American Bird

[omorka]

As a much younger lifeform, I absolutely detested turkey, save for once a year. It appeared every Thanksgiving, a luscious and flavorful whole bird - and then promptly transformed into an unending series of cold, tough, coarse lumps lying sullenly on squishy white bread. I never understood what my parents saw in such meals, although in retrospect I suspect that the vast amounts of mayonnaise and mustard my father slathered on such sandwiches reflected a certain similar feeling. The rest of the year, it came in the form of textureless ovals in plastic packaging, presliced and pale; often I could avoid it, as my parents usually bought more than one type of cold cut.

One of the benefits of growing up is that you get to try new foods, and old ones in new ways. While a whole turkey, even a small one, is too much for just two people, it turns out a small whole turkey breast, roasted, is enough for about three meals for me and the Spouse. The loss of the dark meat is no loss at all for me, and only a small one for him. And he's more than happy to make a meal of a few slices of cold leftover white meat on bread; I'm not - but there are so many things one can do with cooked leftover poultry other than sandwiches that sometimes the half-carcass doesn't even make it to soup.

So I have been somewhat perplexed to find that most people don't make turkey outside of the winter holiday season - one for Thanksgiving, and sometimes one for Christmas (although some people's family tradition is ham or roast beef), and that's it. Leaving out the vegetarians who wouldn't prepare it at any time, I have to wonder why. If one doesn't care for turkey at all, that's one thing - I can easily imagine preferring the milder taste of roast chicken, or the stronger one of roast goose, and thus just preparing different fowl. But if one does enjoy turkey at Thanksgiving, why would one prepare it only once a year? Is it just the force of holiday tradition? Because it takes too long?

Comments

[tenthz.livejournal.com]

You have not lived until you have tasted my dad's slowly-grilled-over-charcoal-and-various-woodchips turkey. It is smokey. It is sooo moist. Seriously, I could eat a whole one by myself. We probably have this once a month during the summer. Yumm. But then I am a major turkey-a-holic. I can't explain the turkey-only-at-thanksgiving phenomenon because we eat turkey all year long. NOM NOM NOM the turkey.

hmm

[lady-valkyrie.livejournal.com]

I think it is because at those holidays they go on sale cheaply. There is a difference between 1-2.00 a pound and .40 cents a pound - especially when a whole bird weighs 12-25 lbs. Plus, they take several hours to cook and in day to day life, many people don't have the time. Plus, down here it is hot, and not many people relish having an oven on 350 for 4-8 hours.

That being said - I love turkey dinners, and make them more like 3-4 times a year, one on Thanksgiving and the other 2-3 either whenever I feel like it or when I am broke, running low on food, and happen to have one in the freezer, like last month...

:)

Re: hmm

[omorka.livejournal.com]

There is a difference between 1-2.00 a pound and .40 cents a pound

True, but pretty much any meat other than chicken is going to be $2.00 or more, too. A 5-lb. turkey breast at $1.99/lb is cheaper per serving than a 5-lb bone-in rump roast at $2.49/lb.

The oven is an issue, you're right, but as a previous commenter mentioned, turkey is eminently grillable for summer cooking. And I do know plenty of people who are perfectly willing to cook roast beef over summer, but not roast turkey, so having the oven on by itself isn't the issue for them.

Having an extra turkey in the freezer is pretty awesome, though. Even if it's a small one, that's at least three or four meals right there.

[greeneyedpagan.livejournal.com]

I love turkey. I buy turkey bits at the grocery frequently - ground turkey, turkey breasts (like the one you talked about), deli turkey...they're all good as far as I'm concerned.

Growing up, we had not only turkey just twice a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, but chicken even less frequently. Dad did not like bird. He would eat a little turkey, at holidays, and that was it. Oh, right - every once in awhile Mom would make Cornish game hens as well. Yum!

One of the biggest treats for me, as a kid, was when Dad would be out of town and Mom would cook chicken. Usually broiled quarters. So yummy! And now, when left to my own devices, turkey and/or chicken are what I eat.

I think really, maybe most folks just don't think about turkey, or maybe don't know they can get those yummy breasts.

[theurgistfish.livejournal.com]

Price and time are part of it. Also rarity makes it special. McD's was special as a kid when we lived far from town and hardly ever ate it. It's not now, just because it's so accessible. Doesn't taste as good.

and tradition.. don't underestimate it.

[bkwrrm-tx.livejournal.com]

I love turkey - in fact, we're having turkey tonight, along with cornbread dressing and baked broccoli.

I wish my hubby liked it more, but I can still get away with it once a month or so. :-)

[brezhnev.livejournal.com]

I used to cook a turkey every so often, long ago in the days of yore. I would use rice in the pan to soak up the juice -- that probably makes me either avant garde or a total Philistine. In any event, it would last me for a good while after that.