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

[Morvin]

I have the same problem with cleaning chicken or trukey. Thank god my DH is wonderful because he always does it for me!!! I can do it if I have to and I have for my shows but when he is there he aways does it!!

heather

 

[jdavis]

You all are so funny, I have never had a problem with doing this myself. It reminded me of my new SIL when she came for Tgiving the first time she wanted to make her banana pudding, when it came time to open the cream cheese, it wouldn't just drop out of the package, and she wasn't using a spoon or anything to take it off she yelled at my little bro to come and get it off because she didn't want to touch it then the bananas, she wouldn't touch the brown part and got grossed out when I gave those parts to the kids, I just LMAO.

 

[raebates]

Thanks for the laugh. I can just picture each of you doing your best to prepare the chicken without actually touching it. http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/happy0204.gifOkay, so the first time I handled raw poultry (or beef, or pork, for that matter), I thought it was pretty gross. But, that was waaay back when I was a wee young thing. I'm old now, so I'm used to it. Old So very old.

 

[ivykeep]

Giggles to you all -- I recall a very long time ago when I felt the same way (I remember my mom having a baby in the hospital and her directing me to make the chicken for my siblings and dad) -- after the first few times I could handle it (I used a fork to pluck the gizzard bag out) but when she was in the hospital she'd bought a "real" whole chicken, with the innards still ATTACHED inside. I was completely grossed out -- I filled the cavity with water to try and float them out and hacked away at the insides with a long knife. That still makes me feel a little ill, but in the intervening years I've gotten over that squeamishness and can make a chicken or beef or pork with no problem at all (just don't ask me to EAT pink meat -- I like mine FULLY cooked!)

Cheers!

 

[tashayoung]

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...

I was the SAME way. I thought I was going to hurl and so I decided that I would never...EVER...buy or attemp to cook a whole chicken again. It was way to disgusting! I took the skin off and there was this slimy looking stuff...let me just say that I don't handle snot well either and it makes me gag too. From now on I'll be buying boneless skinless chicken breast instead.

 

[Chef Endora]

OMG I haven't laughed this hard in I don't know how long! So many mental pictures!
I also do not like to do stuff to food that looks so anatomical. It seems like such a final insult to sit a chicken w/o a head on top of a beer can or fluted stone & stick it in the oven to cook.
My DH thinks I'm nuts, but he gets grossed out when I cut meat up with scissors, so I do it in shapes then.

 

[RuthV]

Y'all have this "country girl" laughing so hard. I've been in the kitchen since I was 4 years old. I used to be squimish about a couple of things but having worked 10+ years in deli-bakeries took care of that.....along with helping guys in my dad's hunting club clean and dress out deer. Sometimes, when it comes to dealing with food prep, you just take a deep breath and go for it. It gets easier with time.....honest!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

If this isn't irony, I don't know what is.... My husband is a farmer & we have livestock & stuff like that, but even HE won't help me cook or eat a whole roasted chicken. I think I must have forgotten part of the 'stuff' inside b/c when I did mine, the bird was cooked, but was covered with this icky nasty gray slime. NEVER again will I cook a whole chicken. When I did a turkey for thanksgiving, I too, floated the insides out with water & great big ole knife.

 

[speedychef]

This is even better than the thread about undies!! I remember my first Thanksgiving I hosted...I was a little nervous that I'd be too grossed out, but it all turned out just fine! I just gritted my teeth and went to town! I have a friend who grew up on a farm and tells stories about slaughtering various assorted animals...she said it really makes you appreciate your food when you realize how you came by it!

 

[Morvin]

I appreciate food enough all on my own whithout knowing the ins and outs of slaughtering just take a look at my hips and butt!!! I have no desire to learn anything about slaughtering I am afraid i just wouldn't love food as much and that just isn't worth it for me!!! As my family says I am a true foodie!!!!

heather

 

[Brandi2007]

Just thought I would update everyone. I have finally over come my fear of the chicken! I have made many at home and at shows. I even broke a rib the other day and thoguht to myself... hmm, that was gross... then kept cleaning! Yeah! lol I am so proud! hehehe

 

[Chefgirl2]

I was 34 when I touched my first raw chicken. I need two cups of cooked chicken. She gave me a whole raw chicken. I practically threw up. I had to call my husband and he walked me through it using the kitchen shears.

It does get easier.

 

[Chef Endora]

Since becoming a nurse eating meat is an issue for me at times. My DD is one also & has the same issues. Whole chicken is out of the question for me. I will prepare it, but there will be no eating for me. Also anything with the bones/veins showing like chicken wings, ribs, etc.

I have no problem cutting em up with scissors, etc.

Also, how does one cook a lobster, then eat it?

 

[dannyzmom]

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.

OMG Tasha that sounds fabulous!

 

[Bexamo]

Any Trekkies?It is hard to believe I am sharing this, but my husband and I have an understanding. If any of you have watched Star Trek, you know that their food comes from replicators - little computers. You tell it exactly what you want, and it provides it - but made of similated food.

That, my dear friends, is where meat comes from. At the store, they have these big replicators. The butcher says, "Ten one-pound packages of 92% lean ground beef, please" and out they come - styrofoam and all!!

This is the absolute truth - period. If I allow myself to think otherwise, I can't eat whatever I was cooking!! Remember - replicators!!! That's it!!

 

[Chef Endora]

Oh! That's where it comes from!!! I never watched Star Trek but my SIL is a trekkie so I'll just verify it with him!

He agrees with whatever I say & is a darling kiss***. Once, when I was emphasizing a point & talking with my hands, a huge bolt of lightening hit out of the blue just then. Hence, the name "Endora"