Thanksgiving is just 20 days away. Ready for have a sustainable and succulent holiday? We suggest you make a heritage turkey the centerpiece of your meal.
Heritage turkeys are breeds that were originally raised on farms before large commercial meat processing plants began to dominate the turkey industry. These turkeys mate naturally and grow more slowly than factory-farmed birds.
Getting your hands on a heritage turkey takes a bit of homework. We made some calls today and heard that some of the special breeds are larger size birds already beginning to sell out.
How can you get a heritage turkey? Download our
Heritage Turkey File to find a turkey farmer near you.
Jersey Buff, Bourbon Red, Black Spanish, Narragansett and other heritage breeds have made a comeback due to the efforts of small family farms and Slow Food USA. The flavor is said to be superior, and the meat is leaner.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) is a clearing-house for information on livestock and genetic diversity. The ALBC sent us this list (Excel) of heritage turkey farmers. Download the list today and place your order. Your local turkey farmer will thank you for your support.
Let us know if you order one.
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Whether you're a first time host or need side dish to take over the river and through the airport to grandmother's house, we're here to help this Thanksgiving.
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Thanksgiving Dinner for Two
Brining Your Turkey
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Anyone know any tried and true recipes for cooking a heritage bird? I had a recipe down pat for the traditional broad-breasted white, but I'm told that these need to be cooked differently. I'm a bit nervous, and I don't want to waste the bird on a random internet recipe without at least some verification that it will actually work.
view Ki's profile
Ki,
I would definitely recommend brining a Heritage turkey.
If you are not against separating the bird before roasting, I would recommend that as well.
The breast could be brined and roasted to the recommended temperature and the legs could be brined, braised or roasted with some vegetables and broth until they are perfectly tender.
The advantage to the big butterballs, of course, is that they can be roasted to death and the breast and legs will still be juicy.
view art's profile
For a heritage turkey, you need to start with a recipe for a game bird (pheasant or quail or such) and then adjust for the turkey's weight.
view wende in the twin cities's profile
Delia Smith recommends using Bronze turkeys, and aren't they one of the primary Heritage breeds? In any case, she approaches them as a regular turkey (can't remember if she brines, but I always do, so I would anyway), and not as game. She puts bacon on the breast, but that is a Brit thing I think. All this to say, I don't think that cooking one is all that complicated.
view mschatelaine's profile
If you are not averse to eating bacon, it can help to keep the breast moist in a heritage turkey. They are very lean, like a gamebird, so barding them with bacon or any thin layer of fat can help out.
view art's profile