"Matthew L. Martin" > wrote in message
...
> Joe Rizzo wrote:
>
> > Matt:
> > How is that without HTML
>
> Much better. Thanks.
>
> > The bird was not dry at all. In fact it was pretty moist. I thought it
> > would be done in 4 hrs, but I kept it cooking until the internal temp
was
> > 180. I wonder if the farmer had this chicken on steroids?
>
> I've seen modern roasters dressed for sale up to ~9#. One does have to
> wonder.
>
> > What is the difference between a stewing hen and a roasting hen?
> > I thought chicken was chicken.
> >
>
> A stewing hen or fowl is an older bird, recently retired from egg
> laying. A roasting chicken is a young bird, either a hen or a rooster.
>
> Matthew
>
>

The stewing hen that Matthew refers to are known as boiling fowl in the UK,
and with good reason as they are fit for no other use.

We mainly use them for soup stock, but after boiling for an hour or so, the
meat does become moist and tender and can be added to different dishes. I
shudder to think what would happen if you tried smoking or roasting one of
those birds. Probably turn out foul.

Graeme