What's goin on with chicken quality?
Discussion
Has anyone noticed chicken breast that is very fibrous and tough recently?
i've found several batches over the last year or so are tough, rubbery and with visibly thick muscle fibres. Not very tasty at all, and it's getting to the point I don't want to eat chicken any more.
I expect this is a result of chickens that have been reared from egg to slaughterhouse 20 days or so, resulting in high meat yield but is frankly inedible. Worst case is this is some kind of cheaper chicken substitute (seagull, ostrich?!) that's being put into the food chain.
I din't buy the most expensive hand reared organic chicken, i've had this from various shops and outlets.
I have not complained to the shops yet, but will do so next time this happens. It would be interestin to hear if others have noticed this too.
i've found several batches over the last year or so are tough, rubbery and with visibly thick muscle fibres. Not very tasty at all, and it's getting to the point I don't want to eat chicken any more.
I expect this is a result of chickens that have been reared from egg to slaughterhouse 20 days or so, resulting in high meat yield but is frankly inedible. Worst case is this is some kind of cheaper chicken substitute (seagull, ostrich?!) that's being put into the food chain.
I din't buy the most expensive hand reared organic chicken, i've had this from various shops and outlets.
I have not complained to the shops yet, but will do so next time this happens. It would be interestin to hear if others have noticed this too.
Turn7 said:
Only buy from a Butcher,not a supermarket.
Cheap chicken is awfull and wasting money .
You say that, but I have been buying cheap(er) non butcher chicken for years, I've been pretty happy with it and it hasn't had this problem. What's happenning now to make it so noticeably poor?Cheap chicken is awfull and wasting money .
I'd be more than happy to patronise my local butcher too if I could get there when he was open, but he closes at 4pm and is not open at weekends!
Twas ever thus. For that reason I stopped buying Sainsbury's chicken breasts a few years ago.
Surprisingly to me, an online supplier does better quality, so long as I go for the larger size 8-9oz breasts: MuscleFood.com.
The best I get is from a local farm shop; SevernViewFarm but they're a bit hit and miss - sometimes they have plenty of stock, another they have next to nowt and a trip wasted.
Surprisingly to me, an online supplier does better quality, so long as I go for the larger size 8-9oz breasts: MuscleFood.com.
The best I get is from a local farm shop; SevernViewFarm but they're a bit hit and miss - sometimes they have plenty of stock, another they have next to nowt and a trip wasted.
if I don't spot them in prep and cut them out.unfortunately as prices are being driven down by supermarkets , suppliers for all sorts of products are under pressure to cut costs.
i work for a company who supply most supermarkets from waitrose to the discounters.yesterday we had problems wrapping a particular product , which took a long time for the operator /engineer to resolve. the cause of the problem ? a thinner grade of wrapper is now being used , in order to save money.
supermarkets are king at our company , we are at their mercy. what tesco want , they get.
the consumers should vote with their feet. the market will supply what they want but low prices are not the answer to all our problems . aldi manage to supply better meat at a lower price , apparently.
i work for a company who supply most supermarkets from waitrose to the discounters.yesterday we had problems wrapping a particular product , which took a long time for the operator /engineer to resolve. the cause of the problem ? a thinner grade of wrapper is now being used , in order to save money.
supermarkets are king at our company , we are at their mercy. what tesco want , they get.
the consumers should vote with their feet. the market will supply what they want but low prices are not the answer to all our problems . aldi manage to supply better meat at a lower price , apparently.
Mobile Chicane said:
I'm old enough to remember when chicken was a once-a-week treat, not everyday fodder.
Of course, it was slow-reared, free range, and feckin' tasty. Buy the best you can afford, and stretch it. Three meals for two/three should be easily manageable from one bird.
Definitely this, buy a nice free range corn fed chicken and its a real treat and goes a long wayOf course, it was slow-reared, free range, and feckin' tasty. Buy the best you can afford, and stretch it. Three meals for two/three should be easily manageable from one bird.
technodup said:
Try a backstreet halal butcher. I have several local to me and boneless chicken is less than £3/kg, and tastes better than any supermarket prepack stuff.
I cannot imagine that "reared in cages in Africa and fed Allah-alone-knows-what" is going to be any guarantee of quality.Had some odd chicken as described by the OP.... supermarket bought, supposedly free range..... just seemed really stringy and tough, happened a few times.
have now switched to buying £20 worth of meat a week from the butchers (I live on my own), and feel I'm getting much better quality meat.
have now switched to buying £20 worth of meat a week from the butchers (I live on my own), and feel I'm getting much better quality meat.
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