I was putting it off as long as possible...partly because it's a big job, and partly because I wanted to make sure my crazy pregnant self could handle it. Raw meat still affects me at times, but last Saturday I was good to go!
We picked up our case of fresh birds (cleaned and dressed of course), and as soon as we got home I jumped right in.
For those of you squeemish about raw meat, I promise, I did not take pictures. It's not at all like butchering...otherwise I would NOT be doing it.
I just take the whole birds, and partition them, then wrap in wax paper and freeze in bags according to cut. I keep the legs and thighs together (skin on) to bake, remove the skin from the breasts and cut it off the bone, cut off the tips of the wings and keep the other segments, take the little baggie of "goodies" which hold the neck (Eww! That gets tossed!), liver and heart and save them for my mother-in-law (she makes her own pate from the livers), and then slow cook the bones to get my piece meat for casseroles and stews. Technically I could save the broth, but I admit that by that point I'm exhausted and using bouillon is so much easier!
So...from a case of 16 birds, I get enough chicken to last us 3-4 months! It is a lot of work, but since it's organic, and $2.70/lb. I think it's well worth it! I just can't justify the price of organic pre-packaged chicken that's in the store these days!
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Here's a recipe I like to use for homemade chicken wings. They're baked, not fried, and ever so tasty!
ASIAN CHICKEN WINGS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3 tsp. paprika
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. ginger
3 tsp. dry mustard
Mix ingredients together and then toss with defrosted chicken wings. (I use this amount of seasoning for 24 pieces.)
Spray a 9 x 13" casserole dish and spread wings out in one single layer. Pieces can be touching. You may need to use another dish, such as an 8 x 8" depending on the size of your wings.
Bake uncovered for at least 20 mins.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and celery/carrot sticks.
7 comments:
Thank you for not taking pictures.
you are such a hard worker. I want to be like you when I grow up. And, what does Natalya do when all this is going on? That's what always keeps me from jumping in with any big project (which some days at our house even includes simple things like cleaning a bathroom). :)
Krista, sometimes I think your life is straight out of the Little House books. I think you could have survived on the prairie! I agree with Briana... can I be like you when I grow up?
You go, you pioneer woman you!
Ha, ha, ha!!! I'm cracking up at the other comments. Little do they know how "normal" these projects are to certain cultures around here. If you looked like them no one would be surprised that you're being so pioneerish!
Now Lisa's omment is the result of being way over-exposed to such things as a child. But we did the whole deal - we'd buy the live birds from the farmer, take them to Grandpa's and cut their heads off and pluck the feathers. Then we'd take them home and spend hours gutting them and cutting them up. It was a horrible and smelly job, but I think they were free!!
OK you guys! You're all cracking ME up! I'll reserve the "pioneer woman" title to my good friend Mary R. (from CCC) who still does not have a microwave, OK? :o)
Karla--I will NOT be getting remotely close to the fish, I can assure you!
Lisa and Aunt Jeanie: if I had been party to THAT MUCH, I think I would seriously reconsider too! Yuck!
And to all of you young moms out there, my bathroom (ok, the whole house!) hasn't been seriously cleaned in way too long! Something's gotta' give and my sweetpea's naptime average is now an hour. I only attempt these projects when someone else is home to watch Natalia or I have a helper. Otherwise, you could lock me up in a padded room!
...a padded room would probably be appropriate most days the way my pregnant self is operating lately. HA HA :o)
Maybe that's the reason why I can't handle cutting up birds - watching the whole butchering process as a child! (No matter what it was, cow, turkey, chicken, I would usually hide out in my room! I don't mind eating it, but I am way okay with letting someone else clean it!!!!!) :)
I'll take canning over butchering any day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Krista, if you look at the books, they aren't some large tomes; typically they are "fluff" chick lit. which I can read in an evening. Yes, I own a tv - cable, too! - but most things I watch on comcast's On Demand which means I watch the shows on my schedule and ff through any sort of commercials!)
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