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Fryer chickens
- Alix W., Richmond, Va.
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More from Other NewsA: Chickens are designated by relative size. A "fryer chicken," also known as a "broiler/fryer" is in the middle of the range. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it can weigh between 2-1/2 and 4-1/2 pounds when dressed. Smaller fowl are called poussin or Cornish hens. Poussins are the youngest and smallest and weigh the least, about 1 to 1-1/2 pounds. Cornish hens (or Rock Cornish game hens) are a bit bigger and weigh between 1 to 2 pounds.
Chickens bigger than fryers range from roasters to stewing hens to capons. Roasters weigh from 5 to 7 pounds. Stewing hens may be smaller, but they are the oldest of the group, from 10 months to 1-1/2 years old. Because of their age they are less tender than their siblings. This makes them suitable for long, slow, cooking - i.e., stewing. Capons are neutered roosters and weigh from 4 to 9 pounds.
Fried chicken is a favorite at summer picnics, but to avoid illness people should be careful not to let the cooked chicken reach summer temperatures. It should be eaten immediately or put in a refrigerator that maintains a temperature of 40 degrees or less and eaten within three or four days. You can freeze fried chicken and it will keep up to three months, but the skin will lose its delicious crispness. On the way to the picnic, a good way to keep the chicken cold is to put it in a resealable plastic bag and surround it with ice or dry ice. An easy way to do this is to toss the sealed chicken into a cooler filled with ice and your bottled and/or canned beverages.
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