# Question about brining my butchered chickens



## RoseGarden (Jun 5, 2005)

I've read about brining chickens after butchering. Why do people do this, what does it do to the meat? If I am using a large ice chest/cooler to brine the birds in (I have 4 very very large Cornish X's that look almost like turkeys and am going to use a cooler to age them) how much salt should I use? Do I use table salt? Thanks for any help!


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

The brining usually takes place before cooking...are you planning on brining before you freeze them or are you planning on cooking them right away?


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## RoseGarden (Jun 5, 2005)

Well, that is also what I need to know...does one brine the birds before freezing or only before cooking? 

I was going to butcher, age and freeze these birds. They are very large and likely a bit tough.


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

I brine before cooking.
I do thick pork chops and sometimes a bird.

I use about 1 cup of kosher salt to 4-6cups of warm water depending on how seasoned I want the meat, leaving it in for 2-4 hours.


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

Why do you age them?


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I'm not sure~ 
But I think the aging is done to allow rigamortis to run it's course before freezing or cooking.


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## MisFitFarm (Dec 31, 2007)

Oh, ok. Thanks! Here's anothe dumb question: How do you age them?


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I've never butchered a chicken~ I just read a lot in preparation. Maybe someone more knowledgable can help?

I know about the rigamortis from processing snake feed to freezer camp. I would not prepare food for human consumption in the same way.


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## Goat Servant (Oct 26, 2007)

We have never aged our chickens. The only thing we have done is cooled them down in cold water several hours before refridgerating or freezing. 
I have brined them anywhere from a few hours to overnight before cooking.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Ageing (letting them sit in the fridge) for at least 12 hours allows rigor mortis to relax, tenderizes the meat. A bird roasted fresh from killing will be tough.

Brining will tenderize the bird more, and it salts the bird all the way through, so if you don't like or can't have salt.....

anyway. I've brined both before freezing, and just before cooking. either way works fine.

a really strong brine would be heat the water and add as much salt as it will take, but that's too heavy for our taste, so:

1cup kosher salt (no iodine) to 3quarts of water, and add whatever seasoning you'd like. I've used orange juice, tarragon, poultry spice, sage and garlic. any or all of the above. I usually let it sit overnight in the fridge, (tons of flavor) or at least 4 hours. (I've also chilled the brine with icecubes and put the whole thing out on the porch overnight)

If you brine before you freeze, the bird is ready to cook when you thaw it. HOWEVER, if you use spices other than salt in the brine, be aware that your frozen bird will smell like that spice. Doesn't seem to affect any of the other food in the freezer....it's just kind of odd to unwrap a frozen chicken and smell garlic


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