$0.49/ lb.

[bobm]

We just LOVE the CornishX processed at 30 days of age as a Game Hen when they are so tender and juicy and fall off the bone GOOD . We just LOVE the CornishX procesed at less than 2 months of age and BBQed to perfection. I have raised many breeds as well as their crossbreds for over half a century ... so I just may be aware of what my taste buds prefer. I found the best tasting of them were the New Hampshires, Rhode Island Reds, then Barred Rock. A major drawback to raising them is the time factor due to tremendous predator pressure in the Big Valley of Cal. . In our case huge packs of coyotes ( guard dogs do NOT have a chance ), fox, racoons, possums, bobcats, cougars, with Red Tail hawks ( 4 nesting pairs within 1 mile), Bald Eagles,( guard dogs are useless ) etc. so free ranging is out of question. Less time being in the chicken house/ pen equates to more chicken on my dinner table at less $$$s spent on feed , labor, as well as predator pressure. I do think that each of us has different taste buds as well as different growing conditions and limitations. So if and when I can buy a chicken that we enjoy to eat at a very low price, YES, we will buy them and enjoy them. To each their own ...

 

[Carol Dee]

@Beekissed you are very lucky to be able to raise your own and know what you like. Most of us have to depend on the grocery store/meat market. So $.49 being a bargain they will be great eating! (Since we have not developed your palate for fine chicken meat.)

 

[ninnymary]

Ditto Carol! Heck, I'm so used to store chicken, I probably wouldn't like home raised. haha

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

You are right, of course. I'm very blessed to have a choice in the foods I eat and I thank God for it all!

 

[bobm]

Bee, As I have stated here before... I have raised home grown chickens for over a half century. I have eaten old roosters and spent Leghorn egg layer hens as well as the so called dual purpose birds of all ages. Since we now live in the city, our options of home grown chickens in a chicken house / pen much less free ranging chickens is out the window. Just a couple weeks ago we once again ( we purchased locally grown, "organic " chickens from a CSA when we moved to the city ) had the unpleasant experience of buying a couple " organically raised " chickens at this year's first Farmers' Market ( as I stated previously ) to have an off flavor and be quite tough. My wife is a gourmet cook and even with her knowledge those types of chickens just do not measure up to what we have grown ourselves. So buying this type of chicken is quite unpleasant therefore not warented. Since my wife can make as you stated " store baught, insipid ,mush like " 30 day old Cornish Game Hens and the 6 week old CornishX chickens taste just like those Brisse chickens from France with the twist of her wrist , I will suffer through with eating the professionally raised chickens. Also, I have raised several types of animals as a business for a profit for most of my life, buying overpriced chickens in hopes of tasteing good is not my idea of living frugally. You have been blessed by God . Please don't keep rubing it in since our chicken raising circumstances have changed for the worst.

 

[Beekissed]

I'll try not to, Bob. You are right....not good to be prideful of something that was given to me and was nothing I earned on my own. I'm sorry I spoke so rashly about the chicken and will try not to do that again. It's a constant struggle for me but it's nice to have folks like you to help me with that job. Thank you!

 

[seedcorn]

It is also about preferences. Butter vs margarine, skim milk vs 2% vs "whole" vs fresh, garden produce vs store, etc. I've eaten old chickens to 4 week old friers-no, I won't even try chicks before they hatch......... I don't get this whole superiority thing.

Really want to know what you taste? Let a good cook prepare both types, then do a blind test. You will be surprised by the results. We did that in meat class when dairy beef was frowned on. In class full of kids raised on beef breeds, it was 2/3 dairy beef preferred. We eat with our minds and sight more than flavor.

 

[bobm]

Seedcorn , I had many a debate with our daughter's best friend's father who happened to be elected mayer of a democratic people's republic city ( University) in Cal. where we lived in. It boils down to : Since the liberals think that they know better then you what is good for you, they will provide everything for you, then let you pay for it. The whole superiority in all food things are from those that have an axe to grind with professional food businesses for profit based in their ultra liberal bias of economics then masked with a mantra that their methodolgy is somehow more healthful. Regarding the taste test with beef... The Animal Science Professors at the Beef Catle Department did a blind taste test using volunteers from the city and University student residents . They had a chef from a very popular restaurant from out of State prepare the steaks from several beef breeds and dairy breeds graded with USDA grading. The top choice was the steaks from an Angus X Hereford crossbred steer raised on irrigated pasture then finished with grain and alfalfa hay in a feedlot for 120 days. The carcass was graded at USDA PRIME Grade and had very good muscle marbling and 1/2 " fat at the steak edge and aged for 21 days hung in a cooler at 34*. Since fat is what gives meat it's characteristic flavor for each class of animal, this result is not surprising. The dairy breeds as well as all animals not having the benefit to be finished in a feed lot didn't fare as well. I suspect that with the grass fed, fat free mantras , the grassfed only animal meat would be perceived as somehow more healthy and therefore more favorably received.

 

[so lucky]

Oh Oh, is a 49 cent chicken discussion getting political? Is nothing sacred?!? (Hehe)

 

[ducks4you]

Interesting. The livestock's ability to move around in a large enclosure/pasture increases the taste of the meat just as much as what they eat. I have no solid evidence, but I understand that Universities were toying with the idea of feeding plant based solids that were NOT fresh or dried vegetation to meat animals to SAVE MONEY. I am not referring to pelleted feed, but you can read their ingredients and draw your own conclusions if you don't like them.
I've been butchering about 7 years now and I have raised and eaten RIR's, EE's, and Cornish X's--Rural King was dumping 2mo roosters. They ALL tasted great, but tasted very much the same.
I'm led to believe that your personal care and what you feed your birds determines the taste more than anything else. I served American raised lamb at Easter and it tastes differently from Australian lamb. My birds don't get to forage free range, but I pull the weeds that they like to feed and I bag up grass clippings, and of course, the kitchen waste, vegetable tops like for green peppers, and other vegetables that are bruised or a little off. I don't offer anything rotten, unless it is fruit that has a bad spot. They love all of them. NO bird seems to be able to resist stale bread of ANY kind--go figure.
Also, don't forget to offer them pork or steak bones. They will pick them clean!