27471 Sat Jan 17 13:54:20 -0800 2004 15 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 113202 I eat take-out roasted chicken at least once a week...easy, tasty, healthy...Recently I discovered Costco chickens. They are truly beyond anything I have eaten before. Juicy, never dry, large, plump, perfect balance of taste (salt/pepper), absolutely the best. AND cheap! I am comparing them with what I have had from Wholefoods, Berkeley Bowl, Andronicos (the worst by far), and several places in Berkeley (including the very expensive organic chickens from the place on Hopkins St). Can anybody explain why are they that much better? I am afraid they may be using something we should not be consuming (am I getting paranoid?), do they brine them? Any comments??? (also any other ones I should try?) Sat Jan 17 13:54:20 -0800 2004 0 Marlon 1 113207 There was an article a few years ago about Costco's chickens- I can't find it,they do brine them, but the only thing really "wrong" with them is they use regular Foster Farm chickens as opposed to organic or "natural" chickens. If you don't care about that, then you're good to go. Sat Jan 17 14:15:04 -0800 2004 113202 0 Ravinos 1 113215 A lot of times Safeway has whole chickens on sale for 69 cents a pound. For a couple of bucks you get a whole chicken. Rub the chicken with garlic. Sprinkle Salt, pepper and any combination of herbs that you like - (oregano, basil and sage are my favs). Bake at 375 degres for an hour. Sat Jan 17 17:07:00 -0800 2004 113202 0 Chicken 2 113242 Frankly at $4.99 you could never make it that good and the cost and time difference are barely worth it. We picked up one tonight on our way home from the SF Alemany Farmer's Market and built a whole meal around it. It is absolutely the best. The market was active this morning. We bought Nash's Olive Oil - I think the best olive oil on the planet made with mission olives. This olive oil ends with a buttery finish versus the standard peppery. This fellow does it for a hobby and it's a labor of love. We also bought his garlic oil that he infuses with roasted garlic. The oil is so thick and unfiltered - people say they drink it! Sat Jan 17 22:07:32 -0800 2004 113215 0 Oceanlover 3 113252 Yeah, his garlic oil is good. Also, at Allemany, I like: John, the guy with the kiwi & Cranberry tarts, the Olive Focaccia Lady, and of course, Ruben with the Oysters. Sat Jan 17 22:50:29 -0800 2004 113242 0 I_Love_Oysters 2 113273 Not exactly. Costco has a rotisserie for the chickens, and it makes a big difference in the juiciness. Sun Jan 18 14:31:04 -0800 2004 113215 0 Jim H. 3 113296 On the otherhand, the skin doesn't get really crisp. I've been using Barbara Kafka's high heat roasting method and the skin is fabulous. It only takes an hour, too. Link: http://www.dianaskitchen.com/page/poultry/roastchk.htm Sun Jan 18 21:37:51 -0800 2004 113273 0 Ruth Lafler 4 113328 An hour at 500 degrees? That seems like a long time at that temp. I find that an hour is max at 385 on the convection bake setting of my oven, and my best guess about my oven is that 385 is actually 375. Mon Jan 19 11:41:02 -0800 2004 113296 0 Judith Hurley 4 113347 That's an hour at 500 for a 5-6 pound chicken. I don't know if it would work for a smaller chicken, as it would probably dry out before the skin crisped. Mon Jan 19 15:22:47 -0800 2004 113296 0 Ruth Lafler 1 113222 Huh. I buy Costco chickens sometimes, in part because the price is right, and they're not bad--but I don't love them. I find them a little greasy and salty or maybe it's not salty but spicey in an off way (maybe garlic salt?). I think Costo's raw meats are often excellent. But when it comes to prepared food, I'm a Magnani (Hopkins St.) roasted chicken fan. Have to confess I haven't done a blind taste test, though. Sat Jan 17 18:19:32 -0800 2004 113202 0 susabelle 2 113224 i dont know how they do it but costco chickens are one of the best i have ever tasted. amazing for a huge chain operation like that. they got it down pat. Sat Jan 17 18:34:34 -0800 2004 113222 0 joe 1 113227 Costco's chickens are brined before roasting. That's why they are always juicy and tasty. I wish they would pull out the interior fat near the tail, though, before they put them on the roaster. Sat Jan 17 18:38:16 -0800 2004 113202 0 Jeremy Newel 1 113239 I'm curious if anyone has tried the roast chickens at Golden Gate Meats in the Ferry Building. They always show them on their blackboard at lunchtime, a whole chicken for $5.75. I'm not up to eating a whole chicken at lunch time, but have considered buying one to take home. I also like the Costco chickens. Gira Polli in North Beach used to have an "early bird special" until 6:30, a whole fire roasted chicken with potatoes and veggies (takeout only) for around $9.00. Don't know if they still do. Sat Jan 17 21:59:16 -0800 2004 113202 0 Gary Soup 1 113281 WATER! it's pumped into the raw chicken. Sun Jan 18 16:23:50 -0800 2004 113202 0 Michele 1 113308 Try the roast (rotisserie) chicken at Cafe Rouge on 4th street in Berkeley. Excellent! A small bird for about $8 -- you get it from the butcher section in the back. Trust me, it is really, really good and I know my roast chicken. Also, the roast chicken at Jimmy Bean's on Gilman in Berkeley is great. Those are my two faves. The best deal is at Costco, for sure. What happened to the Tyson Chili Lime wings (sold frozen). They were my #1 guilty pleasure!!! Too bad they switched to being supplied by Foster Farms for most of their chicken products! Renate Sun Jan 18 23:22:23 -0800 2004 113202 0 Renate Valencia 1 113368 COSTCO is not the only game in town for tasty and cheap roast chicken. I used to buy only Costco roast chicken a few years ago. But Foodmax has probably tastier roast chicken than Costco. Or at least the one near my home in Hayward does it better. It only cost like $4.99 and it is great. The skin is not crackling but the meat is tasty and moist. I hate dried out or tasteless chicken. It even taste great the next day after being mauled by 4 adults. When it comes out and put on a big metal table, it gets taken quickly because people around here knows the good stuff. You can have a great meal with one roast chicken, coleslaw plus steam rice and a bottle of sweet thai chili. Mmmmmm good. If you are lazy to cook and do not want to spend more than $5 for the whole family, I doubt that you can beat this deal. Mon Jan 19 18:52:10 -0800 2004 113202 0 Han Lukito