Chicken rigor mortis?

[PolishDeli]

I found a fresh chicken place close to me (fresh as in, they don't slaughter it until I buy it). Looking forward to trying it out, but a few questions came to mind. All basically about rigor mortis and timing?

How long after slaughter do I have before rigor sets in? I'm seening anywhere from 0.5 to 3 hrs?

At what temperature do I keep the bird while driving it home? Body temp, room temp, on ice?

Any changes to the cooking strategy? Meaning, is it possible for rigor to set in during cooking if cooked too slow? Chicken soup comes to mind - low simmer for many hours.

If I don't get the chicken cooking before onset of rigor, how long do I need to wait before cooking? Do I just keep it in the refrigerator until then?

If curing the bird for smoking, do I wait till rigor passes before immersion in the pickle?

Any other things I should keep in mind?

 

[BurntWeenie]

More than you ever wanted to know about the subject

Identifying dead-on-arrivals (DOA) at shackling in a slaughter line gas stunning system for end-of-lay hens: Part I - Hock flexion resistance and wing position

This study of end-of-lay fowl characterized the development of rigor mortis over time after euthanasia by testing the force required to flex a hock jo…

www.sciencedirect.com

 

[PolishDeli]

Thanks for the link. Interesting read.
Indeed it's more info than I needed, but also not the info I was after.

The paper is about monitoring joint stiffness - brought about by onset of rigor mortis - as a means of discerning between DOA vs CAS birds in a slaughter line.

The authors didn't discuss consumer best practices for preparing freshly slaughtered fowl.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

More than you ever wanted to know about the subject

Identifying dead-on-arrivals (DOA) at shackling in a slaughter line gas stunning system for end-of-lay hens: Part I - Hock flexion resistance and wing position

This study of end-of-lay fowl characterized the development of rigor mortis over time after euthanasia by testing the force required to flex a hock jo…

www.sciencedirect.com

Why would you post stuff like this on the forum?
Most people dont want to know about this while they are bbq/smoke or eating.....

 

[Brokenhandle]

Deer legs. What to do, what to do?

Like plj said the part most people call "tenderloin" is actually the backstrap or loin. Most people just cut it out by itself instead of makin chops, etc.. It is cut out and cooked whole usually from the ribeye to the sirloin and varies in tenderness throughout. The ribs, brisket and flank are...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

See if this works. And if it helps you out. I think it was post # 28 from daveomak

Ryan

 

[PolishDeli]

Thanks!
It looks like daveomak is reading the same stuff as me. That's verbatim from the opening pages of Marianskis book. It is exactly that section which got me asking questions in the first place.

Specifically, these sentences:
"Warm meat of a freshly slaughtered animal exhibits the highest quality and juiciness."

A few paragraphs earlier in the book he says:
"For a few hours the meat remains relaxed and may still be processed or cooked."

So my questions really boil down to
1 how do I maximize pre-rigo time?
2 how do I keep rigor from beginning during cooking?

 

[Brokenhandle]

From what Dave posted in that thread I don't know that you will have time for cooking pre - rigo...1/2 to 1 hour isn't long. But looks like it only lasts 4 to 6 hours. That's my take on it anyway. Maybe Dave will chime in and answer your questions.

Ryan

 

[daveomak]

Marianski, in my opinion, has done more research than all of us combined... His books have merit and I follow his recommendations as sort of gospel...
So, for maximum juiciness and highest quality, you must slaughter your own animals.. It's just an observation on how we could improve, if so warranted...
With poultry, it's easy... for a bovine or porcine, you had better have the fire started, the BBQ built and ready, and the 150-500 people already in line for the BBQ...
Some of the stuff is not so practical...
I think Marianski gives ALL the points of interest and leaves the reader with food for thought and avenues for improvement...
That's all anyone can do...

 

[Hockeydudde]

I'm my experience and reading, you only have about 15 - 30 minutes before a chicken stiffens up, so if trying to cook before that, you gotta be quick. I've never tried, always froze or cooked 2 or so days later.

 

[BurntWeenie]

2 New Thoughts on Butchering – Farm Fresh For Life – Real Food for Health & Wellness

farmfreshforlife.com

 

[daveomak]

Meat Aging When an animal dies, the oxygen stops flowing and many reactions take place inside. For a few hours the meat remains relaxed and may still be processed or cooked. Then muscles contract and the meat stiffens which is known as the “rigor mortis” stage. During that stage, which lasts differently for different animals, the meat should not be processed or cooked as the resulting product will be tough. Meat stock prepared from meats still in the rigor mortis stage is cloudy and has poor flavor. When this stage ends, the meat enters rigor stage and is kept in a cooler. In time it becomes tender again and is ready for processing. It is widely accepted that this happens due to the changes in the protein structure. The length of rigor mortis or rigor stage directly depends on temperature. The higher the temperature, the shorter the stages and vice versa. Make note that aging meat at high temperature will help bacteria to grow and will adversely affect meat’s shelf keeping qualities.
.......... onset ............ resolution .... of rigor
Cattle 12 - 24 hours.... 2 - 10 days
Pigs 6 - 12 hours .........1 - 2 days
Lamb 7 - 8 hours .........1 day
Turkey ½ - 2 hours....... 6 - 24 hours
Chicken ½ - 1 hour .......4 - 6 hours
Rabbit 12 - 20 hours.... 2 - 7 days
Venison 24 - 36 hours ..6 - 14 days

Looking at the above data, it becomes conclusive that the aging process is more important for animals which are older at the slaughter time (cattle, venison). Warm meat of a freshly slaughtered animal exhibits the highest quality and juiciness. Unfortunately there is a very narrow window of opportunity for processing it. The slaughter house and the meat plant must be located within the same building to be effective. Meat that we buy in a supermarket has already been aged by a packing house. If an animal carcass is cooled too rapidly (below 50° F, 10° C) before the onset of the rigor (within 10 hours), the muscles may contract which results in tough meat when cooked. This is known as “cold shortening.” To prevent this the carcass is kept at room temperature for some hours to accelerate rigor and then aged at between 30-41° F, (-1 - 5° C).

Marianski, Stanley. Home Production of Quality Meats and Sausages (Kindle Locations 77-83). Bookmagic LLC. Kindle Edition.


.

 

[PolishDeli]

Thanks all!

My drive time to the chicken place is 20 min.
Looks like I've got no way to finish driving, preping, and cooking in time.
Should still be better. or at least differnt than the supermarket chicken I'm use to.

 

[daveomak]

Have the BBQ lit and ready in your trunk... Trunk lid up of course...

 

[Hockeydudde]

My dad tells a story about my grandpa. He wanted to serve some long cooking cut at an event a 4 hour drive away. They loaded the lit and loaded charcoal grill in the back of the station wagon and drove the with all the windows down. Dad said the meat turned out great

 

[PolishDeli]

Have the BBQ lit and ready in your trunk

Awesome idea, Thanks!
I'm on it...