# how to cook an old rooster



## Mupwi (Jul 14, 2014)

we have a bunch of roosters geting up in age and they are starting to fight so it was time to start culling I figured the meet would be a bit tough so I decided to slow cook it in the smoker 3 hours later it was kooked and nace and smokey but still as tough as leather so we poped it in the oven and covered it with foil to cook for another 3 hours came out like a lamb roast nice soft and juicy. It just flaked apart so we had it in a salad with some baked potatoes.

it also made a lot of jelly like stuff so the next one which we should be slaughtering next week we are planing to flake and put in a bread pan with the jelly stuff to set up into cold meat for sandwiches. yum pecan wood smoked chicken making my mouth water already


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

Sounds tasty! If you have any more....

Look up the classic Frenchie recipe Coq Au Vin. It is designed to break down old roosters. Alton Brown did one in a crock pot slow cooker. Looks simple.


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## doingitmyself (Jul 30, 2013)

Marinate him in garlic, herbs, and spices rubbed with olive oil, brown him under the broiler a few minutes then pressure cook him for 35 minutes at 10# = tender morsels. :buds:


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

That sounds good doingitmyself! I want to try that some of our older hens.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

My mom would trade her berries or homemade rugs for over-the-hill laying hens that were fairly tough. Then she made chicken soup out of them. I think the old rooster might be good for soup as well.


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## buffalocreek (Oct 19, 2007)

I second the pressure cooker. My Instant Pot cooker will tenderize leather . . . almost.


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

I pressure can the old birds (layers and roosters) using the raw pack method. Just skin them (don't have to pluck) then cut them up bones and all and stuff into wide mouth quart jars. Pressure can according to Ball Blue Book for your altitude. Makes great soup, chicken and rice, stew, pot pie - whatever you'd use canned chicken for. Tender with great flavor and good broth.


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## Le Petit Norman (Apr 28, 2008)

Awnry Abe said:


> Sounds tasty! If you have any more....
> 
> Look up the classic Frenchie recipe Coq Au Vin. It is designed to break down old roosters. Alton Brown did one in a crock pot slow cooker. Looks simple.


Sounds like the perfect recipe for a winter weather â¦ also it is better when you reheat it up well at least the is my personal thinking. There is a second recipe that do carter to stew hen in france called poule au pot â¦ as tasty as tasty can be in my opinion.

I was born and raised in france, I am going back more and more with the french classic, my butcher sometimes looks at me like a crazy guy to get those weird piece of meat while I could get them made into burger but he has to admit that he is happy to see someone cooking those less than usual part of the beast â¦.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

Le Petit Norman said:


> Sounds like the perfect recipe for a winter weather â¦ also it is better when you reheat it up well at least the is my personal thinking. There is a second recipe that do carter to stew hen in france called poule au pot â¦ as tasty as tasty can be in my opinion.
> 
> I was born and raised in france, I am going back more and more with the french classic, my butcher sometimes looks at me like a crazy guy to get those weird piece of meat while I could get them made into burger but he has to admit that he is happy to see someone cooking those less than usual part of the beast â¦.



France is no. 1 on my list of places to go if I ever get a chance to travel abroad.

We just got through taking a mixed batch 20 of old/young/big/small barnyard roosters to the processor. We just cooked one in the roaster, hoping it would be a young one. It wasn't. I took the leftovers, bones and all, and put them in the pressure cooker along with a myriad of dried chilies. With that, I made the most amazing batch of white chicken chili.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Pressure cooker is my favorite way to cook lately. It felt a little odd Sunday when I looked down into the cooker at a whole chicken that was browning on the bottom and fitting closely like it was sitting on a nest. 

Made comfort food--chicken and dumplings with mashed potatoes. Two starches make a right.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I clean and quarter mine and give them "raw" to my dogs.


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## billinwv (Sep 27, 2013)

Don't forget to let them rest in the fridge for a couple of days. Makes a big difference no matter how you cook them. Rigor should be gone before cooking.


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## Ozark Mountain Jewel (Jul 12, 2009)

I usually put them in the fridge or freezer for a few days but even when I cooked it that night they always come out tender in the crock pot. My favorite way is to split them (butterfly) and cook on the grill or fire pit with a few hickory sticks, then bring them in and cook them in the crock pot a few hours. 

You can also add hickory sticks to the water when you just cook straight in the crock pot. It doesn't taste like the regular hickory but gives a wonderful earthy flavor. Just pick out the twigs before you eat


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## Itsroger (Aug 28, 2015)

billinwv said:


> Don't forget to let them rest in the fridge for a couple of days. Makes a big difference no matter how you cook them. Rigor should be gone before cooking.


Do you refrigerate them dry or covered in water?


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## tree-farmer (Jul 5, 2015)

Itsroger said:


> Do you refrigerate them dry or covered in water?


Not sure about doing it the whole time but soaking them in a brine will increase tenderness.

For us though old birds are for the dogs and the young ones are for us. Might have to get one of these pressure cookers though.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

Itsroger said:


> Do you refrigerate them dry or covered in water?


I always cover completely in water. Just water for me, no salt. Resting it dry was less than ideal the one time I did try.


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## Scape (Jan 23, 2017)

Just did a rooster that was brined for about five days in Tender Quick brine (like a ham). I cut him up and floured coated the pieces and then browned in bacon fat and removed from dutch oven. I then cooked some pork sausage, onions, green peppers and garlic in the dutch oven until the sausage was done. Added the rooster pieces and about 6 cups of chicken broth. Do not add any salt. Cover and simmer for ~2-3 hours.

Tender and tasty -- made a nice gravy also.

Usually we just make soup.


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## Itsroger (Aug 28, 2015)

Quote!!! Just did a rooster that was brined for about five days in Tender Quick brine (like a ham).

Was the rooster cured, like ham, or really salty?


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## Scape (Jan 23, 2017)

Yes, cured. You need to soak it in water and rinse before using, like a ham. It was still fairly salty and the flesh is pink/reddish like a ham. I believe the instructions are on the Tender Quick (husband did that part of it).

You can also do it for a few hours - instructions on package also. Just thought the longer soak would be better with a rooster. We use the quick method on tender meat that is intended to be grilled like pork chops and broilers.

Also have used roosters in curry - using a long, low heat method that creates a spicy gravy.


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