Be sure to check out our favorite heritage chicken recipes on the next page!
Heritage chickens have less fat and cholesterol, more protein and a deeper, richer flavor.
Before the development of hybrid Cornish Cross broilers in the 1950's, all chickens eaten in the United States were bred naturally, grown on nature's timetable and eaten primarily on a family's special occasions. The traditional Sunday dinner on the farm comes to mind as one of them. These birds were bred to live long and productive lives outdoors, to reproduce naturally, and to grow at a normal, balanced rate. Many people are surprised to learn that 99% of chicken now sold in American grocery stores and restaurants are not grown in this fashion. Rather they are a rapidly maturing hybrid that is bred to grow as quickly as possible, resulting in a chicken that is ready for processing at 42 days, instead of the normal 112 days.
This is how chicken is supposed to taste.
The natural growth rates of historic heritage breeds may appear to be a disadvantage when compared with modern meat lines. But natural growth rate offers a very real and significant advantage that can only be obtained with age – flavor! Though historic breeds can all be butchered young, in the past people preferred the richer flavor of the meat from chickens older than 12 weeks. Once it is realized that flavor cannot be hurried with faster growth, but requires time and age to develop, then the advantage of keeping heritage poultry breeds becomes clear. The modern meat lines grow too fast to develop the rich flavor that people used to expect from chicken meat. The modern meat lines are bred for uniformity, and to reach certain sizes under controlled conditions. They grow so fast that they have to be butchered quickly when they reach target weights. After about 9 weeks of age, modern meat lines suffer increased mortality from bone and heart failure. They are not designed to live long enough to achieve the rich flavor that traditional chicken breeds achieve. Historic poultry breeds are, in contrast, very flexible as to butchering age.
Traditional terms
This is how birds were traditionally classified and when they were processed for the table:
Aging is important
Top meat quality requires proper processing. At butchering time, chickens must be killed quickly and humanely, stressed as little as possible. Stress reduces meat quality. After processing, for best meat texture, chickens should be chilled and aged before cooking. Most sources recommend chilling and aging chickens for 24 hours, and up to 3 days before freezing. Older chickens are better with longer aging, up to perhaps 5 days in the refrigerator. The properly aged bird should retain a very fresh clean smell with no hint of taint. If a chicken was not aged in the fridge for at least 24 hours before freezing, then after thawing I usually will allow it another day or more to age in the fridge, before cooking.
Tips for preparing heritage chicken
The heritage meat types each require appropriate cooking methods. Far from being a disadvantage, this greatly expands culinary potential. But, after more than 50 years of supermarket chicken, most Americans don't know the first thing about cooking traditional birds. Modern cookbooks are designed for the commercial product. Generally speaking, the quality and flavor of chicken meat from historic breeds is going to be superb as long as it is understood that different ages require, or are best suited, to different cooking methods.
Heritage chickens have less fat and cholesterol, more protein and a deeper, richer flavor.
Before the development of hybrid Cornish Cross broilers in the 1950's, all chickens eaten in the United States were bred naturally, grown on nature's timetable and eaten primarily on a family's special occasions. The traditional Sunday dinner on the farm comes to mind as one of them. These birds were bred to live long and productive lives outdoors, to reproduce naturally, and to grow at a normal, balanced rate. Many people are surprised to learn that 99% of chicken now sold in American grocery stores and restaurants are not grown in this fashion. Rather they are a rapidly maturing hybrid that is bred to grow as quickly as possible, resulting in a chicken that is ready for processing at 42 days, instead of the normal 112 days.
This is how chicken is supposed to taste.
The natural growth rates of historic heritage breeds may appear to be a disadvantage when compared with modern meat lines. But natural growth rate offers a very real and significant advantage that can only be obtained with age – flavor! Though historic breeds can all be butchered young, in the past people preferred the richer flavor of the meat from chickens older than 12 weeks. Once it is realized that flavor cannot be hurried with faster growth, but requires time and age to develop, then the advantage of keeping heritage poultry breeds becomes clear. The modern meat lines grow too fast to develop the rich flavor that people used to expect from chicken meat. The modern meat lines are bred for uniformity, and to reach certain sizes under controlled conditions. They grow so fast that they have to be butchered quickly when they reach target weights. After about 9 weeks of age, modern meat lines suffer increased mortality from bone and heart failure. They are not designed to live long enough to achieve the rich flavor that traditional chicken breeds achieve. Historic poultry breeds are, in contrast, very flexible as to butchering age.
Traditional terms
This is how birds were traditionally classified and when they were processed for the table:
- Broilers were 7 to 12 weeks old and weighted 1 to 2 ½ lbs.
- Fryers were 14 to 20 weeks old and weighed 2 ½ to 4 lbs.
- Roasters were 5 to 12 months old and weighed 4 to 8 lbs.
- Stewing Fowl were anything older than a year.
Aging is important
Top meat quality requires proper processing. At butchering time, chickens must be killed quickly and humanely, stressed as little as possible. Stress reduces meat quality. After processing, for best meat texture, chickens should be chilled and aged before cooking. Most sources recommend chilling and aging chickens for 24 hours, and up to 3 days before freezing. Older chickens are better with longer aging, up to perhaps 5 days in the refrigerator. The properly aged bird should retain a very fresh clean smell with no hint of taint. If a chicken was not aged in the fridge for at least 24 hours before freezing, then after thawing I usually will allow it another day or more to age in the fridge, before cooking.
Tips for preparing heritage chicken
The heritage meat types each require appropriate cooking methods. Far from being a disadvantage, this greatly expands culinary potential. But, after more than 50 years of supermarket chicken, most Americans don't know the first thing about cooking traditional birds. Modern cookbooks are designed for the commercial product. Generally speaking, the quality and flavor of chicken meat from historic breeds is going to be superb as long as it is understood that different ages require, or are best suited, to different cooking methods.
- Use the cooking method suited to the age of the bird. Very young birds can be broiled or grilled, as they are still quite tender, but baste them in oil or butter. Slightly older birds can be parted and fried, while roasters and stewing fowl have sufficient age to be really flavorful, but lower temperatures and moist cooking techniques are needed. The chart below offers a quick reference.
- A Dutch oven is an excellent tool for roasting a heritage-breed chicken. The large, heavy lidded pot is designed to retain moisture over long periods of oven cooking. Place the chicken, breast-side down to keep it moist, in the Dutch oven with quartered onions, garlic cloves, a cup of water or wine and some butter. Roast it for 30 minutes per pound at 325 degrees F.
- Stew on it. Heritage birds, particularly older birds, make excellent stewing chickens. Put a whole or cut-up chicken in a pot, add enough water to cover, and simmer on low heat for about one hour per pound. Do not allow the water to boil. As it cooks, the meat will fall off the bone, ready to be used in soups, casseroles and other recipes. Strain the resulting stock for all manner of use, as well. You can also use a slow cooker on low.
- Always remember Low & Slow. Experiment using heritage-breed chicken in your own recipes, but always cook it slowly, at a low temperature, with plenty of moisture. Don’t cut into it right away; let the chicken rest for 10 or so minutes after cooking so the juiciness is sealed into the tender meat.
Type |
Description |
Age |
Weight |
Cooking Method |
Broiler |
Young, small sized chicken |
7-12 weeks |
1 to 2 ½ lbs |
Broil, Grill, Roast |
Fryer |
Adolescent, smallish chicken |
14-20 weeks |
2 ½ to 4 lbs |
Broil, Fry, Roast |
Roaster |
A young adult chicken |
5-12 months |
4-8 lbs |
Roast, Poach, Fricassee |
Stewing Fowl |
Older, larger chicken |
12 months or older |
>4 lbs |
Stew, Fricassee |