Whole Chickens are the Best - Insider Tip?

After reading a couple articles online that related to chicken, it reminded me of something I was told several years ago. First of all, I don't know if this is true, but it sounds very plausible for today's food market, but don't take me up on it. I'm only repeating what I was told.

Anyway, the guy said that he used to know a food safety inspector personally, and that she once gave him an insider tip. She said if you want to purchase disease-free chickens, it is best to only buy whole chickens. She said that a lot of food companies take the diseased chickens and cut off the diseased areas and use 'em for parts. Basically, when you buy a package of chicken wings, legs, thighs, etc., many of those most likely came from diseased chickens. The whole chickens have to be perfect or else they couldn't sell them whole.

You know, that makes sense. However, since I like drumsticks and hot wings so much, I'm yet to start following this advice. I must say, though, some of the best tasting chickens I have ever had, were whole chickens. The things that make you go "hmmm..."

On the flip side, I must say that this "insider tip" may only apply to a very small percentage of chickens. I say that because I have worked in meat departments, cut meat, etc., in the past, and there is more to chicken parts than that. First of all, unless you are wanting to buy big baking hens for a special reason (Thanksgiving, etc.), most people want their whole fryers in the 3 to 4-pound range or thereabouts. If you notice, the common whole chickens you find in the store are somewhat in that range. Now, look at the size of the typical leg, thigh, wing or breast on a whole fryer and what do you see? Yep, a much smaller version than you'd normally find in a tray of chicken parts sold separately. The point is, one of the main sources that the separate parts come off of is, you guessed it, big chickens. Yep, the ones that get much bigger on the farm (it doesn't take too many extra days for that), are usually the ones that get cut for parts.

Not to discredit the anonymous insider tip, but just saying it is a relatively moot point. On a side note, the whole chickens do often taste better and are more juicy and tender but do you know why? Yep. They are younger, smaller chickens. Just about any animal that is younger is almost always juicier and more tender when you eat it. I mean, if you want a good steak, you're not going to go seek out one from an old milk cow that is about to die of old age, for example. Well, I think I've made my point...

Image Credit: Bing Image Search using the 'free to use & share' function.

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