How to ask?

[Onlooker]

I found this great recipe that I would like to make:

http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/07/049282.shtml

which makes it clear "please don't use a broiling chicken for this dish, it bears no relationship to the flavour of a cock" (which I've read elsewhere as well).

But, I really don't want to call around and ask stores if they sell cock. Any suggestions?

[hobbit709]

1. Don't tempt me with that question.

You could ask if they had any roosters.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

2. :rofl:

You want a capon. And you want a real capon. A desexed male birdie. You have to read the package carefully to make sure that's what you're getting.

So call & ask for a KAY-pan. Not a KAH-pone or a KAY-poney or a kah-PONE.

[Warpy]

3. Basically, you'll want either an older chicken

or a capon, which is a rooster, castrated and then allowed to mature to a good size.

Broilers have a lifespan of about 6 weeks and are slaughtered at about 3-4 pounds. You can check the age of a chicken by pressing on the back of the breast bone. In a broiler, it's all cartilage and will give easily. It turns into bone as the chicken ages and will be all bone and rigid in a stewing hen and have very little give in a 6 pound capon, something that is sold as your basic roaster.

Coq au vin is a recipe that was developed to tenderize a tough old bird by the use of wine and long cooking. Although you can do a respectable knockoff with a broiler, you'll just be unable to develop the depth of flavor that long, slow cooking achieves. A broiler will turn into mush with that kind of treatment.

[Onlooker]

4. Thanks!

Now I just have to figure out how to pronounce capon! (Actually, that one I can look up.)

[eleny]

5. "Cape On"

Just say it fast and you'll do fine. That's how we always pronounced it.

[Warpy]

6. CAPE-on

Easy.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. I ...... will ...... not ....... snark ....... I ...... will ...... not ....... snark ....... I ....

...... will ...... not ....... snark .......

[sazemisery]

8. The Snoopy is rightous.