Feast! Fine Foods

site navigator

• About Feast
• Christmas Orders
• Our Quality Products
• Selection & usage tips
• Wine & produce Partners
• Savour
• Restaurants
• Where to purchase
• Overseas enquires

Selection and usage tips

POULTRY

The most critical factor in any selection of meat is trust. Trust in the person selling you the meat and trust in the farmer who grew it in the first place. We welcome questions from our customers about how our meat has been produced and about the people who grow it for us.

Breed:-There are a huge range of poultry breeds, however apart from in ducks most poultry sold in Australia is derived from commercial hybrids

Feed:- All poultry sold in Australia is grain fed. However a small portion of it is reared "free range" and has access to some grass to supplment their diet. Predominate grains fed to poultry are wheat or corn. Some free range chicken suppliers feed 100% vegetarian diets with no added meat meal to their chickens. Something to watch out for is slightly "fishy" tasting chicken this is a sign fishmeal has been added to the diet

Ageing:-Poultry doesn't age very well and if stored in a domestic fridge it should be used within a day or two of purchase or it should be frozen. In our commercial grade coolrooms we can get an overall shelf life for our free range chicken of 8 days from date of processing as a fresh product. Check the packed on date from the poultry you buy to ensure you are getting a fresh product.

Meat Colour:- Poultry can have subtle changes in meat colour depending on the feed it is fed. Corn fed chicken is a pale yellow in colour. Look out for supermarket corn fed chicken which is bright yellow - this shade is achieved by feeding the chickens yellow dye to colour the meat!!

Size :- The modern chicken is grown from birth to market in 6 weeks and as such has little time to develop much in the way of flavou. Free range chickens take another 3-4 weeks to reach the same weight but even then taking the bird out to heavier weights above 2.5kg will give a fuller flavoured bird.

Fat :- Lean breast meat is a very good source of lean protein. However it does in general lack flavour due to the lack of fat and young age of the modern factory farmed chicken. If you are looking for a more flavoursome option then skinless breast meat from larger free range chickencan deliver that lean protein hit with some real flavour.

Bones:- Meat on the bone has that extra special flavour whatever cooking method you choose. Poultry is no different from all the other meat but again it doesn't keep as well and should be frozen if you are not intending to use it shortly after purchase.

 

...... back to Selection Guide