Do Heirloom Chickens and Eggs Taste Different

Question

Out of curiosity, do heirloom chicken breeds matter when cooking?  Can you really taste a difference between a good Bell and Evans chicken and some random French or Japanese breed?  Or is it diminishing returns?  On that note, I suppose the same question, but for eggs.

Lynn Clark · Accepted Answer

Hi Joshua - There is definitely a difference in flavor in heritage chicken breeds and, even, brands. That's due to their  respective genetics. But, it's also partly due to the fact that heritage chickens, unlike commercially-raised chickens, forage for food. So, depending on their location and the foods available there, the chicken will eat different things and, therefore, the meat will taste different. Similar to how terroir affects the flavor of wine. There's a good article from The Atlantic you can read about the distinct flavor differences in a chicken tasting the author did here. However, for eggs the same isn't entirely true. Any flavor differences in eggs are solely due to differences in the hen's diet. Flavor differences among breeds are just not noticeable in eggs. Best, The Milk Street Team

Do Heirloom Chickens and Eggs Taste Different

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