Whole chicken-they really meant it!

[momtothree]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

I buy whole fresh duck from the Asian Grocery quite often. The feet and head are still attached, which did surprise me the first time I bought it.

I cut off the feet and neck using poultry sizzors. I cut off the head from the far end of the neck and let it drop, untouched (ugh) into the garbage can. I cook the duck, saving the duck fat for later use (yum). Then the neck, feet and carcass (big bones are cracked with a hammer) get put in boiling water for a couple of hours. The feet and the bone marrow contain a large amount of collagen which makes the broth spectacularly flavored. The next night: Asian duck noodle soup.

Two meals out of one duck, making the price not as bad as it initially seems.

I make chicken feet broth. First it was for the dog's joints and then I tried it and now make it for all of us. So I left the feet on. I have been reading that the head is similarly as good for broth as well. So next time I make the ginseng chicken, I am going to leave it all on. And then let hubby take it off just before serving. LOL

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by momtothree

I bought some chicken at my local Asian market. I always had bought their beef and pork as they are trimmed so nicely and the meats are from a local supplier. I decided to buy their young chicken to make a Korean chicken ginseng soup last weekend. The chicken looked "normal" in the package. When I took it out and rinsed it with vinegar/salt (following the recipe), I realized that the feet and head were still attached.

To be honest, I almost dropped the whole thing in shock. lol I wasn't expecting it and hubby laughed at my short shriek of horror at the floppy head. I got over it quick but wasn't sure to leave the head on or not. I made hubby cut it off. I did leave the feet on as I have been making chicken feet broth and know it's excellent for joints/immunity etc.

So have you run into buying a truly whole chicken and did you keep the heads on it or left it off?

ETA: I tend to not like whole chickens as they make the broth so dang fatty/greasy despite taking the skin off and often just bought rotisserie chicken to make stock. This young chicken, the skin was paper thin, and the soup had a teeny thin layer of fat on the top after being chilled. Will buy these young chickens from now on!

well I guess they do not believe in wasting any part of the bird. I think I would prefer our discription of "Whole" like we get at Sam's.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

I have to chuckle at this,,

years ago when we would wrap fresh turkeys for thanksgiving,,,I found a turkey head in the body cavity..

w hung it from our boss's antenna on his new Subaru..

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

I think we are all a bit squeamish compared to years ago ....my grandmother said she use to kill dress and cook her chickens growing up as did her mother and grandmothers

When I was a kid I'd go to the poultry shop with my Mom, all the birds were alive in wooden cages and you'd make your choice, it would disappear with one of the workers into a back-room where bad things happened to birds . When you got home and Mom was starting dinner, the head, feet, and who knows what else were all part of the package.

[Gerania]

Originally Posted by burdell

When I was a kid I'd go to the poultry shop with my Mom, all the birds were alive in wooden cages and you'd make your choice, it would disappear with one of the workers into a back-room where bad things happened to birds . When you got home and Mom was starting dinner, the head, feet, and who knows what else were all part of the package.

Mom and I used to go to the poultry market once in a while, too. There were wooden crates of live chickens. They also had a cooler with cleaned and plucked birds. She usually bought those.