Whole Fryer -- Do I have to take stuff out of it's B*tt?

[MamaPepper]

It said something about "giblets" on the package and that totally freaks me out. . . Are these going to be loose or in some sort of bag??? How do I get them "out"?

I'm totally grossed out by the thought of this, but I HAVE to cook this tonight or it goes to waste (b/c I already froze and thawed it).

ALSO, how would I cook this? Can I just throw it in my deep covered baker and in the oven???

ANY input on both topics would be appreciated!!!

E-

[2sunshines]

Yep, the giblets are just inside the bird. When you wash the bird, just reach in and pull them out. It's really not that nasty.

[MamaPepper]

I need to "wash" it??? Are they loose or in a bag??? (I just need to know what to prepare myself for :sick)

[canadiyank]

It's not it's butt, either, it's down the neck. :shifty

For cooking we usually use a rotisserie but it's easy to do in the oven, too. I'd google "cooking whole fryer" or something.

[jewelmcjem]

They're usually in a bag, but not always. It's the neck you reach into and yes, you'll have to put your hand in there and get them out.

Rub some salt and poultry seasoning (sage, rosemary, thyme, whatever you like) inside the cavity, put it in your cooker and bake. I like to rub some butter under the skin or inside as well, but I don't mind dietary fat at all, if you're avoiding that then of course skip the butter. OH, an onion, chopped in large pieces and tucked inside flavors really well too as does garlic. I'm not sure the temp, I usually use my crockpot.

When you've taken the meat off to eat, stick the whole carcass back into a large pot of water with that onion, some chopped celery if you have it, and some more salt and herbs -- bring to a boil and simmer for a few hours and you'll have WONDERFUL broth to freeze for soups.

[canadiyank]

Sometimes loose, more often in a bag. They're parts that some people like to eat, or feed to their animals, or make stock or gravy from, like the neck and liver and heart.

[MamaPepper]

:think I wonder if I could get Noah to do this. . . I have a weird phobia of sticking my hands inside of things :shifty If my garbage disposal clogs, just forget about it. . .

Any chance I could just shake them out??? :shrug

jewelmcjem. . . that does sound really yummy!!!! :yes

[2sunshines]

I need to "wash" it??? Are they loose or in a bag??? (I just need to know what to prepare myself for :sick)


Yep, you definitely want to wash the bird. You can just run it under the tap.

Whether they giblets are loose or in a bag will vary based on brand, etc. I've had them both ways.

[Rabbit]

They're not always in the neck. Sometimes they're in the main cavity. You do have to open everything up and rinse all the nooks and crannies. Sometimes you'll even find bits of organ left sticking to the ribs, and will need to manually scrape it out, with your hand. Pat it dry with paper towels after you've rinsed it.

[schmamy]

when I buy a whole chicken, if there are giblets, they're in a bag in the main cavity (the butt). I think I have seen bits of organ sticking in there, but I never bother to scrape them out :shifty I also never pat it dry. :shrug

I do them in the crockpot. I have a great spice rub recipe, or I'll cook it pretty plain and shred it up for use in other recipes, like soups or casseroles.

[Rabbit]

I think I have seen bits of organ sticking in there, but I never bother to scrape them out


I am super sensitive to the taste, particularly liver, and it has ruined birds for me in the past to have little bits left. It can make the whole bird taste like liver to me.

[MamaPepper]

Hrm. . . I attempted this before I read the last three posts. . . So, I rinsed out the inside, but didn't necessarily get all the nooks and crannys and I definitely didn't do any scraping. . .

Noah wouldn't stick his hand in their either, so I used a pair of tongs to pull out what I could and then I melted butter and garlic together and put some Asian Seasoning on it. . .

would you say it is more important to wash the inside or the outside, because I just basically rinsed the bird but I didn't scrub under it's armpits or anything. . . Is that OK???

You know. . . I was raised on a farm and I have to say my mom would be ASHAMED of me for being such a "girl" and asking all of these questions :giggle I supposed I should have paid a bit more attention, eh?

[gentlemommy]

I never wash my chickens. I've read it's totally unnecessary and can lead to contamination (you then have potential salmonella/campylobacter all over your sink.) I'm interested to know why people wash the chickens, though, in case I'm missing something.

[Proverbs31]

I never wash my chickens. I've read it's totally unnecessary and can lead to contamination (you then have potential salmonella/campylobacter all over your sink.) I'm interested to know why people wash the chickens, though, in case I'm missing something.


:yes

op: if you wear nitrile gloves, or put your hand inside a bag to grab the giblets you can invert the bag around them after pulling them out and not actually touch them. :nak2

[Mama Bird]

I just basically rinsed the bird but I didn't scrub under it's armpits or anything.

ROFL! :haha For some reason the idea of anyone scrubbing under a chicken's "armpits" has me in stitches. :giggle

[Rabbit]

I never wash my chickens. I've read it's totally unnecessary and can lead to contamination (you then have potential salmonella/campylobacter all over your sink.) I'm interested to know why people wash the chickens, though, in case I'm missing something.


It affects the taste. There is a HUGE difference for me between a rinsed and unrinsed bird.

[gentlemommy]

I never wash my chickens. I've read it's totally unnecessary and can lead to contamination (you then have potential salmonella/campylobacter all over your sink.) I'm interested to know why people wash the chickens, though, in case I'm missing something.


It affects the taste. There is a HUGE difference for me between a rinsed and unrinsed bird.


Hmmm, interesting. I've never noticed a taste difference. Maybe I should try rinsing again sometime and really pay attention to see if I can notice a difference. So do you then disinfect the sink afterwards?

[Rabbit]

I never wash my chickens. I've read it's totally unnecessary and can lead to contamination (you then have potential salmonella/campylobacter all over your sink.) I'm interested to know why people wash the chickens, though, in case I'm missing something.


It affects the taste. There is a HUGE difference for me between a rinsed and unrinsed bird.


Hmmm, interesting. I've never noticed a taste difference. Maybe I should try rinsing again sometime and really pay attention to see if I can notice a difference. So do you then disinfect the sink afterwards?


Yes, and I already disinfect my sink at a minimum once per day. Lately, it's been more like four times a day.

[gentlemommy]

I never wash my chickens. I've read it's totally unnecessary and can lead to contamination (you then have potential salmonella/campylobacter all over your sink.) I'm interested to know why people wash the chickens, though, in case I'm missing something.


It affects the taste. There is a HUGE difference for me between a rinsed and unrinsed bird.


Hmmm, interesting. I've never noticed a taste difference. Maybe I should try rinsing again sometime and really pay attention to see if I can notice a difference. So do you then disinfect the sink afterwards?


Yes, and I already disinfect my sink at a minimum once per day. Lately, it's been more like four times a day.


What do you use to disinfect it?

[Rabbit]

Brillo pads, boiling water, vinegar and peroxide.

[gentlemommy]

Okay, thanks. I've been using vinegar but I wasn't sure if that was enough to do hard-core disinfection. :lol So you just spray vinegar and peroxide on there, scrub, and then rinse with the boiling water?

[Rabbit]

I have OCD, you know. You don't wanna do to your sink what I sometimes feel compelled to do to mine. At the end of it all, I make sure it's completely dry, since the bugs require water to live, and I leave it dry overnight.

[MamaPepper]

Thanks for all the advice ladies! It turned out REALLY GOOD!!!! :rockon And I'm not too traumatized by what I witnessed coming out of the b*tt (or neck, or whatever it was!)

[2sunshines]

:rockon

[krysmh]

Oooh I'm glad I read this thread. I've never ever not even once bought a whole bird cause I thought they had to be rinsed and there's just no way I'm splashing raw chicken germs all over my sink. :sick I can't STAND touching poultry. :sick I use gloves even getting the individually quick frozen ones out of the bag in the freezer. :shifty

I might have to try cooking one and not rinsing. I seriously doubt my husband would notice (and he's the only one who will eat it.) :giggle

[gentlemommy]

I might have to try cooking one and not rinsing. I seriously doubt my husband would notice (and he's the only one who will eat it.) :giggle

Yeah, go for it! :clap :rockon I'm totally skeeved by the thought of all those germs all over my sink too. I'd have to disinfect for a looooooong time until I felt "safe" again. I've never noticed any taste difference. I have perfected the art of cooking a whole chicken without ever touching it raw. :lol I hate touching raw chicken. :shiver

[Firebird Rising]

Thanks for all the advice ladies! It turned out REALLY GOOD!!!! :rockon And I'm not too traumatized by what I witnessed coming out of the b*tt (or neck, or whatever it was!)


Okay, but I am COMPLETELY traumatized reading this thread. We're talking YEARS of therapy with a vegetarian-sensitive therapist. :shiver

Thanks Elayne :P~

[krysmh]

I have perfected the art of cooking a whole chicken without ever touching it raw. :lol I hate touching raw chicken. :shiver

Oooh will you share your technique? :smile

[jenny_islander]

Turn on water in a steady stream not a spray, open freezer container next to sink, have roasting pan next to sink as well, rip plastic off chicken, let drain, pull out giblets, plop into freezer container, let water run through chicken neck-to-vent, gently turn chicken under water to get it all wet, let drip for a moment into sink, put into roasting pan (I never pat the chicken dry if I don't plan to put a crispy coating on it), thoroughly rinse hands and use soap under fingernails, turn off water, pick up plastic wrapping/tray in paper towels or washable kitchen towel to prevent drips, dispose of it, cover giblets and freeze for later use (usually stock), heat kettle of water while sprinkling chicken with salt and brushing with melted butter, pour boiling water into sink, roast chicken. Done. Takes ten minutes while the oven is pre-heating, and there are no salmonella bacteria left behind.

[MamaPepper]

Thanks for all the advice ladies! It turned out REALLY GOOD!!!! :rockon And I'm not too traumatized by what I witnessed coming out of the b*tt (or neck, or whatever it was!)


Okay, but I am COMPLETELY traumatized reading this thread. We're talking YEARS of therapy with a vegetarian-sensitive therapist. :shiver

Thanks Elayne :P~


:giggle Sorry, but I can't believe you haven't already been traumatized by the carnivorous habits of your DH!!

[2sunshines]

I might have to try cooking one and not rinsing. I seriously doubt my husband would notice (and he's the only one who will eat it.) :giggle

Yeah, go for it! :clap :rockon I'm totally skeeved by the thought of all those germs all over my sink too. I'd have to disinfect for a looooooong time until I felt "safe" again. I've never noticed any taste difference. I have perfected the art of cooking a whole chicken without ever touching it raw. :lol I hate touching raw chicken. :shiver


See, I'm more skeeved out by the thought of all those hands that I KNOW have touched that chicken during the butchering, cleaning, packaging, etc. :sick The idea of NOT washing it is grosser to me than the thought of having chicken germs in my sink... :sick

[FindingMyWay]

Walmart sells the bird without the giblets or whatever its called, that's what I buy 'cause I think it's gross too!

[MamaPepper]

Walmart sells the bird without the giblets or whatever its called, that's what I buy 'cause I think it's gross too!


GREAT to know!!! THANKS!

[domesticzookeeper]

See, I'm more skeeved out by the thought of all those hands that I KNOW have touched that chicken during the butchering, cleaning, packaging, etc. :sick The idea of NOT washing it is grosser to me than the thought of having chicken germs in my sink... :sick

Good point :think

We just give the giblets, chicken necks, etc. to our cats. They LOVE them :shifty

[Rabbit]

There are no studies or data showing people getting salmonella from their sinks. It usually takes an unwashed container used to hold the raw meat then used without washing for something else.

[rstump]

We get out chickens straight from the farm so I absolutely rinse my chicken (not scrubbing under the arms..but a quick rinse) and sometimes have to pluck a few feathers.

[Katydid]

See, I'm more skeeved out by the thought of all those hands that I KNOW have touched that chicken during the butchering, cleaning, packaging, etc. :sick The idea of NOT washing it is grosser to me than the thought of having chicken germs in my sink... :sick

Good point :think

We just give the giblets, chicken necks, etc. to our cats. They LOVE them :shifty


:ot but do you cut them up at all or can they handle them whole? And do they eat the bones and all, too? I've cut up the liver for my cats before and they love that, but I never thought of giving the rest of that stuff to them too. :think

[domesticzookeeper]

We give it to them whole, but they're already used to eating large chunks of meat in their food. *Raw* bones are fine to eat, as it's cooking that makes them brittle and prone to slivers. Raw chicken necks in particular are excellent for cleaning the teeth (turkey necks do the same for dogs) :tu And chicken hearts are very high in taurine; the cats think they're treats :)

[krysmh]

Chicken grosses me out period, :sick which is why I'm vegetarian and touch the stuff only out of adoration for my carnivorous better half. :lol

I'm freaky about my kitchen sink.

[herbalwriter]

This entire thread killed me! I really needed the laugh.

There's hope - I used to be really skeevy about touching raw chicken. But I have gone from totally skeeved to plucking and cleaning a just-killed bird. Hang in there, MamaPepper! And keep your chicken's armpits clean!

[MamaPepper]

This entire thread killed me! I really needed the laugh.

There's hope - I used to be really skeevy about touching raw chicken. But I have gone from totally skeeved to plucking and cleaning a just-killed bird. Hang in there, MamaPepper! And keep your chicken's armpits clean!



Haha!!!!! :lol I totally forgot about this thread!!! You know. . I haven't tried to cook a whole fryer since this; the last time was so. . .traumatic!! :giggle

[hopeforchange]

:haha

ok i totally missed this thread the first time around! two things...i only made the mistake of buying a chicken with giblets in it once. now i always make sure i get the ones without the giblets! also, most of the time, dh does the chicken cooking and then picks the meat off the bones for me. :heart

[RubySlippers]

Gloves, people! Use gloves!
At least that's what I do and I never have to touch the raw chicken, or hamburger meat, or anything else.
I know it's not great for the environment (tossing surgical type gloves), but I seriously have a problem with touching raw meat.

[Blue Savannah]

I :heart this thread. E, I :heart you, too. :giggle

[MamaPepper]

I :heart this thread. E, I :heart you, too. :giggle


Hehe. . . Thank you :heart I'm always happy to amuse!!!! ;)

[ncsweetpea]

It's also good to brine them in a salt water solution just prior to cooking.