Soy-Free Roasting Chicken, HOLIDAY SIZED, 3.9kg / 8.6 lb

C$55.30

Weight: Approximately 3.9 kgs/8.6 lbs

When a turkey is just too much, what about considering our Holiday Roasting Chicken. These big birds are a perfect in-between option for smaller gatherings for the holidays. They are tender and delicious.

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When seasoned to perfection and stuffed with a nice gluten-free herb dressing, there is little that compares to a whole roasted chicken. Whether cooked in the oven on a cold winter's eve, or barbecued or deep fried for a change, our whole chickens are sure to satisfy. Don't forget to use the leftover carcass to make great chicken broth too!

Roast Chicken Recipe Idea:

Thaw a chicken in the refrigerator overnight or in a sink of cold water for a few hours.
Rinse it well on both the inside and outside and pat it dry.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Place the chicken on a rack in an open roasting pan.
Make home-made garlic butter:
- ½ cup of butter
- 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic
- Mix well and spread evenly over the top parts of the chicken.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place a peeled onion cut in half inside the body cavity of the bird.
Place chicken into the oven and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 170F — use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the bird (the leg) to ensure it is not under or overdone. We always put water into the roasting pan (and keep adding small amounts) to keep the bird moist and for gravy.
Let the bird rest a few minutes before carving to relax and reabsorb the juices.

For several years we have been aware of the serious issues regarding soy in our food system, like the ones mentioned in this article found in the Utne Reader. As a result of this, we removed soy (and all GMOs) from our livestock feed several years ago with the exception of our poultry. This issue was very complicated because chickens require a high protein ration to finish properly and there are few palatable alternatives that offer the same results as soy. In addition to this, few mills were willing to work with us in making a ration without soy unless we substituted canola or corn — which we did not want to do. Last fall we finally found a small local mill that was willing to make whatever ration that we wanted and this was a game changer. We formulated a ration that not only removed soy and all GMOs, but also included 9 essential oils (including oregano), garlic and vitamin C to help keep the birds healthy. Eliminating soy was not an inexpensive process — it actually added 15% to our production costs. But we feel the benefits of consuming completely soy free products outweigh the relatively small increase in costs. In early November 2013 our first batch of soy-free chickens were placed and we are proud to be able to offer them to our customers.

It takes almost twice as long to raise a free-range chicken for our program than conventionally raised birds. Our chickens are raised in smaller flocks where they enjoy at least 3 times the space an organically raised bird is given — this extra space allows them the freedom to move and socialize more naturally. Taking extra time to grow our birds slowly allows them to develop a wonderful flavour. Many of our customers say that our chicken brings back memories of home and visiting Grandma on the family farm. So take this opportunity to reconnect with the past and savour our delicious free-range chickens.