Comments on: How to prepare a chicken dinner

By: Stonehead

Stonehead — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:11:52 +0000

It’s another one of those nanny state directives (from the Food Standards Agency) that people apply far too broadly.

The FSA says:

Lots of people think they should wash raw chicken, but there’s no need. Any germs on it will be killed if you cook it thoroughly.

In fact, if you do wash chicken, you could splash germs onto the sink, worktop, dishes, or anything else nearby.

However, they’re not talking about a chicken that you’ve just killed, plucked, gutted and singed yourself. They’re talking about chicken, whether whole or in pieces, that you’ve bought from the supermarket and is ready to go.

The cockerel I prepared had dirt and dust on his skin (remember, he’d been outside, plus plucking releases dust), he had bits of feather stuck here and there, there were bits of clotted blood inside the cavity, and so on. I rinse them off, give the chicken a wipe with a clean, dry cloth and bung it the refrigerator overnight to cool before either cooking or freezing it.

As far as spreading bacteria is concerned, of course splashes of water will spread bacteria. That’s why I work at a cleared sink, with no dishes out, and then thoroughly clean up afterwards. Instead of suggesting that people do this if they need to clean chicken, the FSA takes the “all people are stupid approach”, assumes they’ll make a mess and not clean it up thoroughly, and so tries to scare everyone into not washing chicken.

I’m going to continue cleaning the dust, dirt and gunk off my chickens (and pigeons and rabbits), and I’m going to continue to clean up thoroughly afterwards.

By: Moonwaves

Moonwaves — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:42:34 +0000

I thought you’re not supposed to wash chicken (or any poultry). I think the reason is because it can lead to spreading bacteria. Or something like that. There was a huge campaign a couple of Christmases ago about this - I sort of half pay attention to these things but then don’t find out more about them.

By: thinfourth

thinfourth — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:09:08 +0000

Hmmm Lookist

mental note “Must wear best clothes around stoney if i ever meet him as he might eat me”

By: Will Rhodes

Will Rhodes — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:10:10 +0000

Stoney - I have just got around to fishing and eating the stuff I catch, people are saying that I should get my hunting licence for deer this autumn, I won’t for the very same reason I couldn’t kill a chicken - I am too soft.

I am one of those poor sods who still buys me chicken breast from the butcher.

By: Stonehead

Stonehead — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:06:34 +0000

The meat, especially on the thighs and legs, is very dark brown to grey in colour when cooked. The flavour is very concentrated with an earthiness to it. Having eaten pheasant and the like, I wouldn’t describe the taste as gamey. It’s more a super intense chicken flavour.

By: Steph in Roker

Steph in Roker — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:35:13 +0000

I’ve pluched duck and pheasant before, but never a chicken. They were both stone cold, after a day’s shoot, but I didn’t dunk them in boiling water to pluck them; the feathers came out okay. We did scald the duck skin before cooking, to make it retract from the breast fat & come up more crispy. So, are your chickens more ‘gamey’ tasting, is that what you mean by darker meat than the supermarket type?

By: auldwife

auldwife — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:16:39 +0000

we did the same thing but with Mr Ainsty turkey, not as easy as doing the chooks though.

By: Stonehead

Stonehead — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:04:42 +0000

I managed to skin a McNugget once, but when it came to pulling out the insides I found my fingers were too big…

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:46:41 +0000

The How-to would have been fantastic if you’d managed to pull it off. I’ve had my friend thats a vet try and talk me round how it would be done but again without the pictures words and text mean very little to me.

I’ve actually tried to get the other half to add to our Scots Grey collection but she’s not for having it. It’s the dark meat I prefer anyway on a chicken so it hopefully won’t be to much of a leap. I’m more worried how our kids will react to the Silkies when their time comes. Dark meat and black skin may mean a delicacy in the far east but in Central Scotland I fear my kids will be insisting it isnt chicken as it looks nothing like the inside of a McNugget.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:06:39 +0000

I have to admit, being vegetarian I wondered if i’d regret reading this post, but the care and respect you have for your animals shines through.