After arriving in Tokyo, my homie and I wandered into a random restaurant where I had the best tori nabe ever (it’s a pot full of chicken goodness of chicken broth, cuts of chicken with veggies, and other ingredients). Ever since that time, I have tried to replicate it in the United States with no such luck.
Even the chicken wings I had in Japan felt like I was eating pigeon wings because they were not roided out like Huntington Beach bro’s.
Most of you have heard of wagyu (Japanese beef) or kurobuta (black pork), which are a reflection of the attention the Japanese apply to their livestock, so I wanted to know if us Americans have chicken beyond factory farms and if there is a taste difference.
FYI: the export of Japanese livestock to the US is banned.
It also did not stop with the wings, and the eggs in Japan are next level with yolks that are not a pale Bart Simpson yellow, but a golden hue of goldish orange, like a sunset.
It is not just visual thing and in Japan, and it is very common to eat raw eggs, or runny eggs, along with raw chicken served as chicken sashimi.
So, I know there has got to be some producers in the US that are just as capable, and if there are, my findings are all laid out below.
Find a chicken that does not do drugs and knows how to chill
Since, I love yakitori, I thought, no ordinary chicken would do especially since the chicken in Wisconsin I had me gushing over it. Yup, that is my life, I get all giddy over great quality chicken.
Aside from Tokyo, the biggest standout for chicken was the one I had in Wisconsin because when I cut into the breast, the meat looked smooth and dense like tofu. While l gazed in amazement at the smooth texture, a golden hue seeped from the slice, which turned out to be a savory tasty chicken juice goodness.
Yea, yea, yea, I got it, all chicken matters, but Tysons and and all the factory farmed chicken I feel are not equal.
The chicken I have had in Japan is noticeably and distinctively better than what I have had here in the states although, in Wisconsin, I have had some phenomenal chicken. I just do not know why and where to track down that type of chicken, so I am going to have to do some major digging.
The biggest tell was when I to cut into the breast, it has almost no grain. It looked like tofu, and something oozed out when I sliced through it, pure golden juicy chicken goodness (my friend’s mom at the time appreciated the initial compliments, but she soon tired of me talking about the chicken).
When asked about deciphering labels (natural, free-range, hormone free, etc.): “However, the range of possibilities is broad, and the various distinctions can be “bastardized,” says Ariane Daguin, founder of D’Artagnan, a high-end meat company.”
– Ariane Daguin, via Reuters “Is Organic Woth the Price”
The free range and organic chicken brands
The Reuters article by Mitch Lipka and crew is so worth the read, and if you do not read it, you are missing out because it just elevated my image of D’Artagnan – Who by the way has their own article “Why Free Range & Organic Chicken.” It also sums up the differences between organic and conventional factory chickens.
Surprisingly, I can not find one reputable source that will say that there is a substantial difference from organic and factory farming chicken in regards to taste/quality. Although, it does matter for your conscience in terms of how the chickens are raised.
The most credible from my research seems as though it is D’Artagnan because they sell some expensive birds.
In their own words.
D’Artagnan
“Organic free-range chicken, raised humanely, with no antibiotics, hormones, or arsenicals. Our farmers give the chickens non-GMO, organic feed, spring water, access to the outdoors and plenty of indoor space to express natural behaviors. Savor the buttery taste and texture of our delicious, award-winning chicken — the first chicken on the market ever to be certified by the USDA as free-range organic.”
DeBragga
“New York’s Butcher. Amish country chickens. These excellent chickens are raised in Pennsylvania without antibiotics or animal by-products. Perfect, to roast, rotisserie, or smoke.”
Gerber’s Amish Farm
“Our chickens are raised in large, spacious houses. They can roam freely and eat and drink as they wish. Gerber goes to great lengths to raise healthy chickens using improved nutrition, animal husbandry and selective breeding. Our strict standards mean the difference between our chicken and ordinary chicken products. Animal Welfare Humane Certified and Where Food Comes from source verified.
Mary’s Chicken
“Mary’s Free Range Chickens is proud to be family owned and operated since 1954. Mary’s sons, David and Ben Pitman, are third-generation Pitman farmers who lead the company today. David and Ben have been taught by their father, Rick, who learned from his father, Don, about the importance of animal husbandry and our responsibility to ensure the welfare of animals.”
Red Bird Farms
“Red Bird Farms has been providing fresh chicken since the 1940s. As we’ve grown and expanded to more territories, Red Bird Farms has maintained a commitment to quality and integrity. Red Bird Farms chicken is fed an all vegetarian diet. In addition, the chicken is never given any antibiotics, ever. Red Bird chicken is hand cut. Gourmet chicken isn’t run down an assembly line of robots, but rather a talented team of cutters. The chicken is truly fresh and incredibly juicy.”
Shelton’s Premium Poultry
“Shelton’s Poultry, Inc. has been a family owned and operated business since 1924. Our goal is to provide the finest poultry and poultry products that are truly All Natural, without the use of Antibiotics, Artificial Growth Stimulants, Chemical ingredients and additives, or cheap fillers. Take a look at the ingredients in our products, the lists are short, simple and don’t look like a high school chemistry experiment. We like making wholesome products that you will enjoy every single day and that will make you feel good about buying for your friends and family.”
Gerber, the Amish brand claims:
“What makes Gerber’s tastes better? It’s simple. Better feed, better taste. That’s Gerber’s position. Gerber’s Amish Farm Chicken® tastes better because our family has taken the time to perfect our feeding formula and the way we raise our chickens.”
To make things even more difficult, “Amish,” is a term generically used and is cited by a Lodi, CA news site (“Amish, free range, organic — not all chicken is raised the same”) that you should give it a read.
So does buying organic chicken matter?
Based upon the articles, there is not much to support buying organic over your large industrial farmed chicken other than your conscience. Although if organic and free-range chicken might not be discernible, what does matter is that you will support humane, sustainable farming and eating a chicken that is not doped up and roided out like the dudes on muscle beach with large moobs (man boobs).
Based on a poultry site owned by AG Global Media
“A panel of four food experts taste tested eight different roast chickens: two organic, two free-range, one corn-fed and three regular factory-farmed birds. While there were no significant differences in their scores, all agreed chickens don’t have as much taste as they used to.”
The site is owned by AG Global Media: they also run a cattle, beef, pig, dairy, and few other sites with whatever agenda.
Tongue, gizzards, hearts, liver, and a nice thick juicy thigh is what makes a great horror flick and yakitori (a delicious one)
If you did well on your SAT, you will most likely be able to pick up on the list below is not strictly chicken, and it is a mix of chicken, beef, veggies, to fish cake (I have added an asterisk next to all the cuts that I love to eat rare to medium-rare).
Being able to appreciate a chicken piece or part by part seems to be a respectful way to appreciate chicken (I also never thought I would enjoy heart and liver so much).
If you are only into breasts, you are missing out.
- Atsuage, deep-fried tofu
- Bonjiri, chicken tail
- Butabara, pork belly
- Chikuwa, fish cake and cheese
- Enoki maki, mushrooms wrapped in pork
- Ginnan, ginkgo
- Gyutan*, beef tongue
- Hāto/hatsu*, chicken heart
- Momo, chicken thigh
- Nankotsu, chicken cartilage
- Negima, chicken and spring onion
- Rebā*, liver
- Sasami, breast meat
- Shiro, chicken small intestines
- Shiitake, mushroom
- Shishito, a real mild pepper
- Sunagimo, chicken gizzard
- Tsukune, chicken meatballs
- Torikawa, chicken skin, grilled until crispy
- Tebasaki, chicken wing
- Toriniku, all white meat on a skewer
- Wagyu*, highly marbled beef
- Yotsumi, pieces of chicken breast
Yakitori seasonings and sauces (we Americans love the sauce)
Yes, I know, you want sauce, dressing (ranch), or salsa, so here you go although you might want to try the natural chicken flavor:
- Tare (a soy sauce-based basting sauce).
- Shio (salt).
- Yuzu kosho (chiles and yuzu zest).
- Shichimi togarashi (7-spice powder with hemp seed).
- Sansho (a citrusy Sichuan peppercorn like powder).
I grill and eat yakitori, but I am no authority
Lastly, you need to seek out the Yakitori Guy to learn how to break down/butcher a chicken because we are lucky to have such a great resource in the U.S. I say that because I will not be able to run you through this critical step, but he will get into every and all the details regarding yakitori preparation. You can follow him not only on YouTube, but be sure to give him a follow on his Instagram page.
I am heading to Tokyo and Osaka for late March. Any affordable off the beaten track restaurants you recommend? I will be staying in Kanda and Yodoyabashi if that helps….but of course I will have access to go anywhere.
When it comes to Japan, the culture is hell bent on competing on quality, which is why the country has as many Michelin stars as France if that counts for anything.
Also, there’s an American mentality that there are only a few top players, but Japan is a homogeneous country doing primarily only Japanese food, unlike the US with a diverse population. So my long drawn out response is that you can go anywhere for great food (I had the best curry pan in Onomichi) although there are regional specialties like takoyaki and okonomiyaki in Osaka.
My thing, would be to tell you to try raw horse meat (basashi), or even trying the chicken at yakitori spots.