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Free range chicken?


stoneleigh

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Well, you can run over one on the road--those are sure to be free range! Me, I am afraid of what those free range Mexican chickens eat in backyards, so I don't buy them. I buy the little hormone-free chickens at the Chicken Store in Riberas. They eat marigold petals, which sometimes make the skin strangely orange, but they are very tasty chickens even tho they are commercially produced. And not expensive like the organic ones at the organic tianguis. And remember, if the chickens run free, they develop muscles, and can be tough birds. Wait, I'm scaring myself and will probably have a dream about a giant chicken muscular tonight. Maybe I will just have tofu for dinner;)

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Puritain Chicken in Riberas always has the best chicken. However, if I don't have time to run over there, I brine my chicken for an hour or so (even half an hour makes a difference). You can use buttermilk (or even regular milk) or a brine solution made up of water, a handful of kosher or sea salt, another handful of sugar, a smashed up garlic and maybe some rosemary or other fresh herbs. You will be surprised at how juicy and tender your chicken is. Just be sure to rinse off the brine mixture and pat the chicken well dry before you grill it. And don't add salt when you are cooking it.

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We used to get really good small chickens from Puritan Chicken but the last long while the chickens have been large and much tougher. We have finally quit buying them after I bought one to cook for company and it was full of water. I bought one at the little meat + market next door to the fish store on the west side of Ajijic (past La Huerta) not long ago and it was very good.

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We visited Puritan once or twice in the last decade, but agree that they are just too expensive. Granted, there is still a shortage of tender chickens, due to the recent bird flu outbreak, but we also find the most tender poultry at Walmart lately. The small, local vendors probably do not have the same options and may be limited to traditional sources of supply.

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  • 3 years later...

Hi, in my attempt to purchase Free Range Chickens ~other than at Tuesday's Market ~could someone please tell me where that Chicken Store in Riberas is located, the one that was mentioned, providing me with a landmark too, please? Thanxs!

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the same producer of chicken is used by Polleria El Gordo.the meat is always tender and flavorful. it is located on the carretera in Ajijic a few doors west of Colon on the north side. Favio speaks english. His phone there is 766-5882. He takes special orders and grinds his own pollo molido. also has excellent fried chicken on saturdays...

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4 hours ago, Karen said:

Hi, in my attempt to purchase Free Range Chickens ~other than at Tuesday's Market ~could someone please tell me where that Chicken Store in Riberas is located, the one that was mentioned, providing me with a landmark too, please? Thanxs!

Puritan Poultry, north/mountain side of carretera, between S&S Auto and swim club, just west of corner with thrift stores and 7 Eleven.  In same building as Josie's restaurant.

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Wow, who knew?! I just assumed that Puritan Poultry was just some outfit selling anything other than Free Range Chickens. And, I guess, susequentially, I'm feeling still a bit doubtful. May I ask, how do you know that Puritan is selling the meat of chickens that peck at the ground ? :) Thank you so much for your reply too bdlngton.

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I'm sorry but Mexican factory or "battery" chickens AND EGGS are amongst the worst in the world as far as chemicals needed to sustain them in their over crowded and seemingly cruel conditions. Saying that, I am not sure if chickens have a soul, or feel grief and pain. People that raise them say that the chickens do seem to have individual personalities. A Mexican doctor of mine says that chickens are the biggest offender of antibiotics, growth hormones, etc. But he lives in the city, so his sources must always be based on the the suppliers say - without any reference as to how they are actually raised. I don't see any problem with "back yard" chickens and eggs. The next step up, in terms of production, is the moveable feeding areas, over a field, then herding into the hen house at night. This is additional to keeping the hen house clean and sanitary. A lot of work and the low, low prices of the factory products make this a labour of love - feeding friends, family and local community. You need to be "adopted" into one of these families. That is certainly an advantage at Lakeside compared to city life.

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