The Cornish Cross: “What is wrong with this picture?!” There is so much to think about in this arti

[Angelicisi]

Me too!

I process them all myself! 

 

[Angelicisi]

Imma a newb and I had losses. But most were my own fault.
I think there's a big taste difference between caged/tractored vs fully ranged only cooping up at night. The exercise makes a huge difference to me. I can taste a caged bird vs free ranged bird. I've also been told by certain people they prefer the CX taste to the traditional dp but those are city folk mostly I've noticed lol same folks who pay $5 a lb for organic free ranged lb. and think a fairy comes over night and send all the chicken souls to heaven and put the meat in neat freezer bags :/
Work on detaching the umbilical cord the sheeple have to grocery store meat, THEN the "industry" will cease. Demand goes away-so does mass production. But that's a battle that we as a nation will have to lose before seeing the truths.

I raised a dozen CX's this year without incident. I don't get it... If there's such a huge issue with CX's how come a total n00b like me can raise them without a single loss? (Except for the one that got eaten by the hawk of course.)

 

[aoxa]

Since I don't process my own and the processor that I use does custom processing, I don't have any heritage birds that are packaged like my CX, which I have cut up and packaged by meat type (light or dark meat). Then it all goes into the freezer...

Anyway, here's a comparison of a package of two whole bone-in CX breasts next to a package of an almost-whole EE carcass at 18 weeks (legs and thighs around the whole, bone-in breast. Yes, that's the whole breast, that little lump in the middle under the label). My packages of thighs are gone for the year, since we're all obsessed with Indian-Spiced Chicken Thighs and those packages went first. Unfortunately, that means you are looking at EE dark meat next to CX breast meat.



As far as flavor and texture, I would say that they taste pretty much the same. As far as texture, there's a HUGE difference, and it's not flattering to the EE cockerel. I can defrost a package of the CX and have fried chicken, or a quick stir-fry, or pan saute' them, or do anything with a package of CX that I could do with supermarket chicken. We tried frying a heritage bird ONCE. It was inedible because it was so chewy. I have my heritage birds (and in this case EEs, because I only had extra EE cockerels this year) packaged the way I do because they will only be put into the slow cooker using recipes that use a whole cut-up bird. And when I make those recipes, I always defrost two birds, because that's the only way there will be enough meat for the recipe.

Yes.. I just can't eat a DP bird cooked any other way than slowly. My chickens have been given at least a few chickens while we tried different methods in cooking DP birds. Can't do it on the BBQ, Rotisserie, fried, or baked.. Brining does not help you gain the ability to cook it any of those ways either.

The chickens thought it was delicious lol.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Yes.. I just can't eat a DP bird cooked any other way than slowly. My chickens have been given at least a few chickens while we tried different methods in cooking DP birds. Can't do it on the BBQ, Rotisserie, fried, or baked.. Brining does not help you gain the ability to cook it any of those ways either.

The chickens thought it was delicious lol.

That's what happened to ours, too! Our chickens think having a chicken carcass to pick at is the best treat ever.

Have you tried the rooster recipes from Sunstone Farm? Soak the cockerel overnight in wine, then simmer low and slow, and you've got some delicious dinner. http://sunstonefarmandlearn.com/2009/10/25/favorite-rooster-recipes-coq-au-vin/

But this one is our favorite, Corfu Rooster: http://sunstonefarmandlearn.com/2009/05/26/favorite-rooster-recipes/

The other point about the texture is this: 100% of our customers want the CX. They have been unhappy with heritage birds, and probably would not have bought from us again if we didn't offer the CX. People's lives aren't going to magically slow down so that an all-day chicken dinner is a reality most days--they want convenient packages of just legs or just breasts and are willing to pay extra for them. Many people in this thread have wished for companies like Tyson and Perdue to go away, but you'll never break their hold with a super-expensive chicken that they can only slow-cook. Small-scale meat won't get any less expensive if Tyson goes away--if anything, meat would become a pure luxury that only the richest can afford.

 

[aoxa]

That's what happened to ours, too! Our chickens think having a chicken carcass to pick at is the best treat ever.

Have you tried the rooster recipes from Sunstone Farm? Soak the cockerel overnight in wine, then simmer low and slow, and you've got some delicious dinner. http://sunstonefarmandlearn.com/2009/10/25/favorite-rooster-recipes-coq-au-vin/

But this one is our favorite, Corfu Rooster: http://sunstonefarmandlearn.com/2009/05/26/favorite-rooster-recipes/

The other point about the texture is this: 100% of our customers want the CX. They have been unhappy with heritage birds, and probably would not have bought from us again if we didn't offer the CX. People's lives aren't going to magically slow down so that an all-day chicken dinner is a reality most days--they want convenient packages of just legs or just breasts and are willing to pay extra for them. Many people in this thread have wished for companies like Tyson and Perdue to go away, but you'll never break their hold with a super-expensive chicken that they can only slow-cook. Small-scale meat won't get any less expensive if Tyson goes away--if anything, meat would become a pure luxury that only the richest can afford.

Thanks! I pinned the recipes for future use

 

[mg15]

For those that find the taste of pastured Cornish Xs and DPs are the same, is anyone able to post comparison photos of the drumsticks? I have bought chickens from several sources now that raise their Xs and DPs in the same fields, using the same techniques, same butcher date. The drumsticks on the Xs have always been paler with a different taste and texture (one I find less pleasant and less complex and rich). Blind taste tests with chef panels seem to point to noticeable taste differences as well, and butchering photos show differences such as enlarged organs even in pastured Xs. I'm curious if anyone has been able to get a more comparable look to the meat and organs? I'm not sure if they necessarily relate to flavor, but flavors can not be shared online so I'd at least be curious if anyone got the carcass to look more similar in those two areas.

As a side note, I had one Naked Neck once that tasted more like a Cornish X. The other NNs I've eaten were not bland like that one. No idea what that was about.
What a great question.

New Hampshire, I only have these bones left from the carcass.

I have already made a casserole from this meat. But it does show some of the white and dark meat.

I used half of the broth for the casserole. This is very gelantinous. Due to the bones.
I call it the Gold. The backbone of all flavors in a chicken dish. It is really good.



I am very thankful for this bird. Such a wonderful food to have. Thankyou God.
I don't have the Cornish X to take pictures for comparison.

 

[aoxa]

Ask questions. Ask to see pictures. Ask how they are fed. If they say pasture raised, ask if they are in tractors.

Because this:

and THIS:


is SO not the same.

Edited by staff

 

[aoxa]

I decided to take a poll on my facebook farmpage asking people if they believe the Cornish X are gentically modified. Over half of the answers stated yes.. I stopped counting after 40 saying yes. I thought I would share my response.

For those of you who answered my earlier question about the commercial broiler chicken being genetically modified, the answer is a resounding NO.

Many, MANY people BELIEVE that the commercial broiler is genetically modified to grow so fast their legs break, and their hearts give out.
Cornish X (Commercial Broiler) are selectively bred to have the best feed conversion out there. This means that for every two pounds of grain the chicken eats, it will gain one pound in return. A Dual purpose rooster will have a 5:1 feed conversion ratio in comparison.

Cornish X put on weight very quickly. They are selectively bred to do so. They have an insatiable hunger, and if allowed food access 24/7, will take full advantage.

Let me tell you another thing... It does NOT have to be that way. Feed does not have to be offered to these broilers at all times! When you restrict feed you will see these commercial broilers (CX) acting as if their goal in life is to run, fly, and catch bugs. They are the very best scavengers I have ever raised. They will forage and hunt for acres in search of worms, grubs, plants and yes.. mice and toads as well.

They are selectively bred to produce desirable traits.
Herding dogs were bred to herd, Huskies were bred to pull a sled and Bloodhounds were bred to track. Are they genetically modified? No. Neither are the commercial broilers.

While we are HIGHLY against any type of factory farming operation, the commercial broiler is used by many small hobby farms as well to produce the most tender chicken possible for their family. They are raised in organic, pastured settings by big names such as Joel Salatin.

Anything that has been genetically modified can not be stamped with the "Certified Organic" label.

I for one used to believe that they were genetically modified. That was before I took the time to research the breed before we took the leap into raising our own chickens for meat. I was afraid that they would not be what I wanted them to be, or act how I wanted them to act. Free ranging chickens was at the core of how our farm operates. I couldn't give that up just for the tender chicken my palate craved.

After raising them for a year, my opinion on the Cornish X has done a complete 180. They do not have to be the frankenchickens we hear about. They do not have to sit in their own filth all day and have heart attacks at six weeks old.

I like to compare the CX to an obese toddler.. If an obese toddler was offered a buffet full of pastries, French Fries, chicken nuggets and candy, would they refuse? NO. The CX will not refuse food that is right in front of them. Many adult humans have this issue as well.

If we want our chickens to have that tenderness of a commercial broiler, but all the flavour of a dual purpose bird the key is grain restriction. If you restrict their intake of what YOU provide them, they are then forced to find all the goodness that mother nature has to offer. All of the exercise involved in obtaining that goodness creates strong bones, healthy organs and results in flavourful meat while still meeting our standard of an ethically raised chicken.

The definition of Genetic Modification "Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology"

So the bottom line is this: They are not genetically modified.

 

[Owingsia]

We raise free range CX all the time. I have never had any issues with them. They are wonderful birds. Yes you have to treat them correctly just as you would with any bird.

People would have problems with any breed that gets used in mass production. It is not the animal at fault here but the people raising them in poor conditions.

My Japanese bantams would not survive in the conditions many people expect CX to live in.

 

[aoxa]

We raise free range CX all the time. I have never had any issues with them. They are wonderful birds. Yes you have to treat them correctly just as you would with any bird.

People would have problems with any breed that gets used in mass production. It is not the animal at fault here but the people raising them in poor conditions.

My Japanese bantams would not survive in the conditions many people expect CX to live in.

You do not see people downing those battery hens..

They can't walk when they get out of cages.. so it must be their fault right?

Well CX can't walk because they are offered unending feed that they just can not say no to...

Thank you for raising your birds right and sharing your experience here Owingsia.