Anyone else tired of large breasts?

FormerHangie

FormerHangie

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FormerHangie
Chicken breasts, that is. It used to be that if you bought a whole chicken, you could cut it up into pieces and server four people, but now the breasts are such a large part of the chicken, you get two breast halves that are too big for any one person, and some really small legs and thighs, and a couple of insignificant wings.

I sure wish the growers would go back to raising more proportional birds.
 
We buy Breasts probably every shopping trip. They are way too thick.
I butterfly them and everyone eats half.
 
They now have the chickens pumping iron; miniature weight sets in miniature chicken-gyms - each chicken gets an hour a day. It's part of the chicken union demands from the last negotiated contract settlement and there is no way to change that now.
 
Who knows what they're feeding those birds to have breasts so big. Hey if we find out what it is let's keep it quiet and we'll peddle it as a safer, no operation, pain free way to enlarge those tatas ladies! Tatas by Tyson. Brillant!

Yup, so wife and I spilt one breast, chicken breast I'm referring to now. And no, she is not BIG!
 
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Not sure if you care why, but what's been happening for at least 20 years the processors dictate the feed to the farmers to get the weights they need for processing.

These weights are determined by the restaurant industry so that they have predictable results in their "recipes" [This means the birds are raised to be kitchen timer friendly]

It's also why you can rely on the cook times on the packaging that you see in your freezer.

The portion size thing is uniquely American. The portions just keep getting bigger to 'justify' the price of the meals. But the price of the meal is not driven by the food costs, it's driven by labor costs.

So, if there was an SZ anywhere I'd opine that increasing the minimum wage will lead to yet larger portions at restaurants and yet larger Americans. Good thing there is no SZ.
 
Natural pasture raised chickens are typically matured and ready for slaughter in 12-14 week. Commercially raised checked are now plumped up and slaughtered on average at about 42 days. That should tell ya something!

You can still get what you are looking for...just not gonna be from the major supermarket chains.
 
Some of those huge bargain breasts seem to come out really rubbery after cooking too.

I'm getting a little frustrated, beef is astronomically high right now. Getting tired of pork.... and it's hard to find good chicken. I did smoke a turkey last week.... turned out really good so I guess there's that option.
 
a friend told me a few years ago that the hormones used by the producers get passed on to young girls who grow up to be big girls with some parts much bigger than the were back in the day .
 
I have no problem with them. I like them meatier than skinnier. I like to buy fryer chickens in the 7+ lb range and barbecue them whole. It's like having a mini turkey.
 
Speaking of chickens:

Why did the chicken cross the road?

JOHN KERRY: We will trust the chicken to tell us whether it crossed the road or not.

CHRIS CHRISTIE: We need to water board that chicken to find out why it crossed the road.

RAND PAUL: It's none of our business why the chicken crossed the road.
NANCY PELOSI: We will have to wait until the chicken crosses the road to see what it says.
1f635


CARLY FIORINA: Hilary Clinton lied about why the chicken crossed the road.

BRIAN WILLIAMS: I crossed the road with the chicken.

BEN CARSON: This isn't brain surgery.

SARAH PALIN: Because, gosh-darn it, he's a maverick!

HILLARY CLINTON: What difference at this point does it make why the chicken crossed the road?

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. The chicken is either with us or against us.
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken.
1f620


DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross the road so badly. I'm going to give this chicken a NEW CAR so he can just drive across the road.

ANDERSON COOPER: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2016 which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents and balance your checkbook.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

 
Poultry science is big business. They're good at what they do. More power to 'em. I especially like it when Chicken X does the cooking!
 
I buy the packages where they've been cut up into smaller pieces. It costs slightly more but it's worth it. And I don't even eat chicken. I just grill it for my wife and son.
 
I prefer big thighs...

Not a fan of breasts.
 
cowman said:
Some of those huge bargain breasts seem to come out really rubbery after cooking too.

I'm getting a little frustrated, beef is astronomically high right now. Getting tired of pork.... and it's hard to find good chicken. I did smoke a turkey last week.... turned out really good so I guess there's that option.
Click to expand...

A little off topic, but since you brought up smoking-

Every time I've smoked turkeys or chickens, the meats been good but the skin resembled full-grain leather goods...is that normal or is there a way to get decent skin in a smoker? For reference I've smoked them at 225 or so, same as pork shoulder or ribs.
 
Omalley1537 said:
A little off topic, but since you brought up smoking-

Every time I've smoked turkeys or chickens, the meats been good but the skin resembled full-grain leather goods...is that normal or is there a way to get decent skin in a smoker? For reference I've smoked them at 225 or so, same as pork shoulder or ribs.
Click to expand...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/106567/tough-chicken-skin

edit:

In the BBQ contest world, chicken skin is kind of a "deal". Do you want it soft so you can bite through it without pulling it off? Or crispy so you can crunch right through?

Here's one recipe:
http://howtobbqright.com/bbq-chicken-recipe/
 
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Omalley1537 said:
Thanks! I wondered if the low temp was a factor, looks like it is.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the skin needs to break down a little bit. Too long and too hot and it will shrink too much.

Some guys like to pull the chicken off the smoker, put it in a foil pan, paint the skin with Parkay, then put it back on for a little while to finish. Then pull the pan and cover, let it steam in the pan for a little while before getting it ready for judging. We (my team), skip the Parkay - it doesn't seem to let the chicken color up properly as it finishes. At one contest last year we tried both ways, side by side. There was a noticeable difference in appearance, so we bypass the margarine "lotion". We used to get ribbons for chicken, we got 2nd, 3rd, and 4th three years in a row in one big contest, but our QC seems to have slipped.
 
Great timing for the topic. I just picked up a rotisserie chicken at the store and had a breast for lunch. Mystery chicken. Tastes good, too.
 
What about the fact that Mickey D's Big Mac's are almost bite sized these days. Basically a mini mac considering what it was 10 years ago. If cows have breasts, McD's must be picking from the A cup selection.
 
How does this thread not have pics? The buns thread took like 5 posts before there were pics.

(satirical pictures count too)
 
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