A Reason to Raise Meat Chickens

I've been working on a new recipe for tomorrow's post.

It is a chicken recipe. That means, I had to buy chicken.

After watching "Food, Inc.", that task has somehow become more daunting than ever.

Since we only have 2 tough looking roosters to go into the pot (today!), I needed to find organic chicken for this recipe.

First, organic is NOT cheap.

Second, I can only find it at one store in our town.

Third, this store knows that.

I am not a skin eater. Never have been, never will be. I also don't want to consume the chicken's "spare tire". Since I couldn't find organic, skinless chicken, this means I need to clean it up myself.

I'm up to the challenge. A long, long time ago, I was an assistant manager of a very popular fried chicken chain.

You know, before they invented the wheel.

I don't mind the cleaning. Really.

What I mind is paying for the skin and fat. At $2.99/lb. (they were on sale), I really just want the meat.

You know, the part we eat. Crazy idea, I know.

I broke down the cost and came up with this. For a few cents more, I could've purchased an entire extra pound of thighs, just from the cost of my fat. (Not mine, the chicken's!)

The proof is in the pudd...I mean the scale.

Another reason to head into the feed store and purchase some meat chicks.

A lady my Mister works with had a good idea. She suggested buying "straight run" chicks (Which means that they haven't been sexed.), and as we determine roosters from hens, butcher accordingly. Saves money, and we're not purchasing genetically modified chickens. (Straight run are cheaper too!)

Now, I must go and explain to my youngest son why the word photo is spelled with a ph. He clearly gets his questioning spirit from his father....