Barred Rock Heritage Chickens Truly Taste Better

(Arriving Saturday, 18 August!)

These heirloom breed Plymouth Barred Rock chickens (the oldest variety on record in the U.S.) are raised to four months of age outdoors on organic feed (corn, toasted soybeans, oats & lots of foraged grass) and then air-chilled after slaughter by Frank and Kay Jones on their family farm just 45 minutes from here in Durand, MI. They are more expensive, but theses birds are so special, you can't even compare them to regular chickens. Even before cooking you can tell just by looking that they are the real deal. Rather than the pale white/pink we are accustomed to seeing in the grocery store, the color of these birds is a beautiful golden saffron yellow because of all of the carotene they get from the grass they forage. Due to the particular variety of animal, the exercise they get from being truly pastured, and the age they are allowed to reach (the industry standard is only 4 weeks), the meat is more in line with that of game birds than what we usually think of as chicken. It is infinitely more flavorful and, texturally, it is firmer, more dense and significantly more rich and moist. Even the white meat is delectable. In addition, air-chilling (as opposed to the industry standard ice-water bath) is considerably more sanitary and adds significantly to shelf life. These birds are good for a full three weeks after processing. This local gem is truly one of a kind. Please check it out. At one time all chickens were like this, but these days folks like the Jones are pioneers and need all the support they can get.

$8/lb (approximately 4lb/bird)

How to cook a Barred Rock Chicken

-Bring chicken up to room temp.
-Rub outside with olive oil.
-Salt generously and uniformly inside and out.
-Truss with twine to bring legs and wings in tight against the body.
-Put chicken, breast side up, in a shallow vessel into a 500 F oven.
-After 15 minutes, turn oven down to 325 F and continue cooking for 30 minutes or so more until the internal temperature in the middle of the breast reads 140 to 150 depending on your taste.
-Let chicken rest for 5 minutes or so after cooking before eating.
-Be sure to pick the bones for chicken salad and/or make stock out of the carcass.