Is a chicken a chicken? (Bulk vs small quantities)

[Michael_in_TX]

I typically buy HEB's store-brand chicken. I am sure they source it from quite a few places, but it has generally always been good quality. For example, this pack of four chicken leg quarters sells for $5.15 (about 4 lbs):



However, on the very next shelf is this huge 10 lb bag of chicken leg quarters that sells for $5.95:



The reason this has entered my mind is that Bradley Robinson / Chud's BBQ recently did a video in which he purchased that exact 10 lb bag (he lives in Austin, so has a local HEB) and did a video with it. He had twelve leg quarters in his particular bag. They looked just fine on camera and seemed to cook up very well.

What's the catch? I thought it was sodium/brine, but the HEB brand as 95 mg/serving and up to 4% retained water......the bulk bag has 90 mg/serving and up to 6% retained water. Those seem similar enough to me to not make a practical difference.

The HEB brand says "fresh," but I know those are frozen when shipped to local stores as I've often had to wipe the ice off of them or defrost them sometimes.

So, what are some things I am not thinking about or have I really been ripping myself off all these years?

[STEbbq]

For your comparison here, chicken is chicken. Buy the big bag and portion it into separate bags if needed when you get home.

[Oak Smoke]

IMHO you know the answer already. It’s a wonderful deal. It’s why owning a freezer can be such a benefit to your food cost. We used to get something similar at Sam’s. They were flash frozen so you could take a couple or more out of the bag to cook and leave the rest frozen. Good stuff!

[Jerod Broussard]

There is a good chance that chicken could be from the same chicken plant.

Tray pack product will be sold as A Grade at times, bagged product is typically not. Bagged product can be a better deal since it has a minimum weight it must meet. Tray pack is either sold at a set price with a net weight range or sold at an exact net weight.

[Huskee]

This guy ^ knows his chicken packin'!

[yakima]

But the deeper question, for me, is how do you get leg quarters out of a 2 legged critter?

[Oak Smoke]

The only time I’ve seen that demonstrated John Madden did it with a turkey.

[Uncle Bob]

I would imagine that it's because chickens are typically broken down into four large pieces, two breast sections, two leg/thigh sections, and wings don't count for obscure reasons probably portion size/weight. I could go into automobile nomenclature and point out that the hind section is referred to as the quarter panel, but the corresponding front section is not.......but that's likely too obscure for most folks.

[Michael_in_TX]

I’ll be picking up the large bag! Looks like I’ll be using my vacsealer and chest freezer tonight!

[Jerod Broussard]

If I was voted US Chicken Industry Man I would do my best to wean the human population off of tray pack chicken.

[johnec00]

We've been getting the 5-6 dollar 10 pound bags of leg quarters for years. We remove the section of backbone for stock and the remaining drumstick/thigh either barbecued whole, or separate the drumstick and thigh. After trimming excess fat, probably left with at least 8 pounds plus the stock. Sometimes there will be a broken drumstick or something, but still a good price.

I've never bought the tray pack, so maybe the backbone is already removed???

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/food-recipes-techniques-show-us-what-youre-cooking/show-tell/145882-show-us-what-you-re-cooking-3-6-2016-through-11-7-2020?p=228302#post228302

[Jerod Broussard]

Depends. Technically a leg-quarter still has part of the back. A Whole Leg does not. If you read the specifics on some bags, a drumstick or thigh can be added to make weight. "A" meaning singular.

[Michael_in_TX]

I need to check to see if the back is still on on some of these.

[Michael_in_TX]

I guess I have been ripping myself off for years.

I got the large bag last night and I was surprised how large and consistent in size the leg quarter were. Moreover, they had the best skin coverage I've ever seen.

I pulled four out and got them dry brining for a cook tonight and vac-sealed and froze the rest!

[Huskee]

I've had a similar "is chicken a chicken" question when I would notice (when grilling up whole chickens) some chicken skin would be tough, thick, and rubbery and wouldn't crisp up regardless of my efforts, and other times it crisped up and seemed thinner and 'better'. I had asked the question some years ago if there are different breeds of meat chickens used across the US, with one or two having different skin thicknesses, and maybe I'd gotten some from each kind...or maybe older/younger chicken carries this difference...or maybe it was all in my head.

[Jerod Broussard]

Like brisket, they ain't widgets. You can look at a line of chickens and they all look exactly the same. Then you take a closer look and there is more variation than once perceived. Never heard of a large company having a specific breed. More like a number, for example a Cobb 500.

[FireMan]

A chicken isn’t chicken when it’s more than just chicken if’n it has extra goodies in like chemicals that are difficult to pronounce or unnerstan.

[smokenoob]

A chicken isn’t chicken if it’s frog, but then it tastes just like chicken!

[jfmorris]

I've bought those bags of leg quarters at Walmart or Kroger a few times, and always forget about them. They are a good deal, and grilled up chicken leg quarters, old school with a brushing of BBQ sauce, are one of my favorite cooks. I'm feeling a chicken cook coming on soon....