Many consumers prefer chickens that have been permitted to roam freely.
Free-range chickens are allowed to roam freely in their barn or a pasture, with access to the outdoors, rather than imprisoned in small cages like mainstream birds. Many farmers allow their birds to pasture throughout most of the growing season, fattening themselves on seeds and insect pests. Free-range chickens do not gain weight as quickly as the conventional variety, and so are typically older. These birds do not have the uniform consistency of factory-farmed poultry, so some care must be taken in their selection. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Check the bird's external appearance if it is sold whole. The eyes should look bright, not sunken or filmy, and the comb should be vividly red. Chickens are rarely sold whole, but when available these are good indicators of quality.
2. Examine the breasts and legs of the birds. The best will appear plump, with smooth legs and skin that feels supple to the touch. Birds with skin that is rough or feels dry to the touch, or whose legs are scaly, are probably older.
3. Check the bird carefully for signs of bruising or discoloration, which might indicate a lack of care in butchering or handling. Some may show signs of pecking damage from other birds, which is unsightly and may lead to infection.
4. Press the cartilage at the end of the breast bone, above the bird's open cavity. In young, tender birds, it will move freely. The older a bird gets, the less flexible the end of the breast bone will be.
5. Check the color of the chicken's skin. Pale skin indicates a younger chicken, while a light yellow tinge generally indicates a plumper bird. Dark yellow skin, or skin with a purple tinge, indicates an older bird.
6. Press a finger gently into the breast. The flesh should feel firm and elastic, springing back when you remove your finger. If the indentation remains, the bird is less than fresh.
Tags: breast bone, Check bird, Free-range chickens, older bird, roam freely, skin that