Black chicken

Stopped at a poultry store today that's run by Chinese folks. Along with the pullets, the duck, and the pheasants, there was "black chicken". It's exactly what it says it is - whole chickens with skin that looks like it was soaked in black ink. I went ahead and picked one up, thinking I would roast it tonight. A little research seems to show that these are better done braised or in soup as they tend to be tough otherwise.

Anyone ever tried cooking one of these?

Well, these chickens are said to be more alert than other types of chickens, and very much a delicacy in China. Let us know how you cooked it and what it was like.

It's not hard to be more alert than your average chicken. The fowl species isn't noted for its IQ.

-Paul W.

There are hundreds of breeds of chickens. With more being added all the time. Many have different colored skins and feathers (you're going to have some deeper coloration where the feathers were plucked). The leghorn has been so widely bred precisely because its skin has no real color to it.

[Jenise]

Never cooked one myself. Did you know the bones are black, too? I asked a Chinese friend about them once--I used to see them at the Vietnamese markets in Westminster all the time--and she said they're basically "sick food", something her mom only made when one of the kids was sick (not that they're not good enough to eat more often, she said they are, but they were more expensive and growing up quite poor, it was a splurge only opted for as part of Chinese medicine).

I just googled them to learn what properties they supposedly have, and it's interesting. It's "related to the bird's high levels of anti-oxidants. An anti-oxidant is a molecule that slows down the oxidation of other chemicals in the human body. Although oxidation is essential to human life, antioxidants help to keep the process at a healthy level. The specific antioxidant present in black chickens is carnosine. Carnosine is a substance found in high concentrations in the human brain and muscle tissues. This substance holds many antioxidant properties which are currently being studied for their positive effects in the fields of auditory, speech skills, motor development, and opthamology. The levels of carnosine in a black chicken are two times higher than those in traditional chickens. Historically the chicken was eaten as a medicinal cure and is said to have a positive effect on the yin, blood, lungs and stomach....The taste of the black chicken is thought by some to be sweeter than that of traditional chicken, while others claim they taste no difference at all. The black chicken can be cooked is all the same fashions as the traditional chicken, but some believe the coarser texture of the meat leads toward stewing of the black chicken meat more frequently than other cooking methods."

Well, these chickens are said to be more alert than other types of chickens, and very much a delicacy in China. Let us know how you cooked it and what it was like.

I suppose I was interested in that fact because I grew up with chickens and some were really dumb. Others became pets, followed me around and liked to play "chase". I tried to figure out if color had anything to do with it, seemed the dumb ones were usually white.....but I think grandfather had mostly white ones. An occasional delivery would have a really colorful one in the batch, probably one that ran in at the last minute and it was not cost effective to chase it down.

The leghorn has been so widely bred precisely because its skin has no real color to it.

Leghorns were and are widely bred because of their egg laying abilities not because of skin color. They are not a meat bird.

Never cooked one myself. Did you know the bones are black, too? I asked a Chinese friend about them once--I used to see them at the Vietnamese markets in Westminster all the time--and she said they're basically "sick food", something her mom only made when one of the kids was sick (not that they're not good enough to eat more often, she said they are, but they were more expensive and growing up quite poor, it was a splurge only opted for as part of Chinese medicine).

I just googled them to learn what properties they supposedly have, and it's interesting. It's "related to the bird's high levels of anti-oxidants. An anti-oxidant is a molecule that slows down the oxidation of other chemicals in the human body. Although oxidation is essential to human life, antioxidants help to keep the process at a healthy level. The specific antioxidant present in black chickens is carnosine. Carnosine is a substance found in high concentrations in the human brain and muscle tissues. This substance holds many antioxidant properties which are currently being studied for their positive effects in the fields of auditory, speech skills, motor development, and opthamology. The levels of carnosine in a black chicken are two times higher than those in traditional chickens. Historically the chicken was eaten as a medicinal cure and is said to have a positive effect on the yin, blood, lungs and stomach....The taste of the black chicken is thought by some to be sweeter than that of traditional chicken, while others claim they taste no difference at all. The black chicken can be cooked is all the same fashions as the traditional chicken, but some believe the coarser texture of the meat leads toward stewing of the black chicken meat more frequently than other cooking methods."

The flavor of chicken flesh is dependent upon the diet. For example, I used to feed some of my chickens a few weeks before butchering in the fall all the apples they could eat. The flavor came through in the eggs as well as in the meat.

This evening I took the one I have, cut off the feet and head, quartered it, and poached it in chicken broth flavored with 5 spice, ginger, garlic, and rice wine. Once it was done, it went in with some red curry paste, more ginger, more garlic, coconut milk, and some of the strained broth. (Which is all from a recipe on the NY Times website.) We'll have it tomorrow over rice and I'll report back. This preparation will obviously mask the flavor of the meat but it seems that most recipes for this type of chicken do so.

Ate the black chicken curry this evening. Since my older daughter's boyfriend was a surprise guest, we threw in some regular chicken that I poached in the 5-spice broth before mixing it in with the curry.

The verdict? Well, the black chicken wasn't particularly distinctive. There was a gamy edge to the sauce that I think it probably contributed but overall it really wasn't all that different from any other chicken. Texture-wise, it was a little bit tougher than the plain old chicken but not to an unpleasant extent.

So overall, it was worth trying but probably not something I'll revisit any time soon.

The leghorn has been so widely bred precisely because its skin has no real color to it.

Leghorns were and are widely bred because of their egg laying abilities not because of skin color. They are not a meat bird.

You're absolutely right. I knew the primary breed available in supermarkets was white. I should have checked a little further. They are Cobb-Ventress stock, mostly White Rocks.

Well, the black chicken wasn't particularly distinctive. There was a gamy edge to the sauce that I think it probably contributed but overall it really wasn't all that different from any other chicken. Texture-wise, it was a little bit tougher than the plain old chicken but not to an unpleasant extent.

Sounds like a good candidate for coq au vin. Maybe it would have had even more flavor with different elevage.

It's not hard to be more alert than your average chicken. The fowl species isn't noted for its IQ.
-Paul W.

It seems to differ between breeds (or individuals?) too. Once a hawk swooped down over our little 3 chicken flock. The Black Australorp ducked under cover immediately, raising a ruckus. The Buff Orpington wandered around on the lawn, wondering what all the fuss was about. Probably would have been dinner if we hadn't been there.

[Robin Garr]

It's not hard to be more alert than your average chicken. The fowl species isn't noted for its IQ.

It seems to differ between breeds (or individuals?) too.

Also a somewhat discredited old theory. From a recent report in the NY Times' weekly Science Times:

Minds of Their Own: Birds Gain Respect
By SANDRA BLAKESLEE
February 1, 2005

Birdbrain has long been a colloquial term of ridicule. The common notion is that birds' brains are simple, or so scientists thought and taught for many years. But that notion has increasingly been called into question as crows and parrots, among other birds, have shown what appears to be behavior as intelligent as that of chimpanzees.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/01/science/01bird.html

In France, they have a famous breed of White Chicken. I cooked one in Paris 5 years ago. It was tasty, moist, and wonderful with a mixture of wild mushrooms.

The leghorn has been so widely bred precisely because its skin has no real color to it.

Leghorns were and are widely bred because of their egg laying abilities not because of skin color. They are not a meat bird.

You're absolutely right. I knew the primary breed available in supermarkets was white. I should have checked a little further. They are Cobb-Ventress stock, mostly White Rocks.

I believe almost all the meat bird crosses raided commercially started with a White Rock/White Cornish Cross. White Rocks are tall large birds. Cornish are short feisty birds with very large breasts. The Rock/Cornish cross produced a bird that was extra meaty and grew quite fast.

Astralorp is the black feathered Australian Chicken that is a tremendous egg layer. As I recall it has a white skin. Black Cochins are a tall featherfooted breed. They still have light skins.

I emailed Murray Mcmurray Hatchery to see if they can provide any information. They are the largest, most well known and perhaps the oldest hatchery specializing in all the various breeds of chicken. If you want fun reading go to their web site and order a catalog. It has pictures and information on all the various breeds they carry. When my son was growing up we spent many an early winter night studying the catalog and planning what we would order for the year. As a boy my son won an open class blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair with a White Cochin Rooster. We both still love chickens and wish we lived someplace where we could raise them again.

Solved!!!All Silky Bantams have black skins..The fellow I spoke with at Murray McMurray's did not know if there are non-bantam Silkys.

Leghorns were and are widely bred because of their egg laying abilities not because of skin color. They are not a meat bird.

You're absolutely right. I knew the primary breed available in supermarkets was white. I should have checked a little further. They are Cobb-Ventress stock, mostly White Rocks.[/quote]I believe almost all the meat bird crosses raided commercially started with a White Rock/White Cornish Cross. White Rocks are tall large birds. Cornish are short feisty birds with very large breasts. The Rock/Cornish cross produced a bird that was extra meaty and grew quite fast.

Astralorp is the black feathered Australian Chicken that is a tremendous egg layer. As I recall it has a white skin. Black Cochins are a tall featherfooted breed. They still have light skins.

I emailed Murray Mcmurray Hatchery to see if they can provide any information. They are the largest, most well known and perhaps the oldest hatchery specializing in all the various breeds of chicken. If you want fun reading go to their web site and order a catalog. It has pictures and information on all the various breeds they carry. When my son was growing up we spent many an early winter night studying the catalog and planning what we would order for the year. As a boy my son won an open class blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair with a White Cochin Rooster. We both still love chickens and wish we lived someplace where we could raise them again.

I've kept chickens on a couple of occasions, small flocks, about two dozen each time. Barred Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. I got tons of eggs from both. I'm considering getting back into it. Much smaller flock this time, say, six.

I've kept chickens on a couple of occasions, small flocks, about two dozen each time. Barred Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. I got tons of eggs from both. I'm considering getting back into it. Much smaller flock this time, say, six.

Both are heavy breeds that are pretty calm and lay good sized eggs. I really miss having chickens. When my kids were growing up we raised and "processed" about 60-75 a year.

A couple of weeks ago my daughter in answering a question of mine really shocked a friend. Both of them beside eating a little fish, seafood, and dairy are vegetarians. As we were riding along in my daughter's car the discussion came to the topic of raising your own food. I asked my daughter if she still could take a plucked bird and have it cleaned and cut up in less than three minutes. She replied in the affirmative. Her mother as I recall could do it in less than 2! When that time of year came we would do about 20 at a time. Any more made it seem like work!

It is a thing of beauty to see a really fresh egg "stand up" in a frying pan.