Capons

[jayt90]

The topic of cooking a capon has come up in Cooking. A number of questions have been raised, some not answered:

Is this still a popular bird to cook in Europe?

Is there an AOC regulation for capons from specific areas?

How are they usually castrated in France? By hormone injection, or orchidectomy?

Has there been any concern about residual hormones in capons?

How do they compare in flavour, texture, tenderness etc. to large roasting hens?

[chefzadi]

Is this still a popular bird to cook in Europe?

All of Europe, I don't know.

Is there an AOC regulation for capons from specific areas?

Volailled de Bresse are the only AOC poultry

How are they usually castrated in France? By hormone injection, or orchidectomy?

Outside of Bresse, perhaps hormone injection, unless it's a free-range/all natural/hormone free producer. Coqs aren't hung like horses, it takes delicate hands to do this. I've never tried. In Bresse most likely surgical. Bresse poultry has to be all natural, no hormones.

I really don't know much about castrating capons with hormones.

Has there been any concern about residual hormones in capons?

I'm sure someone, somewhere is concerned about it. I haven't heard about it though.

How do they compare in flavour, texture, tenderness etc. to large roasting hens?

Capons have the most white meat and higher fat content. They are thought to have the most flavor and tenderness. It's the result of screwing with mother nature.

Edited March 17, 2005 by chefzadi (log)

[chefzadi]

French Poultry site.

Global poultry site with links..

[FaustianBargain]

Pictures

the page is titled "how to caponize a rooster" > dont be under any illusions about the graphic nature of the pictures.

also a dedicated website for capons.

Interesting to note that in Iowa, the chicks are castrated/de-sexed at three weeks. Everywhere, capons are castrated at 6-20 weeks. It seems.

edited to add:

The hormone known as diethylstilbestrol (DES) has been banned in Canada since 1973 and in the United States since 1979, after it was shown to be a carcinogen.

Before it was banned, DES was implanted in the necks of cockerels (capons) to effect an artificial castration and to shorten the time needed to achieve slaughter weight.

Edited March 17, 2005 by FaustianBargain (log)

[jayt90]

Thanks for these replies. I'm getting a better picture of de-sexing in North America and in Europe. It looks like hormones may have been forced out, and perhaps, never used in most small high quality farms.

I'm still puzzled by the (apparent) total ban on capons in the U.K.

However, when I buy one in a North American market, I'll still ask a few questions.

[artisanbaker]

holy shit that's so crazy! i've always know what a capon was but after seeing the pix it's just crazy.

i guess it's no different than what we did to my australian shepard (except we did not eat him of course).

[docsconz]

As an Anesthesiologist I found the utter lack of anesthesia very interesting. Also interesting was the relative lack of antisepsis other than an alcohol wipe. It also seemed as if the incision was not sutured closed. I wonder if this will be the next PETA target after foie gras

[FaustianBargain]

holy shit that's so crazy! i've always know what a capon was but after seeing the pix it's just crazy.

i guess it's no different than what we did to my australian shepard (except we did not eat him of course).

←

It took me a minute and two rereads to realise that your australian shepard is a dog and not a hunka burnin' ex-male shepherd from down under.