"Grass fed" Cornish?

[LeslieDJoyce]

An "official Chicken Expert"? as in commercial broiler raising official chicken expert? Because that is basically what she is talking about, how the big commercial chicken farmers do it.

Yeah, I'm being coy because I didn't tell "the expert" I'd be posting their advice here. Sorry. I think the expert was trying to make sure I went away terrified of raising broilers, maybe so that I would think people who can do it are super special? IDK

I like the idea of having a nice pasture for the broiler breeds and letting them run around eating grass and bugs during the day, just like the egg laying birds. From what I've seen and read elsewhere, the method shown above where they are allowed to forage on gorgeous meadow actually has better survival rates than the broilers confined and treated with much caution. If it also means the birds are large, tender and delicious, then all is well.

I've been reluctant to get involved with broilers because I didn't want a deathy, messy, overcrowded, stinky, depressing two months with the birds. And then learning that sometimes the birds are still inedible ... ugh. But from what is posted here, it all sounds pretty doable, provided I have adequate pasture for them. So maybe in spring.

I'm going to research the food fermenting thing ...

 

[triplepurpose]

A couple related thoughts I wanted to share:

There's really no such thing as "too tough to eat." You can cook a ten-year-old ox shoulder into a delicious dish if you do it right. Also Real meat has a certain texture that confined, over-fed, corn-and-soy fed meat lacks. This is not a bad thing. It's called texture and flavor!

Generally in these cases, if meat is "too tough to eat," then either your palate has been ruined by eating textureless, mushy "meat" your whole life to the point where you actually can't appreciate real food any more (sadly a common thing these days); or you didn't cook it right (also a common problem, because "real meat" often cooks differently than it's sad factory-farmed substitute now generally taken as the given). But some of the best dishes on earth--for example, "coq au vin" or beef stew-- are traditionally made with meat that many idiots would say is "too tough to eat." You can't just grill EVERYTHING... Different foods call for different preparations if you expect to get the most out of them and make something tasty and satisfying.

My chickens run around a lot. They are heritage breeds, or egg breeds, (or mutts) so they are muscular and active and I give them as much space to excercise as I can. This makes the meat firmer, and also adds much flavor, and nutrition (same thing, really) to the meat. They eat the most varied and eclectic diet possible, which also subtley contributes to flavor. I learned to roast my roasters on a low heat with water in a covered roasting pan, and they are as tender AND flavorful as you could wish (in case you don't know what a roaster is, these are normally cockerels somewhere between 6-12 months old--yes, months, not weeks). I also learned how to make proper chicken soup with the very old birds (including their feet and heads giblets) by using a very low simmer (NEVER boil!) all day long on the stove. I wish all those "too tough to eat" parroting nincompoops could try my chicken soup made from a 6-year-old rooster, just so I could see the looks on their ignorant faces as their world is blown wide open and turned upside down. I'd smile politely, and say sweetly something like, "Welcome to my world, where food has flavor! I like to call it 'real food.'"

 

[Beekissed]

I agree! Most folks are so used to the mush they sell in the store, they don't realize what meat used to taste like. It used to have a real flavor and a texture that let you know you were actually eating. The meat clings to the bone and the bones are firm, not rubbery. The meat is a little darker and has way more flavor, a richer smell and makes a meatier tasting and darker broth.

I like tender right along most folks, but there is a fine line between tender and succulent... and just plain ol' mushy meat. Even with free ranging all over the place, it's a little hard to get a 2 1/2 mo. old CX to be "tough"~they are still just babies.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

But some of the best dishes on earth--for example, "coq au vin" or beef stew-- are traditionally made with meat that many idiots would say is "too tough to eat." You can't just grill EVERYTHING... Different foods call for different preparations if you expect to get the most out of them and make something tasty and satisfying.

I lived in France for long enough to have to shop there. Chicken breast cutlets are super expensive, so I bought whole birds (not something I do much here). They had a variety of whole birds, including birds guaranteed to be older. Yummy for coq au vin.

 

[vfem]

I raise my broilers out in the garden in a tractor run. I use them to work my garden while I am busy so I don't have to do all the wedding in the walkways and keep the bug population down. They aren't free to wonder, but I move the tractor around as I need another space weeded and the ground turned. Those spots they've been in all this summer and fall will be where I plant corn next year.

They do a good job and completely devour any weeds/grass under foot in a day or 2 max.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

You can't fool me! That's a duck!

 

[triplepurpose]

You can't fool me! That's a duck!