Cut open a chicken and found a lump of fat, should I eat it or throw it away? Only gourmets know this is a "treasure"

Normally, when buying a country chicken or a local chicken, when cutting the chicken, people will see in the belly of some chickens there is a yellow lump of fat, quite heavy to hold.

Many people wonder that if they buy a chicken with a lump of fat like this, they will definitely lose money. However, gourmets and especially farmers in the countryside know that this is a “treasure” that money cannot buy.

Why is there a lump of fat in the chicken's belly?

This fat has a fatty taste like lard or butter, a natural fresh flavor and not all chickens have fat in their stomachs. Only chickens that are fed high-fat food have fat in their stomachs. The bigger the fat, the longer it has been raised.

In the countryside, chickens are often fed with grains (corn, millet, rice, etc.) so the meat is very firm, rich in fat and carotene, which creates the shiny yellow pigment of the chicken fat in the stomach.

In general, only chickens raised naturally in gardens or forests, free-range have fat in their bellies, chickens raised artificially in farms will not have it. This is explained by two reasons:

- Chicken feed in general is high in protein and low in fat, mainly for chickens to grow quickly.

- The growth cycle of chickens raised on farms is very short, usually about 42 days before they are sold, so it is difficult for fat to accumulate in the belly.

If a chicken weighs 2kg but has nearly half a kilo of fat in its belly, it means it can be raised for more than a year. Chickens raised in rural areas usually have a growth cycle of about 100-130 days.

Even if the chicken has a lump of fat in its belly, the chicken raised in a cage at home is not as good as the chicken that is free-range in the mountains and forests. Because free-range chickens often eat many different types of food, which contain many pigments, the fat is darker yellow and more delicious.

Many people do not know that when they see a lump of fat like that, they should throw it away, what a waste. Just like pork fat, chicken fat is not only fragrant but also has high nutritional value, containing a lot of protein, fat and nutrients necessary for the human body. It has the effect of supplementing nutrition, improving physical strength, beautifying the skin, strengthening the spleen and stomach, very good for the body.

Chicken fat cannot be eaten directly but must be refined into liquid fat before consumption. Cut the chicken fat into small pieces, put it in a pot, add chopped shallots and ginger, mix together, heat to melt the fat, then filter out the residue and put it in a jar, store in the refrigerator for later use.

Chicken fat can be used to stir-fry or cook noodles, the flavor is especially fragrant, better than lard.

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