesday and re-thaw for Sunday or just refrigerate?

SuperGreen

I'm lazy, so I either buy a whole chicken for roasting, boneless breasts for main-dish meals, and bone-in for stir-fries.  Your ratio sounds good for parts, I've just never done it myself either. Let us know how the cutting goes!

My rule of thumb is no more than 4 days in the fridge for fresh chicken. When I move frozen to the fridge, I cook it within 3 days of being defrosted.  So I would freeze the chicken on Tuesday, and put in the fridge to thaw Friday night to cook on Sunday.  Roasting a whole chicken takes about 1 1/2 hours the way I do it, so I don't ever plan to roast and make stock the same day.  Making stock takes several hours, then there's all the canning time too.  If you only have time on Sunday, I would roast Sunday and then freeze the carcass for another night when you have time to make stock.  Just my two cents.

hollyfp

Unfortunately they don't cut them up, but I could only imagine what the price would be if they did!  I am not too excited about this...I need to get a cleaver on my way home tonight I guess!

Yea it seemed too long to me too but I wasn't sure since it's literally being done on Tuesday.  

Good point; I do have time to roast it on Saturday and make stock & can on Sunday.  It will be pieces not whole but I think separating those 2 will help me time-wise.

SuperGreen

Yah, we pay a lot at the Farmer's Market ($10/lb for boneless breasts) but DAMN is that some good chicken! 

Next time we roast and make stock, we're turning the bones into bone meal for the garden!  You bake them in the oven on really low until they're brittle, and then grind them in a food processor.  Organic bone meal for my garden!

LargeMargeSentMe

I will be in a similar situation soon!  We ordered some chickens, although they wont all be coming at the same time.  I an nervous about cutting them up and making stock because I've never done either before.  It would definitely be a lot easier to have someone there showing you how to do it in person. I'm sure once you do it once, you got it.

CharlottesWeb

Yep, I too will be in your shoes in a couple weeks. We're getting 8 chickens. I figured I would freeze 4 of them and attempt to cut up the rest for parts. I bought poultry shears a while ago, so I'm hoping that helps a bit.

Definitely let us know how it goes. I would love a few tips.

hollyfp

CharlottesWeb:

Yep, I too will be in your shoes in a couple weeks. We're getting 8 chickens. I figured I would freeze 4 of them and attempt to cut up the rest for parts. I bought poultry shears a while ago, so I'm hoping that helps a bit.

Definitely let us know how it goes. I would love a few tips.

Nice!

Will do - hopefully our kitchen does not look like a chicken massacre took place tonight :? 

hollyfp

CharlottesWeb:

Yep, I too will be in your shoes in a couple weeks. We're getting 8 chickens. I figured I would freeze 4 of them and attempt to cut up the rest for parts. I bought poultry shears a while ago, so I'm hoping that helps a bit.

Definitely let us know how it goes. I would love a few tips.

Nice!

Will do - hopefully our kitchen does not look like a massacre took place tonight :?