Meat Of It All: Turkey
Diana Miller
Turkey is commonly known by Americans as the centerpiece of any holiday meal, for its abundance of meat, general availability, and Americana tradition. According to the latest research done by the USDA (United States Drug Administration) Americans have gobbled up nearly 5 billion pounds of turkey in the year 2021, that’s about 15 pounds per person. This has led to turkey being the 4th most popular choice of protein behind chicken, pork, and beef, with most sales coming from whole turkeys, sliced deli meat, and ground turkey. The popularity of these turkey products has caused a 110 percent consumption increase of turkey meat since 1970, largely in part due to the improvements made to the size and accessibility of the home oven. However, unlike the abilities of today’s domesticated and industrialized broad-breasted white turkey breed, these stats are set to fly higher in the years to come.
If you’ve ever cooked, bought, eaten, or carved a Thanksgiving turkey, it is most likely a broad-breasted white turkey. During the Great Depression, there was significant demand for a smaller bird with more breast meat, one that would fit nicely in an icebox for instance. The Beltsville White Turkey was created, but Americans’ desire for bigger, better, and more was not met until the early 1960s. This was when the broad breasted white turkey was created by crossbreeding a Broad Breasted Bronze Turkey with a White Holland, landing us where we are today, which is a clean-cut all-white bird that weighs about 20-35 pounds. This kind of weight yields lots of meat that can be categorized into white meat and dark meat, a controversial yet objective discussion at the dinner table, and an opportunity for different flavors and nutrients. The white meat, or the breast and wings, are naturally dry but contain the most meat while the dark meat, the thighs, and the drums, contain more moisture and flavor thanks to an oxygen-carrying protein called myoglobin.
Once upon a time, the turkey even had a presidential spotlight, sort of, when Benjamin Franklin once spoke on the resemblance between an American Eagle and a Turkey expressing his disappointment in the eagles, “lack of courage” and the fact it looked more like a turkey maybe isn’t all that bad. Franklin spoke more about the turkey saying, “…He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.” Some say Franklin wanted the turkey as our national mascot, however, this is debunked a myth according to the Smithsonian. So don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, though it is a fun part of history and lets the turkey shine as the majestic breed the animal originated from.
The broad-breasted white turkey can be found in nearly any grocery store or food outlet across the United States. This comes as no surprise as the turkey industry has a direct economic impact of about 103.4 billion dollars while providing nearly 387,346 American jobs. When purchasing whole turkeys, it is recommended to freeze that turkey within a few hours (if not already frozen) and only thaw once, as refreezing products can increase the possibility of pathogen growth in the meat. Also, as recommended by the FDA, allow 1-4 days to thaw in the fridge and increase that time by a day for every 4 pounds of weight increase. When buying fresh, raw, or ground turkey breasts, it is generally advised to cook the poultry within 7 days of the original purchasing date. Also, remember to always cook any poultry product to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally.
There is a myriad of different dishes that turkeys are particularly good in, especially in the obvious traditional holiday preparation, whole roasted turkey. Epicurious recommends thawing the turkey out completely, while keeping FDA guidelines in mind, then letting the turkey come to room temperature while allowing it to become as dry as possible. Injecting your bird with a brine solution will also increase the moisture content resulting in a juicier product. After turning your oven to an easy 350 degrees it isn’t a bad idea to fill every orifice of the turkey with room temp butter, careful not to tear the skin on top of the breast. Season and stuff with herbs, vegetables, and fruit as desired. Cook for about 3 ½ - 4 hours for a 14-pound bird with a 15-minute time increase for every extra few pounds. To retain all those wonderful juices developed during the cooking process, one must rest the turkey for at least 20 minutes before slicing and finally serving.
Another delicious and much easier dish to prepare is ground turkey tacos, a recipe that is great any time of the day. These tacos are customizable, allowing for endless variations of your favorite taco ingredients. Ground turkey is also nutritious with 22 grams of protein, 167 calories and only 9 grams of fat.
