On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:48:47 +0000 (UTC) in rec.food.cooking,
"Peter-Lucas" > wrote,
>Ever seen a boneless chicken ranch???

No, just the ordinary kind. It must be an expensive process, though.

I'm looking at this week's ad from Vons market, and right next to each
other we have chicken breasts with skin and bones $1.69/lb, and boneless
skinless chicken breasts $5.49/lb. There's no way that difference is
justified by the weight of the skin and the bones.

Until recently I would have just cooked them with the bones in. But I
was poring over my new copy of Bittman's _How to Cook Everything_ and
noticed how remarkably simple his instructions for de-boning a chicken
breast were. It's actually easier, I think, to de-bone before cooking
than to fiddle with bones while eating. So no more cooking chicken
bones for me, for a while.

It's not just chicken, either. Same ad, beef ribeye steaks $3.88/lb,
boneless ribeye steaks $6.99. Raising boneless cattle must be hard.

David Harmon wrote:

> On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:48:47 +0000 (UTC) in rec.food.cooking,
> "Peter-Lucas" > wrote,
> > Ever seen a boneless chicken ranch???
>
> No, just the ordinary kind. It must be an expensive process, though.
>
> I'm looking at this week's ad from Vons market, and right next to each
> other we have chicken breasts with skin and bones $1.69/lb, and
> boneless skinless chicken breasts $5.49/lb. There's no way that
> difference is justified by the weight of the skin and the bones.

Yes, it also factors in labor to bone the chicken.

The current boneless chicken breasts I have cost $1.89/lb.

> Until recently I would have just cooked them with the bones in. But I
> was poring over my new copy of Bittman's _How to Cook Everything_ and
> noticed how remarkably simple his instructions for de-boning a chicken
> breast were. It's actually easier, I think, to de-bone before cooking
> than to fiddle with bones while eating. So no more cooking chicken
> bones for me, for a while.

Generally, if I buy bone-in breast, I do as you say. I then make a
quick bit of stock from the bones and skin, and a few vegetables. It's
not a big operation, just enough for the dish.



Brian

--
Day 7 of the "no grouchy usenet posts" project

Default User > wrote:

> The current boneless chicken breasts I have cost $1.89/lb.

$1.69/lb frozen here at HEB this week. Bone-in are often $1/lb, and
boneless are regularly $2.69/lb not on sale.

I'm glad I can shop at HEB and not any of the chains in those other
states.

-sw

David Harmon wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:48:47 +0000 (UTC) in rec.food.cooking,
> "Peter-Lucas" > wrote,
>> Ever seen a boneless chicken ranch???
>
> No, just the ordinary kind. It must be an expensive process, though.
>



It's not so bad, but they walk pretty funny.

gloria p

"David Harmon" > wrote in message
m...
> On Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:48:47 +0000 (UTC) in rec.food.cooking,
> "Peter-Lucas" > wrote,
>>Ever seen a boneless chicken ranch???
>
> No, just the ordinary kind. It must be an expensive process, though.
>
> I'm looking at this week's ad from Vons market, and right next to each
> other we have chicken breasts with skin and bones $1.69/lb, and boneless
> skinless chicken breasts $5.49/lb. There's no way that difference is
> justified by the weight of the skin and the bones.
>
Exactly. Which is why boneless skinless chicken breast halves are a
rip-off. It doesn't require much skill to strip off the skin and debone
them yourself. All you need is a good sharp knife. Save the bones in a bag
in the freezer for making chicken stock.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> "David Harmon" > wrote in message

>>
>> I'm looking at this week's ad from Vons market, and right next to each
>> other we have chicken breasts with skin and bones $1.69/lb, and boneless
>> skinless chicken breasts $5.49/lb. There's no way that difference is
>> justified by the weight of the skin and the bones.
>>
> Exactly. Which is why boneless skinless chicken breast halves are a
> rip-off. It doesn't require much skill to strip off the skin and debone
> them yourself. All you need is a good sharp knife. Save the bones in a
> bag in the freezer for making chicken stock.
>
> Jill


Not always. Don't look at the price per pound. Compare at the net
price of 2 or 4 breasts, bone-in and boneless. Often the boneless are
NOT more expensive for the same amount/weight of meat. Of course it
depends on the relative price per pound and sales skew it either way.

gloria p