Plucking a chicken can be messy and difficult, but can be made easier by bringing the bird to the correct temperature before plucking. Younger chickens are easier to pluck, and mechanical pluckers can help with large batches. Inadequate soaking can make feathers difficult to remove, and older chickens are harder to pluck. Table or tub chickens can be used for mass-juicing, but may leave behind small or broken feathers.
Processing and plucking a chicken at home provides complete control of the meat and slaughter conditions, but it can be messy, unsightly and difficult to do. Plucking chicken becomes an easier process if the bird is brought to the correct temperature before removing any feathers. Younger chickens tend to be easier to pluck and make a good choice for beginners. For large batches, mechanical pluckers can make the process easier, but manual plucking is usually required.
Plucking a chicken for slaughter is time consuming and can be difficult. Many people who raise their own chickens or buy poultry from local farms have to clean and pluck the birds themselves, first dipping the dead bird in boiling water and then pulling the feathers out by hand. Inadequate soaking makes feathers difficult to remove and can leave behind small feathers or pieces of larger ones. Overprinting cooks the top layer of skin, causing it to discolor and come off with feathers.
The process of plucking a chicken becomes easier if the bird is already hot before it enters the boiling water. If the chicken cannot be plucked immediately after bleeding, it should be brought to room temperature, then blanched for a short time in very hot water. Longer soaks at cooler temperatures increase the chances of hyperheating and produce a higher risk of skin tears during plucking.
Older chickens tend to be more difficult to pluck, while young birds have less firmly attached feathers. Cooks should sear young chickens at 125° to 130° Fahrenheit (52° to 54° Celsius) for 30 to 75 seconds, while older birds require temperatures up to 140° Fahrenheit (60° Celsius). Plucking should begin immediately after the bird is removed from the water, with rubber gloves as protection from the feathers. If the feathers become difficult to remove, the chicken should be blanched again briefly.
Not all hens need to be plucked by hand. Plucking a chicken on a case-by-case basis works well as a manual process, but mass-juicing for preservation can be exhausting. Table or tub chickens use stiff rubber fingers to catch the feathers and remove them from the softened, scalded skin. Both methods can leave behind a number of small or broken feathers, as well as fine feathers, which must be removed by hand.
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