Does size matter?

[Finster]

No. Not that... 🙄
But now that I have your attention...

I'm relatively new to cooking whole chickens. I've noticed that there can be quite a variance in the weights of whole birds at the grocery store.
I've seen the weights range anywhere from 4 lbs to close to 8 lbs. Does it matter? Is there any difference other than larger birds would take longer to cook?
So far, for the ones that I have purchased, I've tended toward the smaller sizes as they are still large enough for my needs.

Anyone have a preference either way, and if so why?

What say you??

[captainlee]

I've cooked all sizes and to me it doesn't matter. I've had occasional issues with birds of all sizes meaning some are just tuff. I try to buy the largest one available as we can get two dinners and possibly enough for a chicken salad sandwich. I smoke at least two whole birds a month.

[bbqLuv]

"Does size matter?
No. Not that... 🙄
But now that I have your attention..."

Click Bait, Click Bait, Click Bait,

I read headline, so great? Designed to entice and inflate. I clicked to find, but I left it behind, but it did irritate.

Bing Videos

[Finster]

thanks. will watch the vid later

[Donw]

Usually the difference in size and weight in commercially grown chickens is just a matter of a few weeks. They are hatched specifically from fast growing species. Even the larger ones are only about 2 or so months old when processed so they haven’t lived long enough to have effects on the quality of their meat. Now your 3 or 4 year old backyard chicken is a whole different matter.

[bbqLuv]

I prefer chickens 4lbs. or larger to cook "beer can (PBR Tall Boy) chicken".

[realdocBBQ]

I like to get 'em as large as I can, reasonably so. I've taken to doing at least two, sometimes 4 or 6 at a time. I love doing pulled chikkin, parceling it out and freezing, as we eat a LOT of chikkin in tacos, nachos, even did chikkin taco soup recently, which was good. Pulled chkkin enchiladas, all kinds of stuff. Have done a few chikkin bakes with chikkin, ham, a cream and garlic sauce and some potatoes as a casserole-type thing. It's just so versatile, at least for our purposes. Not to mention the old standby of chikkin salad.

I've never noticed any difference in the meat when it comes to sizes of the birds. Maybe our resident chikkin industry expert will check in here pretty soon.

Doing 4 or 6 chikkins at once is fine in the drum or offset, but dang, spending all the time pulling the meat off of those is a PITA. lol

[Finster]

that is a lot of meat pulling....lol

I presume you also make stock from said chikkens?
I do save bones for making stock. I use it selectively though, as not everything I use it for tastes right with the smokey/grilled flavor..

[negolien]

No. Not that... 🙄
But now that I have your attention...

I'm relatively new to cooking whole chickens. I've noticed that there can be quite a variance in the weights of whole birds at the grocery store.
I've seen the weights range anywhere from 4 lbs to close to 8 lbs. Does it matter? Is there any difference other than larger birds would take longer to cook?
So far, for the ones that I have purchased, I've tended toward the smaller sizes as they are still large enough for my needs.

Anyone have a preference either way, and if so why?

What say you??

larger birds tend to be harder to overcook. /shrug

[bbqLuv]

Larger chicken as harder to overcook.
Interesting as I never thought of that.

[Dan Deter]

Since I'm usually doing 2 at once on the rotisserie, I try to get them close to the same size so they'll both be ready around the same time. Other than that, no, I've never noticed any difference from size.

[Finster]

that's good advice in case I ever double up. thanks

[Smoke em if you got em]

It used to be that the stores offered a choice years ago. The smaller ones were called “fryers” and the larger ones called “broilers”. Too bad those choices went away. I also wish there was some competition out there for Cornish Game Hens.

[Finster]

I still see the Fryer term on occasion, broiler/roaster not as much anymore

[shify]

I'm the opposite of everyone else so far. I prefer the smaller birds and try to get one around 4lbs or so i I can find it.

The white meat is my least favorite part of a chicken and the bigger birds tend to have a higher ratio of white meat. I also find the breast tend to be a bit woodier and easier to dry out. I know its not exactly the same but I'd always get two 4 lb birds over one 8 lb'er

[Starsky]

The chickens at my local butcher are smaller than those in the stores, but his are locally sourced and not injected with hormones. At my local store I choose Halal chickens for the same reason.

[Jerod Broussard]

Few things:

1. Two Whole Birds that are much different in size (2+ pounds), can in fact be the same age. Due to their short growth period, a bird that falls behind early will typically stay behind. The time for compensatory growth is not there. We have 5 pound birds on the line all day amongst 7+ pound birds. I can eat all I want, I ain't gettin' out the 150's. Some chickens may have a similar metabolism.

2. Federal law prohibits the use of added hormones and steroids in poultry. These two are tested for under the National Residue Program Sampling, along with 16 other potential residues.

3. I prefer a bit smaller bird.

[CandySueQ]

I buy chicken by brand -- Springer Mountain Farms -- which I am very lucky to find whole birds at a locally owned grocery store. Cooked one yesterday on the Jumbo Joe that weighed in at 2.5 pounds. Spatchcocked it and used the SNS charcoal thingy. When done, sauced it heavily put in a ziplock bag to deliver to a friend this morning (who was very happy not to have to eat PBJ for lunch!).

Springer Mountain Farms is a Georgia company.

[Purc]

Had that brand quite often when I lived in Chattanooga, TN

[jfmorris]

I used to cook a lot more chicken, typically split or whole, than I do lately, but prefer the 3 to 4 pound birds one the 5-6 pound or larger ones. Too much white meat and I feel the larger ones are a little tougher.

My favorite way to cook chicken is probably split - I buy whole chickens, and split them myself. 20+ years ago I could buy chickens at Publix or even Sam's and get the butcher to split them for me, but its hard to find anyone willing to do that now, so I just have at it with my poultry sheers. They work a little more safely than my old meat cleaver method did.

It is hard to find the smaller < 5 pound birds these days, as I feel a lot of them go to the restaurant market. Think about all the BBQ joints that offer half and quarter chicken plates. That smoked chicken is NOT the 5 pound birds, but something in the 2-3 pound range I think.

[mrteddyprincess]

You can find capons in the freezer section (castrated roosters). They approach the size of a small turkey and that makes for some good eating if you have a larger crowd coming.

B

[Murdy]

I've seen capons at Wild Fork from time to time.