Is Rooster Meat Similar to Free-Range Chicken? Here’s the Explanation from an IPB University Expert

Rooster meat is often considered tougher than broiler chicken. According to Dr Tuti Suryati, a lecturer at the Department of Animal Production and Technology, Faculty of Animal Science, IPB University, the main factor causing this is genetic differences.

“Rooster meat comes from egg-laying chicken breeds whose genetics have been purified to produce chicken lines with very high egg productivity,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Dr Tuti continued, broiler chickens come from meat-type chicken breeds. Broiler chickens are developed through a long breeding process to produce meat chicken breeds with fast and efficient growth, enabling them to reach slaughter weight in a short time (30–42 days or 5–6 weeks) with very tender meat.

Meanwhile, roosters, which come from egg-laying breeds, do not grow as efficiently as broilers. “Because they are raised longer, the texture of rooster meat becomes tougher, but their fat content is relatively lower than that of broilers,” she said.

From a biological perspective, she continued, the difference in collagen levels is very influential. Collagen is a component of connective tissue, the amount of which increases with the age of the livestock. “The older the chicken, the more connective tissue it has. This causes the meat to become tougher,” said Dr Tuti.

In addition to age, the physical activity of chickens also affects meat texture. More active chickens have muscles that contract frequently, resulting in a tougher texture. “High activity makes chicken muscles stronger, and automatically the meat tougher,” she added.

However, the quality of rooster meat can still be improved with the right processing techniques. Dr Tuti recommends cooking with boiling techniques or adding water, such as in curry, soup, or opor.

For fried or grilled dishes, it is best to pre-boil the chicken with spices or use the ungkep technique. “You can also use a pressure cooker or natural ingredients such as pineapple and papaya leaves to tenderize the meat,” she advised.

She reminded that the frying or grilling process should not be too long or until the meat is dry. Doing so will actually make the texture even tougher.

Despite being known for its tougher texture, rooster meat remains popular among some consumers. “Some prefer the texture of rooster meat because it resembles free-range chicken, it’s more fibrous, has less fat, and isn’t too tender,” concluded Dr Tuti. (Fj) (IAAS/Ard)