Is home-raised chicken meat REALLY that good?

[graykristen]

I agree with 'Beekissed'. After butchering we chill our birds for a good couple of hours in ice water before we shrink bag them for freezing. Once we stuff 100 birds in a freezer it takes them a day or so to freeze anyway which is the same thing as letting them rest in the fridge first. It definitely makes them more tender. We have eaten birds right away without much chilling and it was like trying to eat a shoe. But it was a very tasty shoe

 

[scooter147]

I would question how the lady raised her birds and at what age she butchered..

IMHO, home raised are definately better. The fryers in the store taste as flat as a two day opened Budweiser and very mushy!!

If raising for frying, bbqing etc. definately buy a meat bird, they grow fast and with lots of meat.

I take them off the commercial feed two weeks before butcher and feed ground up scratch as well as let them "free range".

The older laying hens make excellant soups, you just can't beat the layers of fat to make a good pot of soup, as we all know that where the flavor comes from.

 

[kflaig]

The difference in taste for some may be the fact that they're eating something that they've killed and butchered themselves, often for the first time in their lives. That can leave a "taste" in their minds that might interfere with reality.

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
What do you do with the whey? Do you feed it to the birds? Marinate them in it? Cook them in it?

 

[kstaven]

Feed them the whey with their feed mash. We have raised birds side by side. One group with and one without. Those with the whey where bigger and more tender.

 

[dancingbear]

Thanks! That's a great thing to know. I think I can find some cheese makers nearby, there are a lot of Amish and Mennonites in my area.

 

[ChookMaMaNSons]

Most people think heritage birds are chewy or gamy because they don't allow them to rest for 4 to 7 days in the fridge before cooking. I wait til 5 to 7 months before butchering my cull Delawares and Red sexlink cockerels

 

[MichaelZ13]

You won't be able to cut the meat of Cornish Cross birds with a butter knife, like you can with the mush-meat grocery store chicken. But it will be far less fatty and have more of a taste to it.

 

[cafrhe]

We started buying locally grown chicken a few years ago. We had no clue as to what breeds were used (didnt know heritage vs cornish cross). The 1st farm we went to had to be raising heritage breeds--they did have less meat than we were used to, and less breast. They were ok...Then we found a farm closer, so started buying--they are obviously cornish x (pastured) and darn, good birds. We bought from this farm for the last 2 year and havent had a non tasty and very juicy dinner. They are processed in the evening and customer pick up is the next morning.

We just raised our own cornish cross and are having the same experience--tender and moist chicken.

 

[Sabz]

Same thing here Cornish crosses on the first year and the chickens were excellent, tender, moist.
Second year I tried dual purpose breed. I got a lot less meat and it was not as tender. I didn't like the experience that much (all the trouble, for that semi-good meat..).
This year I am back with cornish cross.

At first I did notice a really big difference in taste for the chicken.
Now I don't anymore, but it has been 3 years since I ate grocery chicken.
When I give some chicken to friends, they always say it taste different!

I am about to buy a grocery chicken breast and compare with mine! hehe Same for eggs. Just to remind me of the difference that I can't detect anymore