Some of your recipes call for roasters. I don't live in an
area where Perdue chicken is sold, and I haven't been able
to find roasters in the stores. What exactly is a roaster,
and can I substitute a broiler?
A Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster is a 12 week old bird
especially developed for a broad breast. Roasters are
bigger than broilers, and have a more favorable meat to
bone ratio than broilers. Because they are older birds,
they also have a much deeper, richer flavor. You can use
broilers in roaster recipes, but plan on the chicken's
being done sooner and having a noticeably milder flavor.
Frank, by the way, is the man responsible for
creating the roaster market. Back in the early 1970s, when
few people had ever heard of a roaster, he was the one who
worked to breed these broad-breasted birds, and who put the
effort into advertising so people would learn about the new
product. He surprised his colleagues by how determined he
was in his developing and marketing efforts. One of the men
who worked with Frank told me that he was amazed that
Frank, who will hang onto an old pair of shoes to save $50,
was willing to spend millions to let people know about the
product, and further, he did it without a qualm, because he
had such belief in it. If you haven't tried an Oven Stuffer
Roaster and you're visiting the East Coast, try one, and
you'll see why Frank believed in it so much.


Chapter One: CHICKEN FOR EVERYDAY