At my local grocery store, I can buy whole chickens for $1.29 a pound (no antibiotics or hormones). Good deal. I want to buy a few of them and freeze them. Should I freeze them while in their original packaging? Or cut them up into their own pieces and Food Saver them and freeze them? Does it matter?
And would I just just put them into the fridge the previous day to defrost them? Will I lose any flavor or juiciness?
Hi, my name is Darrell. I'm an OTR truck driver for over 25 years. During my off time I love doing backyard cooks. I have a 48" Lang Deluxe smoker, Rec-Tec pellet smoker,1 Weber Genesis 330, 1 Weber Performer (blue), 2 Weber kettles (1 black and 1 Copper), 1 26" Weber kettle, a WSM, 8 Maverick Redi Chek thermometers, a PartyQ, 2 SnS, Grill Grates, Cast Iron grates, 1 ThermoPop (orange) and 2 ThermoPens (pink and orange) and planning on adding more cooking accessories. Now I have an Anova sous vide, the Dragon blower and 2 Chef alarms from Thermoworks.
Freeze whole in original wrap. Thaw in fridge for 2-3 days, the day before cooking I brine the bird. This almost makes sure the bird is thawed. If using a roaster chicken may need more time
I raise my own poultry, we put them in shrink wrap bags like you see in the grocers. We freeze them whole in the bag. You'll want to put them in the refrigerator at least two days, or maybe three, to thaw. Better an extra day in the refrigerator than to still have a half frozen chicken on BBQ day. You won't lose flavour or juiciness. Now if you don't want to cook a whole chicken at once, you could cut them up and put what you want for a meal in vacuum bags. Otherwise just save time and bags and freeze whole.
Weber Summit Kamado with SnS and Vortex.. Broil King Baron, Primo Oval Junior. Primo XL. Love grilling steaks, ribs, and chicken. Need to master smoked salmon. Absolutely love anything to do with baking bread. Favorite cool weather beer: Sam Adams Octoberfest Favorite warm weather beer: Yuengling Traditional Lager. All-time favorite drink: Single Malt Scotch
If I am planning to roast the bird whole, I pull it out of the package, pull the giblets, and spatchcock it before I vac seal and freeze it. That saves a lot of thawing time when you want to cook it. And I would pull it out and defrost in fridge at least the day prior. If you are going to cut them up anyway, and want to save time when cooking time comes around, I would cut them up, vac seal and freeze. Then you could sous vide right from frozen, and finish them however you like. Freezing is always going to cause some moisture loss. But I think you will be okay.
Equipment
Primo Oval xl
Slow n Sear (two)
Drip n Griddle
22" Weber Kettle
26" Weber Kettle one touch
Blackstone 36†Pro Series
Sous vide machine
Kitchen Aid
Meat grinder
sausage stuffer
5 Crock Pots Akootrimonts
Two chimneys (was 3 but rivets finally popped, down to 1)
cast iron pans,
Dutch ovens
Signals 4 probe, thermapens, chef alarms, Dots, thermapop and maverick T-732, RTC-600, pro needle and various pocket instareads. The help and preferences
1 extra fridge and a deep chest freezer in the garage
KBB
FOGO
A 9 year old princess foster child
Patience and old patio furniture
"Baby Girl" The cat
Yes, exactly as above. I buy the and freeze them as is. If you ask the clerk the can get you some from the back and they are likely at 31° or so and mostly frozen. Then you toss them all into your freezer without a defrost and refreeze. Either way is fine. They say their never frozen but that's not really true. All the store have them right at frozen. Cut some up and freeze to have as well.
I never freeze chickens. I never buy anymore than I'm going to eat within 2 or 3 days. I just want enough time to dry brine it and then grill it or BBQ it. I don't want to tie up freezer space for a real low cost per pound meat. I always cook extra chicken that I can use as leftovers to make tacos, enchiladas or fajitas in the next couple of days.
I get my chickens from a farmer, who dresses them on Thurs. If I get there on a Thurs afternoon I could get one fresh, other wise he automatically freezes them in a bag ala ComfortablyNumb. He told me these things are so fresh & good you can't tell the difference. I believed him, he was right. Thaw as CyN stated. Cook a whole chicken, ya never know when an extra or two will stop by & left overs are delish in various ways. I get them for 3$ a lb, worth every penny. You try what I call a real chicken, store bought just doesn't quite make it, no matter how many "free this & no thats" are on the label.
I ended up taking the easy way out and freezing the chicken whole because my 15 month old got sick this afternoon and I leave for Utah in the morning. I do appreciate all the comment. I figured I could do it multiple ways and y'all confirmed that!
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