What is the difference between a hen and a chicken? In terms of cooking, flavor, price, and anything else culinary related.
I have a recipe from James Peterson for chicken stock that asks for a chicken carcass and a stewing hen. So I'm wondering what the difference is. The problem is that my local grocery store only sells Cornish hens(I don't even know what a Cornish hen is.
Best Answer
What you're looking for is sometimes called a Heavy Hen.
In the supermarket, it will look much like a large roasting chicken, however the bones are larger and the meat is much tougher than chickens sold as roasters, broilers, or fryers.
Heavy hens aren't as common in supermarkets as are roasters, but if they have them, it should be labeled as a stewing chicken, stewing hen or a heavy hen. Ask your butcher, or someone in your store's meat department.
- Note that this is completely different from Cornish hens— they are tiny little birds by comparison, and not what you want for a stew.
If you can't find a heavy hen, you could substitute a large roasting chicken. There'll be a slight difference in the texture of meat, and the overall "chicken flavor" may be slightly less intense. Also, because a roasting chicken has smaller bones, there will be less gelatin released into the broth.
This may or may not make a difference in your recipe— but it won't be a big difference. A heavy hen might be preferable, but a roasting chicken will probably work just fine.
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Is there a difference in taste between chicken and a hen?
To most people, the taste gap between Cornish hen and chicken is negligible. While some think chicken has a stronger flavor, others maintain that you can't tell a difference.What is the difference between a chicken and a hen when cooking?
A chicken is a type of fowl that is commonly bred for its meat and eggs. A hen is just a mature female chicken over a year old and is one of several names given to chickens according to gender, age, and maturity.What is the difference between a chicken and a hen?
Just as we humans are a particular species within mammals. And just as humans are divided into male and female and children and adults, chickens are likewise. In this context, a man equals a \u201crooster\u201d and a woman equals a \u201chen\u201d. Both are generally chickens, but the names indicate their gender and that they are adults.What is the difference between a hen and a fryer?
The term "broiler" is mostly used for a young chicken, 6 to 10 weeks old, and is interchangeable and sometimes in conjunction with the term "fryer," for example "broiler-fryer." Fryer \u2014 The USDA defines a fryer chicken as between 7 and 10 weeks old and weighing between 2 1/2 and 4 1/2 pounds when processed.FULL CHICKEN ROAST | Whole Fried Chicken Recipe Cooking in village | Free Range Chicken Recipe
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Answer 2
Commercial egg producers only keep hens for their peak producing years. After that, they are deemed to old and are "repurposed." Being older, their meat is tougher, so they typically are packaged for use in slow-cooking dishes such as simmered soups and stews. Thus, "stewing hens." Chickens bred for meat are typically younger, more tender, and can be male or female; ergo, the use of the more general term "chicken."
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