Cooking roos

[Erinz]

We cull out our extra roosters when needed (aggressiveness or just too dang many, why can't they all be born hens?!). This weekend we culled 4 of them, one was nearly 3 years old and the rest were 6-8 months. The 3 year old was a GLW, 2 were a Cuckoo Maran mix and one (a real jerk to the hens!) was a Birchen Maran.

Just curious how those who eat their roos cook them. I do a slow simmer of the entire carcass overnight in my stock pot (on the woodstove in the winter, now THAT is efficiency!) with some garlic and celery and onion. Makes for tender meat and excellent stock. I'm wondering if it's worth trying a different method. We have 2 more (couldn't catch them) to do this weekend.

Thanks for your thoughts! I appreciate it.

[Erinz]

Doesn't anyone cook roos?

[greenmulberry]

Oh I will be next year!!!! We have had only hens so far, but decided to hatch out eggs next year and eat the boys.

I have heard of cooking roos long and slow in the crock pot with BBQ sauce, shredding the meat and mixing with the juice and sauce, for a chicken version of BBQ 'pork' sandwiches. Now that sounds like something I have to try.

[Hedgehog Mtn]

I've found that anything under 24 hours is like eating leather. Besides a long slow simmer I don't know of any other way. We cook on wood all year so it works

[1jooj]

We do culled roos in the pressure cooker, usually for stew with dumplings or over rice.

I also do a long, slow-cooked stew for traditional couscous.

I find it's better when I cook and let it cool in the stock before taking meat off the bones, so it doesn't dry out.

[Hibou]

We usually use ours for stock too, saving the meat afterwards for enchiladas, pot pies, etc. 

But last year I came across a recipe for coq-au-vin that piqued my traditional foodie curiosity.  'Coq' is the French word for rooster- not chicken or hen- and the traditional way to cook it was to first marinate it in something acidic (a bottle of wine), along with other herbs and spices, then to slowly cook it in sauce.  Here's the blog post I wrote about it, with the recipe included, if you're interested.

[sparkygirl74]

Originally Posted by Hibou 

We usually use ours for stock too, saving the meat afterwards for enchiladas, pot pies, etc. 

But last year I came across a recipe for coq-au-vin that piqued my traditional foodie curiosity.  'Coq' is the French word for rooster- not chicken or hen- and the traditional way to cook it was to first marinate it in something acidic (a bottle of wine), along with other herbs and spices, then to slowly cook it in sauce.  Here's the blog post I wrote about it, with the recipe included, if you're interested.

Thanks for the great recipe! We are butchering two year old roos tomorrow so we don't have to feed them through the winter and to give the ladies a break ;) I love to cook with wine!
 

[mumm]

Originally Posted by Erinz 

Doesn't anyone cook roos?

Well, I only checked this thread out because I thought you were talking kangaROOs! 

I was curious to see how that worked. 

We only have hens and buy chicks so I can't help wtht ROOsters

[Synchronicity]

When you kill the roos, be sure to save some of the long neck feathers. People use them for fly-tying. I'm giving a whole section of neck feathers to my BIL for Christmas this year.

Hibou, I really enjoyed your recipe!

[ASusan]

From the title, I thought this was a thread about cooking Kangaroos. They're actually quite good, but I couldn't give advice on cooking them.

[Erinz]

Hibou THANK YOU for the recipe idea, I didn't even think of that. I too love cooking with wine :)

Funny on the kangaroo -- must be regional because I've never heard of a kangaroo called just a roo! haha!

I do generally wait for them to cool in the stock, but will be sure I do from here out -- makes sense that it would be more tender. Thank you.

We have one more to do in the next week or so, will totally try Hibou's recipe.

[Greenmama2]

I thought you meant kangaroos too! Kangaroo meat is excellent :) As for roosters - Coq au Vin sounds good.