We’re closing in on Thanksgiving, and that means it is preparation time. Yes you really should at least start thinking about getting ready for the big day. In fact there are things you can be doing right this moment to make the festivities go smoother. For one you can prepare all of your pie crusts and stocks for freezing until ready to use. See? I’ve just saved you hours of labor on the day of the feast. You probably like me a lot right now, and it was such a simple suggestion. Want more? Write out the menu for dinner and shop for all of the non perishable items you’ll need. That way you’ll be ready to prepare what you can the night before. Voila! More time spent eating and enjoying family.
Of course the big deal is your turkey. If you’re doing a leg of lamb or ham, more power to you. But the conventional American home serves turkey. And I’m here to help you out with your choosing, because blindly reaching for a frozen Butterball may not be your best option. Even better than that is a chance for you to win a turkey from D’Artagnan, purveyor of fine foods, from Serious Eats. Not only will I help you choose just the right turkey, but I’ll even point you in the direction of a free high quality bird.
Turkey Options:
Frozen Bird: You’ll find this in every grocery store around. Usually these are factory raised birds fed the usual corn based diet, shot up with hormones, and yielding the lowest quality meat. However it is a cheap alternative and with proper preparation produces a very fine dining experience. Be sure to buy your frozen turkey by Monday before Thanksgiving at the latest and let thaw out at the bottom of your refrigerator.
Fresh Bird: Most grocery stores will have this on hand. It’s pretty much the same as the frozen bird, but thawed out and ready to go into the oven when you want. It doesn’t offer any great benefits over a frozen bird, except as convenience in last minute shopping. But you won’t be doing any last minute shopping because you’ll be well prepared the weekend before. Right?
Organic Bird: This may be a bit more difficult to find, but with the popularity of the organic movement it should be a matter of mild searching to grab yourself one of these turkeys. Organic doesn’t mean a free range pasture fed bird remember. The main difference is that the turkey is fed a certified organic diet and is free of hormones and antibiotics.
Pasture Raised Bird: Your best option, but so close to Thanksgiving you’ll have to be best friends with a local farmer to get one. Most local farms will put you on a waiting list in case others don’t pick up their turkey, but usually pasture raised birds are prepaid and accounted for by the end of September. A pasture raised turkey will provide you with the most flavorful meat and is usually lower in fat than factory birds because the turkey’s run around in a pasture all day to get their food.
Heritage Bird: This is the most expensive option, which is ironic because it’s the one that is the most classic. Usually heritage turkeys are of the Standard Bronze or Bourbon Red variety because they were around during the olden days of yore. The birds are allowed to roam free and get fed a diet of corn, insects and seeds. Oh yeah, the turkey and chicken are omnivores. I’m not really convinced the inflated price is worth it here, where it is with a pasture raised bird.
At this late stage in the game you’re likely going to be getting a turkey from the grocery store, or attempting to get something from D’Artagnan. Any deficiencies you’ll find in any choice you make can be overcome to some degree by preparation. If you’re doing a frozen or fresh factory raised bird it is almost a must to brine the turkey overnight. You’ll invite flavor and extra juice to the table, which will likely be needed. Even with a pasture raised turkey I’d still brine, because I simply brine every turkey I roast. The other thing you must do is remove that stupid red knob if your turkey comes with it. Use a probe thermometer to keep track of the meat’s temperature. When the thickest part of the breast hits about 155 degrees you can pull it out of the oven and let carryover take it the last 10 degrees to perfectly cooked turkey. If you’re worried about not hitting temp go ahead and leave the bird in until it hits 165, but remove it immediately at that moment. It’ll slightly overcook, but not to any noticeable degree.
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