Stewing Hen Cooking Tips
Some quick tips about Stewing Hens!
We have a special place in our hearts for stewing hens here at Mint Creek. Stewing hens are some of the most nutritionally packed poultry. Their meat is packed with connective tissue that can nourish our guts, joints and brains, while their bones are filled with minerals which deeply restore our bones and blood. What beautiful medicine!
When we think of our experiences with stewing hens, we envision incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone meat, fresh out of the slow cooker. Although, we know this is not everyone’s experience with a stewing hen!
The most common mistake folks encounter when cooking stewing hens is treating it like a roaster, fryer or broiler hen. Unlike these others, stewing hens need to be cooked low and slow with liquid like broth or water to have a tender texture. These hens tend to have meat that is a bit on the tougher side, and the liquid helps tenderize the meat with a low and moist cooking method. Patience...it is one of the most difficult things about cooking! But your patience is well worth it!
Slow cooking methods allow the nourishment mentioned earlier to fully be extracted.
Convinced? Let’s chat about the best way to cook these amazing little birds.
Stewing Hen Cooking Instructions:
Begin by placing your bird in a slow cooker. Add in any vegetables and herbs you would like. (Hint: if you are making a soup, you will have a nourishing broth as a byproduct of cooking the hen!) Some ideas for add-ins are organic carrots, onions, garlic, celery, seaweed, and herbs like sage, rosemary, plantain and calendula. Make it your own and get creative! Once you have your vegetables and herbs of choice, fill with water to the top. Add in two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, which will help release the minerals from the bones. You can also add in some pink salt and peppercorns to taste.
Now the hardest part, waiting! Turn your crockpot on low and allow to cook for at least 4-6 hours. You can let cook for up to 24 hours! Longer cooking times allows for a more nutrient-rich broth.
When done cooking, remove the chicken and pull off meat. You can add it to your soup here, if that was your intention for the meal. Don’t forget to save your bones! If you chose a shorter cooking time, feel free to add the bones back into the slow cooker with more water, apple cider vinegar and herbs and allow to cook for another 12-24 hours. Your product will be a healing bone broth!
Sometimes, we make mistakes and that is okay! If you find yourself with an overcooked and frankly inedible bird from cooking it a fast way, not to worry! Your bird does not have to go to waste. Add the whole bird to the slow cooker and make a wonderful bone broth.
We are so grateful for all of your constant support! Happy cooking!