Grossed Out & Cooking a Whole Chicken: Mind Over Matter!

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Discussion Overview

This thread centers around participants sharing their experiences and feelings about cooking a whole chicken, particularly in the context of preparing for cooking demonstrations. Many express initial discomfort and humor regarding handling raw poultry, while others share tips and personal anecdotes related to the process.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses being grossed out by handling a whole chicken for the first time, highlighting their discomfort with touching raw poultry.
  • Another participant shares their experience of finding the process of washing and preparing the chicken to be challenging and unpleasant.
  • Several users mention using humor to cope with their discomfort, with one participant recalling a funny scene from a TV show related to cooking poultry.
  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, describes how they initially struggled with the preparation but ultimately found the dish to be easy and delicious once they overcame their aversion.
  • Another participant shares their experience of using gloves to avoid touching the poultry skin, indicating a preference for this method due to discomfort.
  • Some participants recount their past experiences with poultry, including growing up on a farm and the associated challenges of preparing chickens.
  • One participant mentions that they will not attempt to cook a whole chicken again after their initial experience, while another expresses excitement about trying it after receiving encouragement.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ significantly among participants regarding their comfort levels with handling raw chicken. Some find it gross and challenging, while others share that they have successfully navigated the process and found it rewarding.

Contextual Notes

Participants share a range of personal experiences, with many reflecting on their initial reactions to handling poultry and how those feelings may impact their cooking demonstrations.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to Pampered Chef consultants who are preparing for cooking demonstrations involving whole chickens and are looking for relatable experiences and tips from peers.

Brandi2007
Messages
605
:eek: okay so I am totally grossed out right now! I bought the 4 lb chicken to make at home so I can prepare to do the 30 min rec at a show. I have eaten it before but never made one. Now I need to make it for supper. Call me silly but I've never touched a whole raw chicken before! IT'S DISGUSTING!!!!! Then there is that crap inside the neck. So someone please just tell me what I am supposed to do next? I want to make sure there isn't something I am missing. I'm going to have to eat this thing in about 30 minutes! I want to make sure it gets done right! This is definitely going to have to be a mind over matter thing at my shows...:eek:
 
You crack me up!
 
I'm assuming you already got started....but, wash off that wet yucky bird, towel dry it (inside and out) take out the "crap inside the neck" as you put it. I just throw that part out. Then put your rub or seasonings all over it very thick if you want a lot of flavor. Then just put the lid on and cook it. It really is easy and delicious. Thanks for the chuckle.
 
take the gizzards out of the chicken cavity. Wash the bird and pat dry. Then cover entire bird with spices and paprika. Place in roaster with breast side up. And cook as directed.
 
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  • #5
caritok said:
I'm assuming you already got started....but, wash off that wet yucky bird, towel dry it (inside and out) take out the "crap inside the neck" as you put it. I just throw that part out. Then put your rub or seasonings all over it very thick if you want a lot of flavor. Then just put the lid on and cook it. It really is easy and delicious. Thanks for the chuckle.

:o ok well I washed it and all that but that wasn't easy either... the wings kept touching me uugghh! I didn't dry the inside though. Hope that won't bother the cooking time. Don't think I could've stuck my hand in there! I had trouble looking! Boy I really hope I can get over this! I can't seem to make my lip stay down it's permanently in the "ugh" position! haha! Just so you all know I am laughing with you! :D MUST OVER COME!
 
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  • #6
oh! and thank you both!
 
This reminds me of the Friends episode when Joey got his stuck inside the the turkey! You are too funny Brandi.
 
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  • #8
My BF is laughing at me too! "and you call yourself a Pampered Cheffer" he says! lol
 
Brandi, I would have trouble with this too! You are NOT alone! :D
 
Brandi2007 said:
My BF is laughing at me too! "and you call yourself a Pampered Cheffer" he says! lol

...just tell him if you were REALLY a Pampered Chef, he'd be doing the cooking for you while you sit with your feet up - LOL!
 
Thanks for making us laugh!! LOL!!!



Let us know how the chicken turns out! I may have to conquer that recipe!
 
Sweetie, that isn't the crap!!
Actually you need to dig the inside of the rib cavity out to get the lungs and other stuff out (chunks of liver etc) And rinse it thouroughly. I guess you could use a spoon I always use my fingers.
If left in the bird it will have a icky grayish color and stuff ooozing out .

Can you tell I grew up on a farm we caught 'em, wrung 'em (their heads) dipped 'em (in boiling water for easier plucking) and singed 'em (with a burning newspaper to get off the pin feathers) I hated that part my grandma used to say when i was done with my alloted chicken plucking for the day whoever ate the most of Teresa's chicken ate the most pin feathers. Soemthing about holding a burning newspaper and a dripping chicken made me nervous so i didn't do a good job.
 
Teresa Lynn said:
Sweetie, that isn't the crap!!
Actually you need to dig the inside of the rib cavity out to get the lungs and other stuff out (chunks of liver etc) And rinse it thouroughly. I guess you could use a spoon I always use my fingers.
If left in the bird it will have a icky grayish color and stuff ooozing out .

Can you tell I grew up on a farm we caught 'em, wrung 'em (their heads) dipped 'em (in boiling water for easier plucking) and singed 'em (with a burning newspaper to get off the pin feathers) I hated that part my grandma used to say when i was done with my alloted chicken plucking for the day whoever ate the most of Teresa's chicken ate the most pin feathers. Soemthing about holding a burning newspaper and a dripping chicken made me nervous so i didn't do a good job.

My mom grew up on a farm and we used to attend the yearly pig butchering at my grandparents' farm. Fun times!
 
I had never touched a bird before my Thanksgiving turkey this past year. I almost lost my lunch when I pulled the neck and crap out of the cavity... Can you imagine someone chopping your head & neck off, shoving it in a bag down your collar, then having your organs shoved up your....uh...other cavity. I am SO happy to not be poultry!!
 
I am right there with you, I will NEVER make this recipe! We did it as a demo at my Jan show, but I had one of the consultants do it. It was about all I could stomache to read the directions and buy the darn bird. My inlaws are moving out of state soon and I told my husband that is the end of a whole turkey on Thanksgiving.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #16
chefkristin said:
Thanks for making us laugh!! LOL!!!



Let us know how the chicken turns out! I may have to conquer that recipe!

SUPPER WAS FABULOUS AND SIMPLE ONCE I GOT OVER THE GROSSNESS! :D SAME AS ANY MEAT YOU JUST CAN'T THINK ABOUT IT. MY SON (4 AND A PICKY EATER) ATE ALL HIS SUPPER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WEEKS! PLUS WE HAVE LEFT OVERS FOR SANDWHICHES OR WHAT EVER. I USED THE ITALIAN SEASONING MIX. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR HELP. REALLY. :D AT LEAST NOW I KNOW I CAN DO IT AND I HAVE THE BEST TASTE TESTER... A 4 YEAR OLD BOY...:D
 
  • Thread starter
  • #17
Teresa Lynn said:
Sweetie, that isn't the crap!!
Actually you need to dig the inside of the rib cavity out to get the lungs and other stuff out (chunks of liver etc) And rinse it thouroughly. I guess you could use a spoon I always use my fingers.
If left in the bird it will have a icky grayish color and stuff ooozing out .

Can you tell I grew up on a farm we caught 'em, wrung 'em (their heads) dipped 'em (in boiling water for easier plucking) and singed 'em (with a burning newspaper to get off the pin feathers) I hated that part my grandma used to say when i was done with my alloted chicken plucking for the day whoever ate the most of Teresa's chicken ate the most pin feathers. Soemthing about holding a burning newspaper and a dripping chicken made me nervous so i didn't do a good job.

http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/scared0016.gifEWE!!! HAHA! Thanks. I guess I just think things through waaaaay to much. I'll get over it. Supper tasted delicious and I will certainly remind myself of that at my show when I make it for my bust ladies!!!
 
gilliandanielle said:
I had never touched a bird before my Thanksgiving turkey this past year. I almost lost my lunch when I pulled the neck and crap out of the cavity... Can you imagine someone chopping your head & neck off, shoving it in a bag down your collar, then having your organs shoved up your....uh...other cavity. I am SO happy to not be poultry!!

Okay, Gillian....thanks for THAT mental picture!! :eek: I WAS going to go to bed but now I'm afraid to shut my eyes!
 
This post cracks me up because I did the exact same thing when I first tried out the chicken in the DCB. My family thought I was crazy because all they heard was "eww" and various similar noises coming out of the kitchen while I was preparing it. I'm amazed I got it in the oven. I was so grossed out at that point that I didn't even eat it afterwards. I don't think I'll be offering that option at my shows this season.
 
I use plastic gloves, I really don't like the feel of poultry skin. but this recipe is too good to pass up.
 
Ok I think I am gonna buy a chicken this week! I can't wait to try it! I just got the DCB last week! And I got it as the host special because one of my hosts didn't want to use both 60% off items so she said I could! :D
 
I used the DBC for the first time friday. I was going to make the morrocan chicken that someone posted last week but then found that I did not have a number of ingredients. So I looked in the cabinet, found a coconut curry chicken sauce, put frozen vegetables, a cut up vidallia onion, and a cut up chicken in the baker, covered, stuck in the microwave, and it was great (well so my husband says - I don't eat curry).

I hate touching raw chicken, normally when I'm doing stuff with chicken my husband handles it, but he was not home in time so I've long spoons to do what needed to be done. It was very funny.
 
I've never had this trouble with chicken, but boy, I did when I had venison! There was this weird silvery membrane on the outside of the roast... I tried to cut it off, but there were still bits in the meat when I cubed it. I almost couldn't eat it... I kept choking every time I remembered how it looked.Also had trouble with some fish the other day... I'd never cooked monkfish before, and it just looked... really weird to me when I was preparing it. I kept choking on that one too. Don't know why.
 
pamperedlinda said:
This reminds me of the Friends episode when Joey got his stuck inside the the turkey! You are too funny Brandi.

Got his what stuck inside the turkey??!!
 
gilliandanielle said:
I had never touched a bird before my Thanksgiving turkey this past year. I almost lost my lunch when I pulled the neck and crap out of the cavity... Can you imagine someone chopping your head & neck off, shoving it in a bag down your collar, then having your organs shoved up your....uh...other cavity. I am SO happy to not be poultry!![/QUOTE]
Gillian, it's quiet in my house right now, almost 11:30pm, and I'm down here ROTFLMBO!!! You crack me up! Especially the last part, in bold! I re-read it 2 more times and laughed harder each time!
You all crack me up! I've been cooking full meals since I was 10 and it's no big deal for me to have my hands in a chicken and at Thanksgiving, I am in there digging everything out, almost up to my elbows!!! Now, wrap your mind around that Gillian! How's your mental picture now? LOL! Poor darn bird, but hey we got to eat! And I don't get grossed out at all, but my husband does, has to walk away when I'm doing stuff like that!! I love to cook and I want it all clean, so I just dive right in, okay not dive in, but dig in! Now that really was a gross mental image! :D ;) :rolleyes: Okay, now that I've had my good laugh, I'm going to bed!!! I'll be dreaming tonight of cleaning the big birds! I bet I make a chicken for dinner tomorrow night!:p :D
 
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LOL! Glad I could give you a laugh! I just love how "making dinner" to one person is a science experiment to others.

And Paige- he got his HEAD stuck in the turkey, just to clear up any confusion...not that anyone was thinking anything dirty, LMAO!!
 
gilliandanielle said:
I had never touched a bird before my Thanksgiving turkey this past year. I almost lost my lunch when I pulled the neck and crap out of the cavity... Can you imagine someone chopping your head & neck off, shoving it in a bag down your collar, then having your organs shoved up your....uh...other cavity. I am SO happy to not be poultry!!

LOL!! Hey Gill at least you knew to take out the neck and crap. My sister n law left everything in the bird. :D
 
:rolleyes: You girls are too funny!
My host on Wednesday had never even realized there was "whole chickens", so she had no clue what she was looking for!

When I do my turkey, instead of having to get my hand down in there.. to my elbows... to stuff it, I fill my measure- all cup with stuffing and just plunge that baby right into the cavity. :D Works like a Charm!

Thanks for the laugh so early this morn!
 
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Paige Dixon said:
Got his what stuck inside the turkey??!!
Oh, guess I was typing too fast.....he got his head stuck inside the turkey.....funny and gross at the same time.
 
Did any of you see the America's Funniest Home Video where they put a cornish hen inside the turkey's.....cavity and made the girl think that they had cooked a pregnant turkey? I think it was a joke I read somewhere and then the poor girl's family did it on tape. Either way....very funny and mean :)

Another "chicken" story.....I had friends that took their children to the Dixie Stampede. They serve cornish hens and my friend picked her's up by it's wings and made it dance across the table to her son (5 yr old). He COMPLETELY freaked out and refused to eat the rest of the night!

Once you all get over the "eww-y-ness" of preparing these chickens :D you might want to check out "Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue!" Over 125 recipes for rotisserie chickens that you get in the deli....same recipes can be used with leftover chicken from our DCB chicken. VERY good...but it has a bunch of dancing, headless chickens on the cover! :eek:
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Grossed Out & Cooking a Whole Chicken: Mind Over Matter!" about?

"Grossed Out & Cooking a Whole Chicken: Mind Over Matter!" is a cooking class or workshop designed to help participants overcome their apprehensions about handling and cooking whole chickens. It focuses on the practical aspects of preparing a whole chicken, including tips on hygiene, cooking techniques, and how to make the process enjoyable and less intimidating.

Who is the target audience for this workshop?

This workshop is aimed at home cooks of all skill levels who may feel uneasy about cooking whole chickens. It is particularly beneficial for beginners or those who have never cooked a whole chicken before, as well as anyone looking to expand their cooking repertoire and gain confidence in the kitchen.

What skills will participants learn during the workshop?

Participants will learn essential skills such as proper handling and sanitation techniques, how to season and prepare a whole chicken, cooking methods (such as roasting or grilling), and tips for ensuring the chicken is cooked safely and thoroughly. Additionally, they will gain insights into meal planning and using leftovers creatively.

Do I need to bring any special equipment or ingredients to the workshop?

Typically, participants are encouraged to bring their own knives and cutting boards for hands-on practice, but all necessary ingredients and cooking equipment will usually be provided by the host. It's best to check with the workshop organizer for specific requirements ahead of time.

How can I sign up for the "Grossed Out & Cooking a Whole Chicken" workshop?

To sign up for the workshop, you can visit the Pampered Chef website or contact your local Pampered Chef consultant. They will provide information on upcoming classes, registration details, and any associated costs. Be sure to reserve your spot early, as these workshops can fill up quickly!

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