The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Kier on February 03, 2011, 05:02:26 pm

Title: Question about colour of meat
Post by: Kier on February 03, 2011, 05:02:26 pm

Hi,
Dispatched,plucked and gutted a cockeral for the first time today but whilst I was butchering the meat I noticed that parts of the meat are very dark,almost game like. Is this normal? I only ask as when I made a slit into the flesh a little liquid came out which had a yellowish tint to it. I'm unsure whether this is ok and still makes the meat edible? the breed of the bird was a Bantam Dominique.

Thanks in advance

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: shetlandpaul on February 03, 2011, 05:12:07 pm

did you cut its throat and drain it or drain it into it broken neck. if its been well drained then it will just be the normal free range colour.

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: sam.t on February 03, 2011, 05:51:24 pm

i bye poultry mag every month and this month it had a picture of a home dispatched chicken in comparing to wat you get in the supermackets and this one looked very much like a game bird
said it was the natural way they should look
sam :chook: :goat:

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: BlueDaisy on February 03, 2011, 06:30:00 pm

Our speckled sussex were quite dark on the legs - the breast meat was darker than supermarket chicken but I would still have called it light meat!
Don't know if that helps at all. :P

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: darkbrowneggs on February 03, 2011, 07:10:55 pm

Don't forget a supermarket bird will only be about 6-12 weeks old, so little more than a baby, hence the flesh is pale and babyish.  Isn't it surprising that people who wouldn't touch veal or suckling pig as they feel they are eating babies will often have baby chickens once or more week!!!! ::)

All the best
Sue

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: Kier on February 03, 2011, 08:33:04 pm

thanks for the replies guys,it really helps. In regards to the liquid should it be ok?I read somewhere that if liquid comes out when the skin is pierced then it means the bird was ill,It never showed any signs of illness during its life and was strong. The liquid only had a slight yellow tinge to it,I was probably looking for it sub consciously as I had read about it only 10 mins prior.

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: princesspiggy on February 04, 2011, 05:20:47 am

iv never had liquid coming out of my birds. legs can be darker cos they are exercising whilst free range.

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: Frieslandfilly on February 04, 2011, 10:27:01 am

The leg meat on our cockerels is always dark and looks gamey, and the trick is not to overcook it!

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: Kier on February 04, 2011, 01:09:12 pm

I'm quite looking forward to seeing what it tastes like,it was feed on a wide range of things so should be an interesting taste.

Title: Re: Question about colour of meat
Post by: Tracey Ireland on February 04, 2011, 02:12:31 pm

Quote from: Kier on February 03, 2011, 05:02:26 pm

Hi,
Dispatched,plucked and gutted a cockeral for the first time today but whilst I was butchering the meat I noticed that parts of the meat are very dark,almost game like. Is this normal? I only ask as when I made a slit into the flesh a little liquid came out which had a yellowish tint to it. I'm unsure whether this is ok and still makes the meat edible? the breed of the bird was a Bantam Dominique.

Thanks in advance

Yes its fine, the yellow stuff is fat.