We had an issue with a chicken here on Monday, and once the kid and I wrestled it into submission, it was too late to have it for supper. This is what I did, and it can be done with a turkey carcass, too!

If you want to skip down to the recipe and avoid the crazy story, click here: TL;DR Skip-ahead

First, I have to preface this by saying the chicken I’m speaking of did NOT come from our local farm-to-table source. It came from somewhere else, and frankly, I didn’t ask questions. Thing is, this is the second (and last) bird from wherever, and I won’t be getting any more. The price for our local gal’s chickens is the same, and they’re spotless, and I know what they’ve been eating, how old they are, and where they’ve been processed.

Lesson learned, people, lesson learned. Moving on…

Now, I have cleaned chickens before. I’m not particularly fond of putting my hand inside and finding everything but the intestines intact, so let me just say this: there were more swear words uttered in ten minutes than I’d done in a long time. Even the dog ran for her hiding spot!

Once I calmed the !!F!! down, I went back to looking the bird over. His – yes, his – neck was still attached, and they’d botched the job of taking out the crop. Okay, fine, I can deal with those, I’ve done it before… actually, I learned how on the brother to this chicken.

Flipped it over, and there’s the – oh for the love of! – another volley of rather blue words popped out of my mouth. Sorry Gran! Anyway, the oil gland was still attached to the tail section, along with so many pin feathers I wanted to cry. Seriously. I remembered how hard they were to get out of the last bird, and frankly, these, along with the other leavings, make me think they were butchered Kosher. But whatever…

I got the pins and the preen oil sack by chopping off the whole lot. ‘Cuz temper, I have one. So I flipped him over again, and attacked the neck, getting it and the crop and assorted tubes out from the wrong end, really, but again, temper. Thank you Chad and Jen for the UBER sharp knives, they’ve been handy!

At least they’d managed to extract the gall bladder, because the way I was going at this thing I’d have popped it, and there goes $15 worth of food. BUT in my flippings, I discovered that the bird was short a wing. They leave everything but the intestines and gall bladder… and a wing. *facepalm*

Back to cleaning, and I find I can’t get my fat hand around the other bits inside. I’d had enough, and put it in a wash with a bowl over it, and waited patiently for the kid to get home. I was tagging out.

Care got home about 20 minutes later, and I was still spitting blue. Well, I’d calmed down in between, but I started again. She laughed at me, and proceeded to yank the lungs, heart, gizzard and livers. Because she likes that kind of thing. She rinsed it, and plopped it in a bowl for me to transfer to the (nearly too small) roaster. Then she examined the bits closely, because that’s what Cares do.

(Note: her name is actually Carrie… she likes fire, too)

I season it, slap the lid on it, and shove it in the oven. An hour at 425* and I checked it before turning it down to 300*. Good thing I did, because the juices were less than half an inch from the top edge. The bird wasn’t fatty, and Care had drained the rinse water very well. Hmmm… might added water be the reason these birds were so very heavy? I think maybe.

Three hours later, just before she’s about to go to bed, the chicken is done. We each have a nibble, then I leave the rest to cool before piecing it up and putting the bones on to simmer over night. Yes, finally we’re getting to the recipe part!

Old Country Mennonite Chicken Soup

Ingredients

1 chicken carcass (or 1 whole chicken, in pieces)
1 bay leaf (optional)
10-15 peppercorns
3 whole star aniseed
5 whole cloves
small handful parsley
1 splash soy sauce (recipe calls for Maggi, but I’ve never found it, so I use a tiny bit of soy)
1 splash Worcestershire sauce
salt to taste
water

extra fine egg noodles, cooked separately

Directions

Remove as much leftover meat as you want, and put the remaining bits and carcass into your soup pot. Cover with 6 litres of water (a gallon and a half, approximately). I never use a bouquet for my herbs and spices, I just put them into the stock and let it go. I strain everything when it’s done instead, so I get a clear broth.

Simmer for several hours; overnight on the lowest setting is the best.

To serve, put cooked noodles into a bowl, add leftover meat on top, and ladle the broth over all.

If you’re ever in Winkler Manitoba, and you want to try some of the best chicken soup there is, stop at Del Rios Restaurant. It doesn’t get better than their soup!

’til next week, when I promise, I’ll have more pot-luck ideas!
<3 JL