Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Chicken Races

I purchased this chicken at Baron's Meats in Alameda. It is apparently a former racing chicken. What else would explain the leggy, lean style? It was the normal weight for a frying chicken, but taller, leaner and, well, racier. It was the Amanda Beard of chickens.

The package stated that this chicken was raised in a pasture with a place to roost for safety at night and a place to get out of the rain (what rain? - it's a local chicken raised this summer) but with freedom to come and go, to chase bugs in tall grass and to take dust baths, so I was happy that it led a normal chicken's life before it ended up on my plate.

I planked the chicken on a cedar shingle over hot coals after stuffing it with a chunk of onion and one of lemon. The skin darkened to this mahogany color and the meat roasted to a deep, smoky deliciousness. We simply carved and enjoyed it the first day with veggies on the side, and reveled in the lean but juicy flavor.

But that's not all I plan for this bird - I'll fashion at least two other meals from it. I'm off to the (chicken) races!

5 Comments:

Blogger Toons said...

I remember "Zacks" I think it was in Sausalito having turtle races but where does one find chicken races? Free roaming is always better than penned or caged. Is there a Pot Pie in the future?

Tuesday, October 11, 2011  
Blogger cookiecrumb said...

You got you a FloJo of a bird there. How odd! And so beautiful.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011  
Blogger Zoomie said...

James, if not Petaluma, then where? :-) And, yes, you read my mind about the pot pie.

Cookiecrumb, that's exactly right! FloJo! What an amazing woman she was to watch in those long-ago Olympics. Yes, this one is not the usual pudgy fowl, clearly a runway model of a bird.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011  
Blogger Nancy Ewart said...

I swear, I'm going to hire you to bring me lunch when I'm at Open Studios. Just reading this makes my mouth water.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011  
Blogger Zoomie said...

Nancy, my catering rates are high! Have fun at OS and I hope you get lots of customers!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011  

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