Mystery Fowl

Right next to the chickens in my local supermarket are larger chicken-like birds that are just labeled "large fowl". Any idea what they could be?

Asking the butcher at the supermarket was no help. "Its like a chicken!"

That's some sketchy sh*t right there, when the butcher doesn't even know or is afraid to tell you what it really is....

No picture? How big is it? Sounds like a big chicken.

Turkey?

Probably just an old chicken

old chicken? like a chicken past its prime?

Its too small to be a turkey... I would say it looks in almost all ways like a chicken, but the skin is looser/flappier... I bought it once by accident, and it made relatively decent chicken stock...

Ran into som guinea turkeys recently. Larger than Chickens, smaller than turkeys.

My guess would be chicken from Chernobyl Farms.

Rooster, maybe.

CreamyGoodness said:

Right next to the chickens in my local supermarket are larger chicken-like birds that are just labeled "large fowl". Any idea what they could be?

Asking the butcher at the supermarket was no help. "Its like a chicken!"

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It's something that shouldn't be eaten until it is positively identified; maybe not even then.
Regards, GF.

gratus fermentatio said:

It's something that shouldn't be eaten until it is positively identified; maybe not even then.
Regards, GF.

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Nah. Protein is protein.

Buy that bird. Cookk like chicken. Eat it. Jts not like its some poisonous bjrd .

Kind of like the oven stuffers ? Genetically engineered chicken.

Capon! Castrated Rooster.

Seems the butcher ought to know what it is though. Unless youre in a grocery store. Most grocery store butchers dont know a teres minor from a flat iron steak!

CreamyGoodness said:

Right next to the chickens in my local supermarket are larger chicken-like birds that are just labeled "large fowl". Any idea what they could be?

Asking the butcher at the supermarket was no help. "Its like a chicken!"

Click to expand...

What was the price per pound compared to chicken? I have no problem with trying something between a chicken size and turkey sized bird, I think "Large fowl" is a little misleading though.

Probably buzzard.

A diet of roadkill makes for some tasty meat.

a chicken on steriods?

I'm gonna guess sage hen.

Most likely capons.

Bedlam said:

Nah. Protein is protein.

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I hope you don't say that about ALL protein.

Maybe it said "foul"?

nasty_rabbit said:

I hope you don't say that about ALL protein.

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I about spit coffee into my keyboard!
I'm almost ashamed that I knew what you meant; almost.
Regards, GF.

Probably some chicken that has been adulterated enough that they cannot legally call it a chicken anymore. Or maybe its a genetically engineered all in one turducken.

You know, it really could have been Guinea Fowl. Those are fairly large at times and are pretty good. One thing about those is that there is a good chance it is small farm locally grown.

If its a lot more expensive it's probably capon, which is a castrated rooster.

Its actually cheaper (though I havent seen the prices in a few). Someone said old chicken, I think thats plausible since the meat is a little tough/dry looking... Thing is though, I thought one could only sell a chicken between certain age specifications.

CreamyGoodness said:

Its actually cheaper (though I havent seen the prices in a few). Someone said old chicken, I think thats plausible since the meat is a little tough/dry looking... Thing is though, I thought one could only sell a chicken between certain age specifications.

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Ah, but they aren't selling a "chicken", are they?

OOOOOOOOOOh... I see your point.

Anyway, if its old and past its prime, kinda makes me wanna buy it for stock. Something satisfyingly hippy dippy happens in my head when I think I might have given the poor wretch a few more weeks.

Well it sure as heck cant be called a chicken if it has developed any flavor of its own now can it? It may be a little on the tougher side than these pate formed chickens they tend to sell. Go for it

So much for speculation anyway, what is your hop schedule?

I liked the hop schedule joke, but it actually gave me an idea. Anyone ever put hops in their poultry stuffing?

Ever the intrepid gourmand, I purchased the "manager's special" the other day. Two guinea hens for $3.19! Prepared them as I would cornish game hens and... they were terrible. Like eating a rubber chicken.

So, instead of throwing them away, I tossed them whole into a stock pot. Seriously, it is the best "chicken" stock I have ever made.

Highly suggest it.

The Guinea hen breast is really nice. It overcooks quick. It is pretty lean and a little pig fat is nice, caul if you can find it, or butter under the skin.

The leg and thigh are fantastic braised. I do them with dried chiles, oregano, light tomato broth and whatever is at hand.