Breasts

[GLC]

Okay. Don't believe idle statements on the Internet.

No steroid hormone of any kind is approved for use in chicken or pork in the U.S., and no one is interested in using them, anyway.

(Beef is a different story.)

Growth hormone in chicken is a very persistent myth, for some easily understood reasons. One is that medical societies and even WHO made ignorant pleas to stop their use when they weren't being used at all. Another is that, because the falsehood was appearing so frequently, some companies started advertising that they used no hormones, and that made some people believe the other growers must be using them. (Do you still beat your wife?)

Growth hormones are proteins. They can't be ingested and do anything, because they will be digested. They must be injected, and even that doesn't work in young chickens. They tried it. They injected chickens three times a day for the first 24 days and had pretty much no effect.* You've seen that with athletes. It's always a story of a trainer injecting the player, never of pills. Had it been pills, many would not have been discovered. Want to try injecting several thousand chickens at least once a day?

And growth hormones are simply not useful in chickens. Chickens have a short cycle from birth to reproductive age, so you can selectively breed very quickly. They're only alive for 40 days or so before slaughter. In a chicken already bred for rapid growth, an effective dose of growth hormone would just kill a lot of them and might well introduce behavioral problems into an already difficult environment. It's been way too easy to bulk up chickens by feeding, nutrient supplements, breeding, and limiting activity. It hasn't produced a tastier chicken - quite the opposite - but it's produced a bigger chicken.

robot chicken opening - YouTube

It would really dumb to put all you're eggs in the growth hormone basket when you can just breed strains for the traits you want and go on reproducing them forever for no further cost.

* W.H. BURKE, J.A. MOORE, J.R. OGEZ and S.E. BUILDER
- Author Affiliations

Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia (W.H.B.) Athens, Georgia 30602
Genentech, Inc. (J.A.M., J.R.O., S.E.B.) South San Francisco, CA 94080

"Within 60 min after sc injection of rcGH (480–960 μg/kg) in chickens, plasma GH levels increased 4- to 6-fold and remained significantly elevated for at least 5 h. Thrice-daily injections from age 2–24 days had little effect on growth or feed consumption in either male or female broiler chicks. Plasma levels of insulin and triglycerides were significantly elevated by rcGH in 24-day-old females, but not in males. Injection of rcGH counteracted a reduction of tibia length observed in saline-injected controls. The rcGH had no effect on carcass protein, ash content, or nitrogen retention.

"It is important to note that exogenous GH can be a productivity- enhancing factor in other commercially important species. Administration of bovine GH to cows has been shown to induce a significant increase in milk production (28). This study shows that administration Of rcGH to chickens can lead to some significant metabolic effects. However, it is the conclusion of this report that the level of circulating GH is not the limiting factor in the growth of this highly selected species." (Endocrinology 120: 651–658,1987)

(rcGH is recombinant chicken growth hormone.)

In another study, an elaborate continuous IV setup only succeeded in adding some body fat.

 

[Addie]

I've often cooked a whole chicken with no treatment other than washing it off and throwing it on a rack in a preheated oven. It always comes out good.

Only recently have I become interested in country gravy and haven't tried it on a chicken roast yet.

My son put a seven pounder roaster in the oven at 425 the other night. He fell asleep. Two and a half hors later he woke up and expected to find the bird burnt to a blackened crisp. Surprisingly, the bird was done to perfection. Even the breast was nice and moist. The skin was golden brown and crispy. And the pop up thingy was popping out of itself. Best chichen he ever made.

 

[CharlieD]

Oh, big breasts ...
Kosher chickens here are pretty small here. So I totally understand it.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

My son put a seven pounder roaster in the oven at 425 the other night. He fell asleep. Two and a half hors later he woke up and expected to find the bird burnt to a blackened crisp. Surprisingly, the bird was done to perfection. Even the breast was nice and moist. The skin was golden brown and crispy. And the pop up thingy was popping out of itself. Best chichen he ever made.

Yesterday's mistake becomes tomorrow's best recipe!

 

[Gravy Queen]

I am making Chicken Kiev today, managed to get hold of some fairly big breasts for a change!

Exciting!

 

[CWS4322]

American chickens tend to be larger in part because the American poultry industry is allowed to feed the birds large amounts of growth hormones in order to cut the time from egg to market. Free range organic tend to be smaller and tastier.

This is not true. Poultry producers do not feed growth hormones, there are no approved growth hormones for poultry or pork in North America. KFC recently got "busted" on a Canadian show for advertising that KFC served only hormone-free chicken. What has happened in the poultry industry is a higher demand for dark meat, and the development of meat breeds that mature at a faster rate so they get to market sooner.

 

[CharlieD]

I am making Chicken Kiev today, managed to get hold of some fairly big breasts for a change!

Exciting!

Love chicken Kiev, if done right it is very delightfull.
Just don't overcook it.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I am making Chicken Kiev today, managed to get hold of some fairly big breasts for a change!

Exciting!

I'm so thrilled for you!

... What has happened in the poultry industry is a higher demand for dark meat, and the development of meat breeds that mature at a faster rate so they get to market sooner.

I thought most people wanted white meat. What gives?

 

[4meandthem]

That's a depressing article! The new demand for dark meat is driving the prices up! In order to be really economical, we'll all have to buy whole chickens on sale and deconstruct them at home.

That's what i do most of the time. .79 cents a lb for foster farms and I can bust one down in about a minute. I save the bones or cooked carcasses in empty milk cartons and add my veggie trimmings to the cartons. 2 or 3 cartons will make a nice stock. I am sure you know that that though! I am just saying I still do that. I keep my food costs as low as I can so I splurge when I want to.

 

[Addie]

I'm so thrilled for you!

I thought most people wanted white meat. What gives?

People are getting tired of being told tasteless food is the way to go. We all know "Fat = Taste and Flavor." I am sure your Kiev was delicious. But you have to admit, all the flavor was in the fillng. Not the meat. Wouldn't it have tasted so much better if you have used the meat from a deboned chicken thigh? There is also a ton of flavor in the skin. Deboning the leg and thigh on a chicken is so easy. This week in my area, chicken quarters are on sale for $.69 per pound. My son is going to be picking up a large package for both of us. We both have some bread that needs to be turned into large crumbs. Make some stuffing with it, lay the meat from the thigh out flat and pound it to your needed thickness. Place a layer of the stuffing, roll, toothpick, and bake. You now have a flavorful meal.

With four full quarters, broken down to legs and thighs and deboned, I will have eight meals. And they will be tasty.

I won't even consider a meal with the chicken breasts. My daughter makes broccoli and chicken with penne. She doesn't even offer to send me a plate. I love the broccoli and penne, but the chicken breasts turn me off completely.

I recently purchased two large 2" bone in pork chops for stuffing. I told the butcher to leave the layer of fat on the outside. I stuffed them, rolled them in seasoned flour, and baked them. They were so moist. You don't have to eat the fat. but you need it there to flavor the meat when cooking.

Lamb has a somewhat strong flavor. With the fat on, the flavor is more intense. Just leave the fat on the meat when cooking. Leave it on your plate when eating.

Who in their right mind would cook liver without the bacon? What do a lot of cooks lay across the top of their meatloaf? Bacon. I am not saying we have to clog our arteries with fat, but if you want flavor with your meat, then it is a necessary component. And the public is getting wise to this fact.

 

[Gravy Queen]

Do you know Addie, thats a great idea with the chicken thighs I might just do a kiev experiment with them. I love chicken thighs. We can buy them ready de-boned.

Actually my kievs were a little on the huge size, with my greediness for the bigger breast, possibly a bit too big. Eyes bigger than belly.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

@ GQ: Chef Jaime Olivier´s Mediterranean Cookbook

Gravy Queen,

I truly like Chef Jaime Oliver´s Mediterranean Cookbook on Italian, Greek, Spanish, Turkish & Moroccan. Lovely lovely book of recipes and photos. I had received it as a gift in 2011.

Do you know it ?

I am also writing to mention, I love Chicken Kiev ! This is a to die for, and go to heaven dish ...

I have never prepared it, however, I have had it at the Russian Tearoom in Manhattan many times over the years.

Kind regards.
Margi.

 

[Gravy Queen]

Hi Margi, yes I love Jamie, I have his "Jamie Does" cookbook, which includes Spain, Greek, Morocco etc. One of the first dishes I cooked from it was Mechoui Lamb, its divine!

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Gravy Queen,

GOOD MORNING.

I shall definitely take a look on Saturday at your suggestion in Jaime Olivers Mediterranean cookbk. of the lamb dish. Sounds very interesting.

I am going to prepare the spinach lasagne that Charlie D. had posted. I am in editorial deadline through 30th and off all next week, so I like to have lasagne, so all I have to do is heat up a nice square ... and be done with it for my own lunches ... a quick rocket salad and vinaigrette ...

And the Shepherds Bread Broth with Pecorino Sardo Rind from Kadesma ... I make my Mothers Broth, the name of the recipe: Il Brodo di Mi Madre; HOWEVER, in reality it is my grandmoms recipe === It is still chilly in Madrid.

We have bank holidays next week, it is actually Labor Day 1st and 2nd ...

Thanks for suggesting.
Have nice wkend.
Margi.

 

[Bacardi1]

All of the arguments re: "growth hormones, antibiotics" aside, if you're buying separate chicken parts - like "skin-on bone-in" chicken breasts, they come from "roasters" that weren't pristine enough in appearance to be sold as whole "roasters". In fact, that's where all separate "chicken parts" come from - birds that are bruised, missing limbs, or otherwise unsuitable to be sold as whole birds, are taken apart & sold as parts or relegated to ground chicken. This is why you'll sometimes buy a package of "whole cut up chicken" & find an extra leg or breast. This ain't all coming from the same chicken.

You won't normally find "small" boneless, skinless chicken breasts, because the breasts from rejected "whole" smaller birds aren't worth the effort & are relegated to the "ground chicken" brigade.

 

[Andy M.]

All of the arguments re: "growth hormones, antibiotics" aside, if you're buying separate chicken parts - like "skin-on bone-in" chicken breasts, they come from "roasters" that weren't pristine enough in appearance to be sold as whole "roasters". In fact, that's where all separate "chicken parts" come from - birds that are bruised, missing limbs, or otherwise unsuitable to be sold as whole birds, are taken apart & sold as parts or relegated to ground chicken. This is why you'll sometimes buy a package of "whole cut up chicken" & find an extra leg or breast. This ain't all coming from the same chicken.

You won't normally find "small" boneless, skinless chicken breasts, because the breasts from rejected "whole" smaller birds aren't worth the effort & are relegated to the "ground chicken" brigade.

I find it hard to believe the chicken industry relys on non-pristine chickens to provide all it's need for cut up chicken.

I don't doubt some of the cut up parts are from damaged but viable birds. However I'd bet a healthy percentage are just chickens that are cut up to meet demand. Considering parts are much more expensive than whole birds, this just isn't an issue.

 

[CharlieD]

Not sure about "pristine..." or not so "pristine..." chickens, but in fact most "chickens" that we do buy today are in fact roosters. If you get a whole "chicken" and are careful when taking it apart you will sometimes, albeit not very often will find male parts that were not completely taken out during processing.

On the separate note, when making Chicken Kiev one doesn’t really needs a big breast, but what you do need is a whole chicken. To prepare it properly, according to the original recipe, the breast has to come with the small bone (the part of the wing, not sure what it is called) and then pounded meat flat and wraps the butter inside. This is not very common practice outside of Kiev, I do not know why. I will try to include picture here, I always have problems with pictures though.

 

[CharlieD]

Here is the link to a russian site if you care to look at the short video and some pictures, you do not have to understand russian, it is self explanatory:

: , , , , , | -


Hm, looks weird, but click on it, it will work.


P.S. For those artistically inclined, you can cut up pretty napkin holder wrap around the bone and then serve, that is how it was done in restaurants in Kiev.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

All of the arguments re: "growth hormones, antibiotics" aside, if you're buying separate chicken parts - like "skin-on bone-in" chicken breasts, they come from "roasters" that weren't pristine enough in appearance to be sold as whole "roasters". In fact, that's where all separate "chicken parts" come from - birds that are bruised, missing limbs, or otherwise unsuitable to be sold as whole birds, are taken apart & sold as parts or relegated to ground chicken. This is why you'll sometimes buy a package of "whole cut up chicken" & find an extra leg or breast. This ain't all coming from the same chicken.

You won't normally find "small" boneless, skinless chicken breasts, because the breasts from rejected "whole" smaller birds aren't worth the effort & are relegated to the "ground chicken" brigade.

That seems entirely speculative to me. What I see in the markets is mostly chicken parts, ground chicken, and whole chickens as the least of all. Your explanation seems to imply that more often than not chickens are damaged and have been "parted out" because their appearance is too poor to be sold whole.

Rather, I think there's an entirely different explanation. Most home cooks prefer chicken parts over whole chickens. They either don't want to cook a whole chicken, they're cooking something that is suited for all breasts, all thighs, etc., or they're intimidated by dismantling a chicken themselves.

My explanation is much simpler than assuming most chickens are too damaged to be sold whole.

 

[Steve Kroll]

That seems entirely speculative to me. What I see in the markets is mostly chicken parts, ground chicken, and whole chickens as the least of all. Your explanation seems to imply that more often than not chickens are damaged and have been "parted out" because their appearance is too poor to be sold whole.

Rather, I think there's an entirely different explanation. Most home cooks prefer chicken parts over whole chickens. They either don't want to cook a whole chicken, they're cooking something that is suited for all breasts, all thighs, etc., or they're intimidated by dismantling a chicken themselves.

My explanation is much simpler than assuming most chickens are too damaged to be sold whole.

I agree wholeheartedly... or maybe wholebreastedly.