Hens and Cocks

[Sercial]

I was dining at the excellent Latium in London and there was a ravioli served in a hen broth, which was delicious. I'm sorry to forget the exact ingredients of the ravioli but it begs the question: what about a cock broth and what is the difference? My fellow diners were repulsed by this thought even though Coq a Vin (cock in wine) doesn't raise an eyebrow.

Does anyone really know the difference between the two chicken genders when it comes to cooking?

[ohev'ochel]

a good answer for your question (with a chart to boot!) is here: chicken & poultry differences

there is also a difference between types of North American & European chickens and how they are used, especially in France. The chicken ne plus ultra in France is poulet de Bresse.

In the end, most of the difference though is with the age of the bird and how much it weighs...

Le vrai coq au vin is classically made with a gamey older bird, i.e. le coq, or rooster. I don't think it has much use apart from being stewed in some fashion -- apart from the capon (an emasculated coq) being used for roasting.

[johnsmith45678]

The term "cock broth" would just never work - conjures up too many pornographic associations.

...Or perhaps it would work. ;P

[BigboyDan]

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

-- "cock broth" --

Oh, man... the English....

[Gigi4808]

Sounds very John Waters...

[Shalmanese]

One should endeavour to distinguish the difference between a hen party and a cock party.

[jsolomon]

I was dining at the excellent Latium in London and there was a ravioli served in a hen broth, which was delicious.  I'm sorry to forget the exact ingredients of the ravioli but it begs the question:  what about a cock broth and what is the difference?  My fellow diners were repulsed by this thought even though Coq a Vin (cock in wine) doesn't raise an eyebrow. 

Does anyone really know the difference between the two chicken genders when it comes to cooking?

←

Well, given that I don't think chicken sexuality matters as much here as chicken sex... I'm going to ignore the question you asked and answer the question you meant to ask.

If it is a well-raised chicken, i.e. one that scratched in the ground and ate bugs and the like, it may matter to some extent. However, if it is a supermarket-purchased, factory-farm-raised bird that has never had the chance to reproduce, there won't be a difference between the sexes.

[Pontormo]

In the new issue of Gourmet (August 2006), Ruhlman offers the cock and bull story:

The meat of bulls (vs. steers) is preferred in making Vienna Beef's hot dogs; it's said to have a "higher concentration of protein and more aggressive beef flavor than does cow meat." (p. 40)

[Sercial]

Thank you, ohev'ochel -- very informative!

[Bill Miller]

I was dining at the excellent Latium in London and there was a ravioli served in a hen broth, which was delicious.  I'm sorry to forget the exact ingredients of the ravioli but it begs the question:  what about a cock broth and what is the difference?  My fellow diners were repulsed by this thought even though Coq a Vin (cock in wine) doesn't raise an eyebrow. 

Does anyone really know the difference between the two chicken genders when it comes to cooking?

←

Well, given that I don't think chicken sexuality matters as much here as chicken sex... I'm going to ignore the question you asked and answer the question you meant to ask.

If it is a well-raised chicken, i.e. one that scratched in the ground and ate bugs and the like, it may matter to some extent. However, if it is a supermarket-purchased, factory-farm-raised bird that has never had the chance to reproduce, there won't be a difference between the sexes.

The truth is that the meat of the bull that goes into this product is old and tough, but also cheap--same principle as the horse and the glue facory. The bull is worn out.

←

[Bill Miller]

In the new issue of Gourmet (August 2006), Ruhlman offers the cock and bull story:

The meat of bulls (vs. steers) is preferred in making Vienna Beef's hot dogs; it's said to have a "higher concentration of protein and more aggressive beef flavor than does cow meat." (p. 40)

←

The real truth is that the meat of the bull that goes into this product is old and tough. It is also cheap. The bull is worn out. Same principle as the horse and the glue factory.

[Blue_Egg_Farmer]

I am not a cook but I do know about chickens.

Before the age of 16 weeks both young males ( cockerals) and females( pullets) are very similar in flavor.

After 16 weeks the birds begin to mature, the males (called cock or rooster now) will become stronger flavored ( more chickeny) and the meat tougher, usually too tough for eating and the skin much tougher - like leather, but still the male is a great ingredient for making very flavorful broths, soups, and the meat sometimes used chopped up small for meaty, chewy bits in things like pot pie.

The females ( now called hens) will remain milder in flavor than the male but more flavorful than a younger bird, have more fat than the males, will keep softer skin, but will also become alittle firmer but not inedible, so will make a fine slow roaster, soup, paprikash or stew.

[Pan]

When I was living in rural Malaysia, the chickens that were killed for food were more often cocks than hens, because hens lay eggs and thus are valuable for as long as they continue doing so, whereas one can do without some of the cocks and anyway, some of the eggs that were allowed to hatch grew up to be cocks, so people who kept chickens often had a few roosters around.

In any case, the roosters that were slaughtered were all adults several months to years old, and they were normally slow-cooked in curries and soups. As long as those muscular yardbirds were cooked long enough (a few hours), the meat was no longer tough but was highly flavorful. And these birds weren't chopped up into tiny pieces.