BEING TOUGH'S NO WAY TO WIN THIS GAME OF CHICKEN.

Byline: Cook's Illustrated 

Let's face it. Chicken has gotten a bad rap lately.

While much of the negative press is surely deserved, we wondered if there was some good news about chicken. After all, chicken is now America's No. 1 meat. Per-capita annual consumption has doubled in the past 20 years to more than 70 pounds. We would like to think that at least some of this chicken is worth eating.

We were interested, in particular, in birds from smaller operations, many of which employ the animal-raising practices of past generations. While we applaud the principles of the back-to-basics movement, we wondered if you could taste the difference. In other words, is it worth spending the time and money to purchase a specialty chicken? The answer is a thunderous yes.

For this article, we pitted four of the leading supermarket chickens against some of the most widely available premium chickens. The results were extremely consistent. Out of a field of nine, the supermarket chickens took fifth, sixth, eighth and ninth places. The top four birds were all specialty brands.

Because chicken is so perishable, until fairly recently it was a local product. But during the 1980s, corporate mergers led to consolidation in the business and to the creation of two national brands. Tyson, which recently folded Holly Farms into its operations, and Country Pride, owned by food giant ConAgra, are the nation's largest poultry companies (in the order mentioned). Their chickens are available in almost every state. In our tasting, these birds were joined by Perdue, the largest brand in the East, and Foster Farms, the most popular chicken in California. (Perdue is the fourth-largest poultry company in the country; Foster Farms is eighth.)

With the exception of the Foster Farms chicken, the supermarket entries received uniformly negative reviews. Most were so bad, panelists said they would rather swear off chicken than eat these tasteless, rubbery birds. We don't put much stock in the notion that bigger is better, at least in the poultry business.

So why did specialty chickens dominate our tasting? There are a number of possible answers. Most small companies have invested heavily in livestock gene pool development. Some companies (D'Artagnan and La Belle Rouge) make sure that their birds have access to the outdoors, with freedom to wander a fenced-in area or stay inside as they wish. Most boutique chicken companies rely on better feeds (D'Artagnan uses a certified organic feed) and shy away from antibiotics and growth stimulants (D'Artagnan and La Belle Rouge chickens are raised without them).

Other companies point to better processing (La Belle Rouge uses a European air-chilling system that it says reduces bacterial contamination caused by traditional warm-water processing baths; Empire uses cold-water processing and soaks chickens in a salt solution for about one hour to remove much of the blood). And all of these smaller companies "grow out" their birds for eight or nine weeks, instead of slaughtering at six or seven weeks like the industry giants.

According to Scott Sechler, president of Bell & Evans, the oldest chicken company in America and producers of the No. 1 chicken in our survey, many other poultry companies look for the "least-cost formulated diets," which change as market prices for various ingredients fluctuate. By constantly tinkering with the feed to take advantage of changing commodity prices, large poultry companies can keep costs down. However, Sechler is interested in the feed that will produce the best-tasting chickens, not the cheapest. "We have found what we think is the best feed, and we don't change the formula every week."

Just as important, says Sechler, is the handling after processing. Most large poultry companies prepackage birds before shipping, which supermarkets like because it cuts down on their labor costs. The problem is that shrink-wrapped birds cannot "weep" - a natural process whereby blood and fluids slowly drain from the bird. Therefore, many supermarket chickens are shipped frozen at 28 degrees F to prevent moisture from accumulating in the packages.

While shopping for this article, we ran across several "fresh" birds that were frozen in spots and still defrosting in the butcher case.

In contrast, Bell & Evans ships chickens loose on ice in 40-pound boxes at a temperature that never dips below 34 degrees F. As Bell & Evans chickens make their way from the processing plant to the supermarket, blood and fluids are lost, reducing the net weight and hence the price per bird that Bell & Evans receives from retailers. But weeping, or the lack thereof, has a major effect on flavor. "Weeping improves the flavor," said Sechler. "If the blood and fluids coagulate and freeze in the chicken, you can taste it."

In addition to this more expensive shipping method, Bell & Evans insists on making three to six deliveries per week to every store it supplies. "We don't want our chickens to spend days on end in the case," said Sechler. Some companies claim that their birds have a shelf-life of 12 or 14 days after processing. For example, we recently saw chickens that had traveled from Arkansas to Connecticut and had "sell by" dates that were still eight days away.

Sechler says common sense dictates that a 10-day-old chicken won't taste as good as one that is sold no more than a couple of days after processing, like Bell & Evans'.

While Bell & Evans was the clear winner of the tasting, the next three brands (Empire Kosher, D'Artagnan and La Belle Rouge) were separated by a total of only one point in the scoring, and all are worth seeking out. If you cannot find one of the top-rated chickens in your area, you should still make an effort to purchase a local or regional premium brand. Small poultry farms - where attention to quality, not quantity - comes first, are in operation from coast to coast. Check out butcher shops, specialty markets and health-food stores, if your supermarket offerings are meager.

Except for the Rocky (which averages 5-1/2 to 6 pounds), all chickens weighed between 3-1/2 and 4 pounds before cooking. Each bird was roasted plain, without fat or seasonings, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Half of each bird was carved, and the rest of the meat was left on the carcass so panelists could judge the bird's overall appearance. Tasters were served bread and water to clean their palates and were given access to salt.

The blind tasting was held at Restaurant Jean-Louis in Greenwich, Conn. In addition to the restaurant's chef/owner Jean-Louis Gerin, the panel included Ren Chardain, a retired French chef who ran a number of restaurants in New York; cookbook author and food writer Brooke Dojny; Bob Zemmel, chef/owner of Alforno in Old Saybrook, Conn.; Linda Giuca, food editor of the Hartford Courant; Dawn McLoughlin, butcher shop manager at Hay Day Country Market in Westport, Conn.; Karen Tack, former test kitchen director at Cook's and a food stylist; Chris Tack, a chef for the Seagram Corporation; Mark Bittman, executive editor of Cook's Illustrated; and 16-year-old Kate Bittman, Mark's daughter.

Judges were asked to rank their top five choices. Five points were awarded for each first-place vote, four for second, three for third, two for fourth, and one for fifth. The first five chickens garnered mostly positive comments from tasters; the last four chickens received mostly negative comments.

The origin of each chicken, in most cases the location of the farm, is indicated in the listings; leading poultry processors have facilities in several states to service different parts of the country, so the headquarters location is given. Per pound prices are for birds purchased in supermarkets in Connecticut, New York and California, as well as mail-order prices, where applicable. Prices will vary, and most brands have a limited distribution area.

RATINGS:

1. Bell & Evans, the Excellent Chicken (Pennsylvania), $1.59 a pound; 32 points.

Pale white skin described as "rough" and "a bit chewy, but not unpleasant." Many tasters noted "real chicken" flavor in both dark and light meat. "More like an old-fashioned chicken," wrote one panelist. Another thought the flavor brought this bird "fairly close to wild game." Somewhat tough texture deemed an asset by most panelists, with comments like "chewy in a pleasant, meaty way" and "wonderfully firm."

Available in better supermarkets and butcher shops from Boston to Atlanta and as far west as Chicago. Call [phone] for information on retail outlets in your area.

2. Empire Kosher, Fresh Young Broiler Chicken (Pennsylvania), $1.99 a pound; 26 points.

Yellowish tinge to skin. Breast and leg meat are "very moist" and "juicy without being too fatty." Some tasters felt that the strong salt taste (which was noticed by all 11 tasters) overpowered the natural chicken flavor. "A tad too salty" or "maybe no chicken flavor to begin with," they said. Others reacted more positively to salting - "excellent bird," wrote one admirer.

Available in selected supermarkets and butcher shops nationwide. Call [phone] for information on retail sources in your area. Empire birds are shipped frozen to many markets, so look in the freezer case if none are available fresh.

3. D'Artagnan, Fresh Free Range Young Natural Chicken (Pennsylvania), $2.95 a pound; 26 points.

Very pale color elicited diverse comments, from "very pretty" and "looks real" to "pinkish" and "unattractive." Texture gets raves - "breast is extremely moist," "leg meat is buttery." Mild chicken flavor too faint for some, while others detected "a hint of sweetness." Many tasters felt this chicken was a "toned-down" version of the gamier Bell & Evans. D'Artagnan chickens are raised without antibiotics or growth stimulants and are fed only organically raised grains.

Available in selected retail outlets mainly in the Northeast, but with limited distribution in California and the South. Also available by mail for price listed above plus shipping. Call [phone] for information on retail sources in your area or to place an order.

4. La Belle Rouge, Free Range Chicken (Kentucky), $2.50 a pound; 25 points.

White skin is "rather pale" but flesh is "moist and buttery." Dark meat is "unctuous but not fatty" with "unusually good" texture. Most tasters felt flavor was "stronger than most." Although this chicken received only one first-place vote, eight panelists placed it among their favorites. La Belle Rouge chickens are raised without antibiotics or growth stimulants.

Available in specialty stores and butcher shops east of the Mississippi, with limited distribution to the West Coast and Colorado. Call [phone] for information on retail sources in your area.

5. Foster Farms, Fresh Young Chicken (California), $1.08 a pound; 23 points.

Highest-rated supermarket chicken proves that not all "big birds" are losers. Skin has yellowish but not unnatural tinge. White meat called "tough" by some tasters, but consistency of dark meat gets better marks. "Decent chicken flavor" that is "mild but sweet." This bird was judged to be "a typical, good chicken."

Widely available in supermarkets in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Hawaii.

6. Tyson, Fresh Young Chicken (Arkansas headquarters), $.79 a pound; 14 points.

America's No. 1 chicken drew only faint praise. Skin is "gray" and "anemic-looking," although two panelists appreciated its "irregularities." White meat is "squeaky" and "rubbery." Several complained about "sour," "funny" or "musky" flavor, while others simply found the bird to be "bland" and "boring." Most favorable comment - "OK, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it."

Widely available in supermarkets nationwide.

7. Rocky, the Range Chicken (California), $1.99 a pound; 7 points.

"Golden, buttery-looking skin." Both white and dark meats are "too dry" and "mealy." One tester wrote that "the meat is so lean it's stringy." Flavor gets higher marks than texture, especially the dark meat, which is described as "lively," but many panelists were underwhelmed by this "bland" and "tasteless" entry. The Rocky chicken is raised without antibiotics, animal products or growth enhancers.

Available in specialty stores and butcher shops in the West, with limited distribution to major cities in the East. Call [phone] for information on retail sources in your area.

8. Country Pride, Fresh Frying Chicken (Arkansas headquarters), $1.19 a pound; 7 points.

Light golden skin covers "coarse," "grainy" and "dry" white meat. Leg meat is described as "tough" and "rubbery." Flavor is "almost nonexistent" in the breast and only "slightly better" in the leg. This "plain" bird, the second-best-selling chicken in the country, was snubbed by all but a few panelists who placed it at the bottom of their list of favorites.

Widely available in supermarkets nationwide.

9. Perdue, Fresh Young Chicken (Maryland headquarters), $1.49 a pound; 2 points.

"Even the flesh is yellow" on this golden-skinned bird. Texture is worst of the lot - "gag, really dry," "chalky" and "way too dry." Tasters had a number of unsavory adjectives for the flavor - "metallic," "commercial," "fake butter" and "missing in action." This popular bird makes us wonder why people eat chicken at all. As one taster wrote, "I'd rather give up chicken than have this for dinner."

Widely available in supermarkets east of the Mississippi.

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Photo Raised and packaged with attention to flavor, Bell & Evans chicken ranked No. 1 in a recent taste test conducted by Cook's Illustrated magazine. Cook's Illustrated