Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?

From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
would be interested in what other people think.

Gareth

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Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Gareth wrote:
>
> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> would be interested in what other people think.

My neighbours used to have free range chickens. We bought eggs
form them and they gave us a few chickens. The eggs were great,
and the yolks were so bright that omelettes and scrambled eggs
made with them were orange. The chickens we cooked were
fantastic. There is a butcher shop down the road that sells free
range chickens. I am willing to spend the extra money on them
because I think they do taste a lot better.

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Gareth wrote:
> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> would be interested in what other people think.

My experience is limited, too, and I still haven't settled on a brand
or vendor as "best" among those available around here. The better ones
I've tried do seem to have a tastier, more robust flavor. At least
enough so to warrant further trying. Not all the chickens packaged as
"free range" say that they are corn fed, though. Those marked "free
range" and "organic" do at least usually say that they don't feed them
animal byproducts. On the other hand, those marked "kosher" have not
necessarily been free range birds either. I suppose with all the
different labeling I should make an effort to be more systematic about
what I try but I haven't got to that point yet. -aem

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

aem said...

> Gareth wrote:
>> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
>> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>>
>> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
>> would be interested in what other people think.
>
> My experience is limited, too, and I still haven't settled on a brand
> or vendor as "best" among those available around here. The better ones
> I've tried do seem to have a tastier, more robust flavor. At least
> enough so to warrant further trying. Not all the chickens packaged as
> "free range" say that they are corn fed, though. Those marked "free
> range" and "organic" do at least usually say that they don't feed them
> animal byproducts. On the other hand, those marked "kosher" have not
> necessarily been free range birds either. I suppose with all the
> different labeling I should make an effort to be more systematic about
> what I try but I haven't got to that point yet. -aem


Recently, I had the same experience with buffalo. Free-range (marked
organic, no antibiotics and no hormones) tasted much better than grain-fed.
The grain-fed buffalo tasted like ordinary beef.

I'll have to try free-range chicken AND eggs.

Andy

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Andy wrote:

> Recently, I had the same experience with buffalo. Free-range (marked
> organic, no antibiotics and no hormones) tasted much better than grain-fed.
> The grain-fed buffalo tasted like ordinary beef.

Was it marked buffalo or bison? Just curious.

--
Reg

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Reg said...

> Andy wrote:
>
>> Recently, I had the same experience with buffalo. Free-range (marked
>> organic, no antibiotics and no hormones) tasted much better than
>> grain-fed. The grain-fed buffalo tasted like ordinary beef.
>
> Was it marked buffalo or bison? Just curious.


D'Artagnan
Roamed on the Free Range

BUFFALO

Product of Canada


Andy

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

(Gareth) asked:
>Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any
>better than a cheap chicken when roasted, or is it
>purely a matter of animal welfare?
>**From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference,
>but I would be interested in what other people think.
>Gareth
>---------------------------------------------------- Never had free
range but once had amish chicken
>& could the differnce, even b/f could tell after first
>bite.

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Gareth wrote:
> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> would be interested in what other people think.
>
> Gareth
>

They taste better for sure. My buddy's dad raised them when he retired.
We used to get chickens and eggs from him.

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

"Gareth" > wrote in message
...
> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a cheap chicken
> when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I would be
> interested in what other people think.
>
> Gareth


This is actually a difficult question to answer in that all free range chickens are
not alike. Alot of brands claim to have free range chickens because they give the
birds a few extra feet to move around. But, if you can find *real* free range organic
fed chickens, there is a very notable difference in taste. If you can find someone
who raises chickens, even better.

Chickens that are raised properly and not mass produced have a deeper, richer flavor,
and everything you make with them tastes better for it.

kimberly

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >,
Gareth > wrote:

> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> would be interested in what other people think.
>
> Gareth

Purely a matter of personal preference. I can't tell a difference
either, but I suspect there are some who can.

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Nexis wrote:
> "Gareth" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a cheap chicken
> > when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
> >
> > From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I would be
> > interested in what other people think.
>
> This is actually a difficult question to answer in that all free range chickens are
> not alike. Alot of brands claim to have free range chickens because they give the
> birds a few extra feet to move around.
>

Just extra feet, or are there extra legs attached to them as well?

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Gareth wrote:
> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> would be interested in what other people think.
>
> Gareth

I buy mainly free-range organic and IMO the meat is much more
flavorful.

-L.

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >, Gareth > wrote:
>Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
>cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
>would be interested in what other people think.

Free range chooks taste a *lot* better, but mostly because back in the
days when they were all you had, [grand-]mothers knew how to cook 'em!
(Nothing beats a chook roasted in a brown paper bag in a wood-fired
oven -- especially when it was only decapitated earlier on Sunday
morning to commence its preparation for a special Sunday dinner. :-)

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Gareth wrote on 12 Dec 2006 in rec.food.cooking

> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> would be interested in what other people think.
>
> Gareth
>

Animal welfare? you're gonna kill, roast and eat the bird. I found both to
taste about the same. If you're concerned about it's welfare...buy it a
condo.

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >,
Gareth > wrote:

> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>
> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> would be interested in what other people think.
>
> Gareth

Based on my personal experience, commercial free range chickens taste
the same.

Home grown? That's totally different......

Not sure why, could be the breed of the bird or the feed used, as well
as the age of said bird.
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >, Andy <q> wrote:

> aem said...
>
> > Gareth wrote:
> >> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> >> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
> >>
> >> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> >> would be interested in what other people think.
> >
> > My experience is limited, too, and I still haven't settled on a brand
> > or vendor as "best" among those available around here. The better ones
> > I've tried do seem to have a tastier, more robust flavor. At least
> > enough so to warrant further trying. Not all the chickens packaged as
> > "free range" say that they are corn fed, though. Those marked "free
> > range" and "organic" do at least usually say that they don't feed them
> > animal byproducts. On the other hand, those marked "kosher" have not
> > necessarily been free range birds either. I suppose with all the
> > different labeling I should make an effort to be more systematic about
> > what I try but I haven't got to that point yet. -aem
>
>
> Recently, I had the same experience with buffalo. Free-range (marked
> organic, no antibiotics and no hormones) tasted much better than grain-fed.
> The grain-fed buffalo tasted like ordinary beef.
>
> I'll have to try free-range chicken AND eggs.
>
> Andy

Watch out for free range eggs...
Once you try them, you will be hooked.

It's the one thing I miss about giving up my chickens. <sigh>

Fortunately, I can still get them from others around here.
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Peace, Om

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Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >,
"Nexis" > wrote:

> "Gareth" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a cheap
> > chicken
> > when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
> >
> > From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I would
> > be
> > interested in what other people think.
> >
> > Gareth
>
>
> This is actually a difficult question to answer in that all free range
> chickens are
> not alike. Alot of brands claim to have free range chickens because they give
> the
> birds a few extra feet to move around. But, if you can find *real* free range
> organic
> fed chickens, there is a very notable difference in taste. If you can find
> someone
> who raises chickens, even better.
>
> Chickens that are raised properly and not mass produced have a deeper, richer
> flavor,
> and everything you make with them tastes better for it.
>
> kimberly

Agreed on all points.
--
Peace, Om

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Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >,
Stan Horwitz > wrote:

> In article >,
> Gareth > wrote:
>
> > Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> > cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
> >
> > From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> > would be interested in what other people think.
> >
> > Gareth
>
> Purely a matter of personal preference. I can't tell a difference
> either, but I suspect there are some who can.

Stan, did you buy commercially produced free range, or local raised?
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Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >,
(Phred) wrote:

> In article >, Gareth >
> wrote:
> >Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> >cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
> >
> > From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
> >would be interested in what other people think.
>
> Free range chooks taste a *lot* better, but mostly because back in the
> days when they were all you had, [grand-]mothers knew how to cook 'em!
> (Nothing beats a chook roasted in a brown paper bag in a wood-fired
> oven -- especially when it was only decapitated earlier on Sunday
> morning to commence its preparation for a special Sunday dinner. :-)
>
> Cheers, Phred.

Funny you should mention that... When I was harvesting "excess"
roosters, I generally only killed and cleaned them the morning that I
planned to use them. The carcass would still be slightly warm when it
hit the oven.

Same for ducks.
--
Peace, Om

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Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Dave Smith wrote:
> Gareth wrote:
>> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
>> cheap chicken when roasted, or is it purely a matter of animal welfare?
>>
>> From my limited experience, I can't really tell the difference, but I
>> would be interested in what other people think.
>
> My neighbours used to have free range chickens. We bought eggs
> form them and they gave us a few chickens. The eggs were great,
> and the yolks were so bright that omelettes and scrambled eggs
> made with them were orange.

My parents used to keep chickens and I know what you mean about the
colour of the eggs. We never ate any of the chickens though, they were
more like pets.

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Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Gareth wrote:
> Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> cheap chicken when roasted...

<snip>

Yes.
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

In article >,
Chatty Cathy > wrote:

> Gareth wrote:
> > Does a free range corn fed chicken actually taste any better than a
> > cheap chicken when roasted...
>
> <snip>
>
> Yes.

A short and simple answer... <G>
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Roast Chicken - does free range taste any better
 

Omelet wrote:

>
> A short and simple answer... <G>

Eggzactly ;)

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Chatty Cathy