Farming and Homesteading Heritage Poultry

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Quote:
Oh, man, I hope all my jabber and "shiny pebble" syndrome doesn't ever get held against me!

I feel the need for a disclaimer here...which is embarrassing, but since it's relavant I will share it anyway.

Food for thought: Some of those that flit from one beautiful bird to another are the very ones most likely to eventually settle on a breed and stick with it for life. My fascination in all things poultry drives me 'round in circles studying and reading, learning. Inevitably I find and discover things that stir my imagination and inspire me. I give voice to this much more often than I should, but ultimately that same love of poultry that has me seemingly so indecisive is what drives me more and more towards a single breed. For example, my short term plans for a couple of breeding projects with immediately available adult stock will give me hands on experience with genetic expression and understanding that will, within the next couple of years, be applied to a heritage breeding project.

I feel as if those new to heritage breeds are being disparaged a bit because they don't "stick with the breed". I understand that frustration. It's a reason I'm very selective and careful when screening homes for my heritage breed rabbits. HOWEVER, the newbies that will ultimately discover their soul mate in the heritage poultry world first need to be able to familiarize themselves with enough birds to know when they've found "it", the one that really works for them on every level and inspires them to take it on as a cause and do right by it. You can't hold it against people if they try your breed and it just doesn't click for them. Maybe it's not that they lack interest or dedication to heritage poultry, just that your breed didn't do it for them.

I've had tremendous success in not losing valuable breeding animals from the gene pool by offering to take back any animal I breed unconditionally. (Talking rabbits, now.) In fact, I drill it into my buyers that I want the thing back, and most are more than happy to take me up on it. I know this wouldn't work well for those shipping eggs or chicks far away, but if you really drilled it into people how important are the genetic diversity and bloodlines of the animals being entrusted to them, they would at least call you up to ask if you could recommend someone in their area that might be interested in taking up the cause that they could pass their birds along to. Then, you would have the benefit of knowing where your lines are going, and someone they might suit better has the opportunity of obtaining breeding stock.

And this leads me to another point:

I think a lack of networking and communication with the older breeders with the good lines is one thing that is crippling the progress of their respective breeds, unfortunately. Not being online and networking is really a road block in rallying new interest. I love the work you're doing, Bob, to connect the younger generations with new found interest in heritage breeds with the good breeders with solid, old bloodlines. Keep it up, and while you're at it, encourage those contacts to get out there and take advantage of the networking capabilities of the internet. It does wonders on so many levels.

 

[Ahab]

Quote:
All excellent information--and one of the more interesting threads on BYC, at least to me. I'm a Southern American (Cybercat: my fifth great-grandfather's log cabin will shortly be reconstructed at Fox Memorial Park at the corner of McKee and South Main) now living in New England and can stuff your experience gap on the fried chicken front with my great-grandmother's recipe, which was, of course, developed specifically for "heritage" chickens (which in her day were simply called "chickens"), and which I've tinkered with over 40 years and have been eating for 62, and have never found a better one. Of course: everyone's grandmother's fried chicken is always the best fried chicken. But at church suppers, my grandmother's (and my mother's, who followed the recipe) was always the first platter gone.

I posted this originally on this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=414765 . But it might be useful to repost here, as this thread is very much targeted to chickens as serious food--not cheap food, not kid's food: careful food. I made some small alterations in the recipe below to improve clarity.

>>quote<< You asked for a chef. I'm amateur, not professional, though my son is--cordon-bleu trained. This fried chicken is the first thing he wants to eat when he comes home to visit.

I've tinkered with my East Tennessee great-grandmother's fried chicken recipe for the past 40 years, and have found many ways to make it worse and few ways to make it better. Basically, it's dry-salted for 24 hours, dried, for 8 or 9, coated in seasoned flour, then milk, then seasoned flour again, then fried slowly (325F), covered, for 20 minutes (turning once) and then fried slowly, uncovered, for 20 minutes (also turning once).

Fried slowly this way, the subcutaneous fat in the skin renders out completely, like cracklings; fat and moisture retained in the skin is what makes it rubbery--even with a shattery-crisp coating. The modifications I've made over the years (i.e., the search for a heart-healthier fat than lard, and a slightly more sophisticated array of seasonings available than what East Tennessee offered in the 1880s) that have worked are incorporated in the more detailed recipe below:

One chicken, cut into serving pieces (we eat it all, and fight over the backs and necks, hearts and gizzards; livers get separate, less invasive treatment).

Mix together one scant teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of chicken, along with seasonings, in proportion, that you like. Great-grandma and my grandmother and mother used a fierce amount of black pepper and an equal portion of paprika. I use, per 2 teaspoons of salt, about 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon herbes de provence (or thyme, or sage, or savory, or whatever you like), and trace amounts (a pinch each) of good, fresh garlic powder and onion powder--if it's homemade, so much the better.

Mix this thoroughly, then rub it evenly into the chicken, place in a plastic bag (or a nonmetallic bowl covered with plastic) and refrigerate for 24 hours (Grandma set it in a crock in the springhouse).

In the morning (assuming an evening frying), place the chicken on a rack in the fridge, skin-side up, and allow it to dry.

In a black cast-iron pan, heat 1/2-inch of peanut oil (I've tried them all; peanut oil works best on many different levels, and it works even better with a couple spoons of bacon grease in it) to 325F.

Add two cups all-purpose flour to a paper bag, dump in a big pinch of kosher salt, a bigger pinch of black pepper, and two big pinches of paprika (not smoked).

Shake up chicken, a few pieces at a time, in the flour, then dip into milk (buttermilk makes a thicker crust--too thick for our taste--it doesn't adhere as tenaciously), and shake back up in the flour. Lay the pieces carefully in the pan, skin-side down, spacing everything at least 1/2-inch apart, then cover and cook for 10 minutes. (I use a 14-inch iron skillet and cover it with the lid from my wok. A high, domed lid helps keep the crust from going soggy from condensation. If you have only a flat lid, leave a small gap to vent moisture). Now turn the chicken and cook for 10 minutes more, still covered. Don't turn up the heat. Pan-fry by sound and sight, not the thermometer. Once you've hit that original 325F, trying to maintain it will cook the crust faster than the chicken, which you don't want.

Now uncover, turn, cook for 10 minutes, then turn again and cook for 10 more minutes. You're looking for a medium mahogany brown. If it's browner than this after 10 minutes, nudge the heat down. Long, slow cooking is key. Remove to a rack and let rest for 20 minutes minimum before eating.

Of course, tastes vary, and what is best to one palate may not be best to others. But I've been eating fried chicken for 62 years, and grew up at its epicenter of the East Tennessee mountains, and have never had any I liked better than this.

 

[gootziecat]

Rachel, You and I are on the same page. Thank you for saying it so well.

 

[cybercat]

Quote:
All excellent information--and one of the more interesting threads on BYC, at least to me. I'm a Southern American (Cybercat: my fifth great-grandfather's log cabin will shortly be reconstructed at Fox Memorial Park at the corner of McKee and South Main) now living in New England and can stuff your experience gap on the fried chicken front with my great-grandmother's recipe, which was, of course, developed specifically for "heritage" chickens (which in her day were simply called "chickens"), and which I've tinkered with over 40 years and have been eating for 62, and have never found a better one. Of course: everyone's grandmother's fried chicken is always the best fried chicken. But at church suppers, my grandmother's (and my mother's, who followed the recipe) was always the first platter gone.

Of course, tastes vary, and what is best to one palate may not be best to others. But I've been eating fried chicken for 62 years, and grew up at its epicenter of the East Tennessee mountains, and have never had any I liked better than this.

That way too neat Ahab.

A tip for crisy fried chicken is cornstarch in breading mix. It is how to get that restraunt type chicken.


I have nothing against thoughs people buying a mix of chickens from a hatchery. Many do and as a year or so goes by the cut back to a few breeds then maybe decide they just love one or two and want to take it too the next step. These are the folks I would look out for and start talking to on a more serious level. I would not sell anything right off the bat to those that ask without some more talk to find out their knowledge when it comes to chickens. I have seen way too much badness in animal care to keep adding to it with bad owners.

Bad owner 30 chickens in an 8x8 coop with a pen 10x8 and no free range. Not cleaned buy weekly at best. Yikes.

 

[annaraven]

Quote:
For the "drying" part, do you rinse or wipe off the brine (salt+juices) before you put the chicken on the rack? Or just leave it on to dry onto the chicken?

 

[Ahab]

Quote:
For the "drying" part, do you rinse or wipe off the brine (salt+juices) before you put the chicken on the rack? Or just leave it on to dry onto the chicken?

I may wipe it off lightly with a paper towel before it hits the rack, but I'm not trying to see how much salt and seasoning I can remove: that's about the amount of each I'd want on my chicken; your mileage may vary. The air-drying step is crucial to getting a really thin, crisp skin. I do it for roasting birds, too, and for broilers.

Grandma dried out the skin after her chicken "took up the salt," but I never knew quite why, but when I saw a James-Beard award-winner doing it with his oven-roasted birds in his restaurant a few years ago, and explaining the science behind it, I figured that, once again, Grandma intuitively knew what she was about.

 

[junglebird]

I've been using a surprisingly simple recipe to roast the most succulent chickens I've ever tasted.

I've used this recipe with store bought organic birds, and also the free ranging chickens and turkeys of a farmer friend. But, I haven't tried it with a "true" heritage bird, and wonder which age designation would be suitable. The recipe capitalizes on the inherent flavor and juiciness in the meat by sealing it in with the dry skin of the bird, rather than "steaming" it out with added moisture via basting and marinades.

Dry Roasted Chicken
~ dry chicken inside and out, rest in fridge for a day
~ sprinkle salt inside carcass then truss
~ now, "rain salt over the bird" about a tablespoon or so - I've never had one with too much salt
~ cook in preheated 450º oven - pan deep enough to catch juices, not covered
~ leave it alone, no basting!
~ Done when meat thermometer in thigh reads 165º, or cutting inner thigh to bone shows no raw meat. About an hour.
~ Now you can baste and let rest for 10 minutes.

The recipe from which I adapted: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/My-Favorite-Simple-Roast-Chicken-231348

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

So, with my 4-H boys, I am encouraging them to stick to breeds that are at least slightly recovered in numbers. We do not want to be the ones to reduce the genetic pool of near extinct breeds.

In our area, truly fine large fowl are not common. There are a few out there, but show hobbyists focus on cute and less-expensive-to-maintain bantams.

I, and other old farm girls, have been encouraging the young people to remember the large fowl breeds, for egg size, eat-ability and history. We are trying to hook the youngsters while they are young, so they will return to large fowl poultry when they are older.

We appreciate all the help we have received during our projects. We know it can be hard to send eggs or birds out and not know if the receiver will attend and breed them with the same diligence and consistency.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Quote:
Oh, man, I hope all my jabber and "shiny pebble" syndrome doesn't ever get held against me!

I feel the need for a disclaimer here...which is embarrassing, but since it's relavant I will share it anyway.

Food for thought: Some of those that flit from one beautiful bird to another are the very ones most likely to eventually settle on a breed and stick with it for life. My fascination in all things poultry drives me 'round in circles studying and reading, learning. Inevitably I find and discover things that stir my imagination and inspire me. I give voice to this much more often than I should, but ultimately that same love of poultry that has me seemingly so indecisive is what drives me more and more towards a single breed. For example, my short term plans for a couple of breeding projects with immediately available adult stock will give me hands on experience with genetic expression and understanding that will, within the next couple of years, be applied to a heritage breeding project.

I feel as if those new to heritage breeds are being disparaged a bit because they don't "stick with the breed". I understand that frustration. It's a reason I'm very selective and careful when screening homes for my heritage breed rabbits. HOWEVER, the newbies that will ultimately discover their soul mate in the heritage poultry world first need to be able to familiarize themselves with enough birds to know when they've found "it", the one that really works for them on every level and inspires them to take it on as a cause and do right by it. You can't hold it against people if they try your breed and it just doesn't click for them. Maybe it's not that they lack interest or dedication to heritage poultry, just that your breed didn't do it for them.

I've had tremendous success in not losing valuable breeding animals from the gene pool by offering to take back any animal I breed unconditionally. (Talking rabbits, now.) In fact, I drill it into my buyers that I want the thing back, and most are more than happy to take me up on it. I know this wouldn't work well for those shipping eggs or chicks far away, but if you really drilled it into people how important are the genetic diversity and bloodlines of the animals being entrusted to them, they would at least call you up to ask if you could recommend someone in their area that might be interested in taking up the cause that they could pass their birds along to. Then, you would have the benefit of knowing where your lines are going, and someone they might suit better has the opportunity of obtaining breeding stock.

And this leads me to another point:

I think a lack of networking and communication with the older breeders with the good lines is one thing that is crippling the progress of their respective breeds, unfortunately. Not being online and networking is really a road block in rallying new interest. I love the work you're doing, Bob, to connect the younger generations with new found interest in heritage breeds with the good breeders with solid, old bloodlines. Keep it up, and while you're at it, encourage those contacts to get out there and take advantage of the networking capabilities of the internet. It does wonders on so many levels.

NONE OF YOU ARE THE PERSON I AM TALKING ABOUT. HE WANTED A WEARD BREED I NEVER SAW BEFOR. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WANT CHICKENS I NEVER HEARD OF OR SEEN OR EVEN CONSIDERED HERITATGE. HOW ARE YOUR COLUMBIAN ROCKS DOING IN ALASKA YOU GOT FROM SCOTT? BOB

 

[HiddenHill Heretic]

This is so far the most interesting thread I have read on BYC. I have run a mixed layer flock for the past 6 years. It has grown from 6 chickens in a tractor to 50 ducks and 35 chickens in several coops and a large fenced free range area. I sell the eggs to local friends and foodies. I live in the Santa Cruz mountains above Monterey Bay, and I have a piece of land large enough to fulfill my random poultry whims. As enjoyable as the random layers are, I have begun to feel the need to work more extensively with a few breeds or a single breed.
In the past few months, I have lost several birds to the local bobcat. Due to a double fence system, I have been able to catch him/her in the act. The birds were dead, but he was unable to get them through my outer fence. I have had losses in the past, but have always disposed of the bodies. Working with a friend familiar with hunting and bird butchering, I harvested and ate the last few birds. They were older layers, maybe 2 years old, and they were wonderful. The flavor was unlike chicken I had eaten before. Even Heritage supermarket birds are not old enough or active enough to develop that type of firmness and muscle tone. Though the birds were hatchery size, a partridge rock, a buff cochin, and a Khaki Campbell duck, and the initial learning curve on plucking was brutal, it was well worth the work.
This brings me to the realization that I no longer want to eat production super market, Cisco, Costco chicken. Happy Dan, Whole Foods special organic, even local producers, I am done with. They cannot grow their birds old enough or keep them active enough within the confines of market conditions. The challenge to this is that I have built a demand for eggs that is greater than my current production(4 Doz. eggs a day in winter).
In my 4 month old grow up pen I have a light Sussex, a Black Australorp, and a Black Copper Marans from breeders alongside 5 each Delaware(including 1 Roo) and Barred Rock from hatchery stock. The difference is tremendous. The breeder birds are literally almost twice as large as the hatchery, and they are much friendlier than the hatchery birds. These chicks were all raised under identical conditions, and free range all day. I have been careful not to coddle or favor the breeder chicks. I can imagine eating the larger birds. The hatchery, not worth the pluck. I am drawn to the light Sussex, though the white is hardly ideal for my free range situation. This experiment has really cemented the difference between hatchery and breeder birds to me.
I doubt that I will ever want to grow several hundred chickens for slaughter, though my customers are constantly asking me to. A few birds a week to eat at different stages of growth would be wonderful, particularly if they also were able to meet egg demand before they became meat. My struggle has been finding a large framed, strong laying, heat tolerant, predator camoed, free ranging, large flock and human friendly, self reproducing, eye candy chicken...which also lays rainbow eggs for the farmers market.. HA HA..good luck. Anyone got any ideas? If so, I could stick with that breed forever. In the void of the perfect all purpose chook, it is awfully enticing to breed three or four different types. I entirely agree, though, that this limits ones ability to focus on a single breed, and probably does disservice to the goal of preservation of any single breed. I have been mulling this over as I try to figure where to go with my chicken fancy. In some ways, I am considering a (Blasphemy!!!) Isa Brown flock for layers, and then focusing on one or two breeds.
For many, the Chicken is an entry into a new way of thinking and living. I have introduced several of my close friends to chicken and duck keeping, and the direct connection to their food chain has begun to raise their awareness about food and health issues they had never before considered. As wonderful as gardening and growing ones vegetables is, the care for a living,moving, being and the connection to eating from and recycling with that animal, is magic. In the rush of Urban and suburban life down here in the Bay Area, slowing down and taking the necessary time to decompress is essential. Many of these people , most really, have not gone far enough to consider genetic diversity in farm animals as an important issue. The fact that they have detached, even a little, from the agribusiness domination of their food, is the beginning of change. We must foster this little flame of self sufficiency and wonder that has begun. Whether it is through chickens, gardens, composting, or requiring living roofs in cities, a greater awareness of our individual and cumulative effect upon the world in our current non localized food system, is empowering.
The internet has allowed a greater reach of knowledge and interconnectedness(at least intellectually) than ever before. I would never have thought about any of this heritage or breeding ideas had I not had the web. If more of the older breeders and poultry people were inclined to use this tool, the knowledge passed through to us in the younger generation would be invaluable. I also understand the reluctance to begin to learn a new language and take time from the farm, birds, etc. to go type away and stare at a screen. Again, this is a tremendous thread, Thank You, Luke