Too Much Turkey

I wonder how many people had too much turkey yesterday? 30 pounder was pretty well gone here, maybe enough for turkey salad. I like lots of celery and a little mayo on croissants.

A fellow posted about the heritage turkeys.

"What is a Heritage Turkey?
Prized for their rich flavor and beautiful plumage, Heritage Turkeys are the ancestors of the common Broad-breasted White industrial breed of turkey that comprises 99.99% of the supermarket turkeys sold today. But the Heritage Breeds still exist and are making a comeback. Most breeds of heritage turkey were developed in the United States and Europe over hundreds of years, and were identified in the American Poultry Association's turkey Standard of Perfection of 1874. These breeds include the Standard Bronze, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black Spanish, and White Holland. Later added to the standard were the Royal Palm, White Midget and Beltsville Small White.

Large corporations have dominated turkey production and breeding since the 1960's, choosing the Broad Breasted Whites because of high breast meat production in a short period. But Heritage Breeds have been quietly gaining a renewed market and respect due to their flavor and superior biological diversity.

Raising Heritage Breeds is more costly and time consuming than raising White Breasted Toms. While supermarket turkeys grow to an average of 32 pounds over 18 weeks, Heritage birds take anywhere from 24-30 to reach their market weight. But those who have tasted Heritage Breeds say the cost-and the wait-are well worth it.

The Heritage Turkey Foundation accepts the same definition of heritage turkeys as the the two organizations that inspired our work, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Slow Food. They are are traditional "standard" breeds of turkeys which have not been "industrialized" for efficient factory production at the expense of flavor and the well-being of the turkeys. These are the breeds of turkeys recognized by the American Poultry Association in its 1874 Standard of Perfection.

When I saw the price I got sticker shock! $200 for a turkey? It can't taste that much better unless you are really into fowl meat! Deep fry that in $50 peanut oil and you have a pretty expensive turkey! How much prime rib would that buy?

Kroger really pushed a sale on turkeys this week and you got $14 off a large one which is cheap to start with in my opinion. Probably could have bought 10 for the heritage turkey, or even more.

Frozen turkeys were so cheap a grocery was letting people knock down canned food using the turkey as a bowling ball.

The American Farmer has done it again. High quality food at a low price.

Heritage turkey?

I don't think so.

Ed Winkle