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Original poster

High Street/ supermarkets that sell chicken that's not pumped full of water?

22 replies

IncessantNameChanger · 09/10/2022 22:27

Is there anywhere left that doesn't pump water into chicken? We don't eat a lot of meat, probably 150g per meal if that. Most chicken seems to have added water, and now maybe its being added to pork. I found lidl fresh chicken thighs was OK, then it went up in price, then came down but seems to have added water now. I'm more than happy to eat less meat. But where can you buy it without added water? I'm not keen on butchers as they are extremely expensive where I live (£20 for ten sausage type expensive).

Waitress? M&s? I don't think Tesco or Sainsbury's is going be water free but happy to be corrected.

Not going to go fully vegetarian so please don't suggest that.

OP posts:
GiantKitten · 09/10/2022 22:29

Waitrose has a good rep for animal welfare and their meat seems to be pretty good quality.
Can’t answer about added water though.

Babdoc · 09/10/2022 22:31

Sainsbugs free range chickens are delicious, but I’ve no idea whether they add water!

KKslideaway · 09/10/2022 22:33

Butchers are your best bet unfortunately.

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LittleRedYoshi · 09/10/2022 22:35

I don't know who does/doesn't add water, but we've found CostCo chicken to be better quality than the mainstream supermarkets (and cost-wise, slightly cheaper than Sainsburys)

Scrowy · 09/10/2022 22:37

I've never had an issue with Morrisons chicken.

somewhereovertherain · 09/10/2022 22:37

Supermarkets are all the same shit meat.

personally we find the butcher cheaper and better quality.

TheRubyRedshoes · 09/10/2022 22:38

I wonder where butcher get their meat from though?

Cookerhood · 09/10/2022 22:40

I think Black Farmer chicken (in Waitrose) doesn't have added water. I buy in bulk & freeze from Booker. They are labelled as having no water added.

Original poster
IncessantNameChanger · 09/10/2022 22:40

TheRubyRedshoes · 09/10/2022 22:38

I wonder where butcher get their meat from though?

Some get it direct from the abattoir. Some get the whole animal and cut it up themselves. I know this as I used to be a school science technician and they had no shortage of pig heads and eyeballs

OP posts:
Original poster
IncessantNameChanger · 09/10/2022 22:44

It's really annoying as I'd rather eat even less meat IF it was better quality but when even the fresh stuff is swimming in water.

Bookers is a good idea, thank you I will look into them. I have bought Costco before so I will try them again.

OP posts:
Cookerhood · 09/10/2022 23:20

A lot of Costco meat is from the US (don't know about the chicken). Unless it says "no added water" you can bet it does. You will know as soon as you try to fry up a bit - cloudy water comes out.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 09/10/2022 23:23

I second using a local butcher. Ours is brilliant.

WTAFSomedays · 10/10/2022 06:21

My local butcher is attached to its farm.

It costs more (for some things) precisely because it doesn’t have all the water etc. in it, so not sure what you’re asking here? If you don’t want that then likely you’ll have to buy high(er) welfare and that’s going to cost more.

MigsandTiggs · 10/10/2022 06:43

Costco also sources beef locally. A work colleague's dad is a farmer who supplies beef to Costco. If it's from the US, it will say so on the packaging. I've only occasionally seen US beef on sale at my local Costco. (I live in Scotland).

NightmareSlashDelightful · 10/10/2022 06:49

Some of the online butchers can be more competitive on price. Although you tend to have to buy in bulk to get better prices, so you’d need a big freezer!

Beyond that I’m not sure there’s any way round it unfortunately. Higher-welfare meat is more expensive to generate, raise, and butcher. It’s just the way it is.

VenusClapTrap · 10/10/2022 06:49

Farm shops

KangarooKenny · 10/10/2022 07:21

The Tesco thighs don’t seem to have water in them. I buy the ‘room to roam’ chicken which seems better quality.

GiantCheeseMonster · 10/10/2022 07:32

It’s the way the chicken is farmed. They add water to battery chickens to bulk it out. Sainsbury’s and M&S have made a commitment to use slower-growing chicken in their battery range so that may be slightly better - can’t remember which of the other supermarkets have done the same but it’s not all of them. But the only way to really notice the difference is to upgrade to the free range chickens if you can afford that less often.

newnamethanks · 10/10/2022 07:38

Sorry OP the only way is to buy expensive chicken, organic, free range. Decided only yesterday that supermarket chicken - this was Waitrose but feel the same about M&S- is off the menu for me. It just doesn't taste right to me no matter how I cook it.

tranquiltortoise · 10/10/2022 07:40

Unfortunately the added water is probably the reason the supermarket stuff is cheaper.

If you want good quality meat you have to pay for it.

BarrelOfOtters · 10/10/2022 07:42

free range is way to go….M&S is ok. Coop also claims higher welfare standards. Chef friend is happy to use coop.

yoshiblue · 10/10/2022 07:42

We mainly eat boneless chicken thighs here.

Ocado own brand is the best for us, definitely better than Sainsburys. We also tried Costco recently and Ocado trumps it for us.

Avoid Aldi/Asda like the plague!!!

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