Chicken tastes fishy

[jstrause]

We recently started buying most of our meats from a local farm. Overall, the meat has been excellent, however, my wife and I have noticed that the skin of the chicken has a slight fishy taste after cooking. Its not necessarily a bad taste but it is noticeable. I usually dry brine and this seems to intensify the flavor. Has anyone ever experienced this? And is there a way I could minimize it? I've never had this taste from regular grocery store chicken.

[rickgregory]

Obviously, it's Chicken Of The Sea®.

I've actually never run into this. Are you rinsing it? Have you asked the farmer? The only thing I can think of is that its a feed issue where something is concentrating in the fat and skin is, proportionately, fatty.

[Jerod Broussard]

Are they feeding any kind of cod liver oil supplement.

https://forum.thepoultrysite.com/discussion/5122/why-cider-vinegar-and-cod-liver-oil

[jstrause]

Obviously, it's Chicken Of The Sea®.

I've actually never run into this. Are you rinsing it? Have you asked the farmer? The only thing I can think of is that its a feed issue where something is concentrating in the fat and skin is, proportionately, fatty.

I don't rinse - I'll try that! I tried not dry brining and that drastically decreased the taste, but the meat was not as good.

We will ask the farmer next time we order. I don't know if it has something to do with the age of the chicken or what they are fed. They are all pastured and fed a non soy/corn diet.

[Jerod Broussard]

Be careful rinsing, it does more to contaminate sink areas with pathogen containing micro-droplets.

[jstrause]

Are they feeding any kind of cod liver oil supplement.

https://forum.thepoultrysite.com/dis...-cod-liver-oil

Thanks. I will ask next time we order. That sounds like it could definitely have an impact.

[LDimick]

A few years ago I was caravaning with my father in law through central Utah. We pulled over and we stood in front of his car talking. He asked me if I noticed the smell of fish on the grill. He said it was from the flies that we had hit. The smell/taste of fish comes from their food.

My bet is that there is some sort of additive to the chicken or they eat a lot of bugs

[jstrause]

Interesting. I read something about some grass finished beef having a fishy taste in the fat due to increased levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. Maybe the same thing going on with the pastured chickens.

[Alabama Smoke]

Are you frying in fish grease? Are you using an iron pan ( or any pan that will absorb smells) to cook the chicken in that you have used to cook fish? Or does the farmer process fish on the same table he prepares chicken?

[jerrybell]

jstrause Like Alabama Smoke I was wondering about the cooking oil also. I believe some of the cooking oil spray we use smells like fish when I spray it into a hot pan. It doesn't seem to impart a fish taste to the food I cook with it though.

[jstrause]

No fish grease or any other exposure to fish that I know of!

I had been cooking the chickens indoors but tonight I did one on the kettle and we didn't notice the fish taste at all. Its a good reason to keep the grill going throughout the winter!