How the Turkey Survived (Food-Know-It-All)

Ok, I know the title sounds like the beginning of a bad joke but it's the only thing that would come to my mind. So, it stuck. The holidays are coming up and many of us will have turkey as the featured meat during a meal.

Turkey is synonymous with the holidays, Thanksgiving & Christmas. No rule says we must have it. Our history books tell us that was fish, shellfish, venison, & waterfowl along with Turkey on the 1st Thanksgiving. So, why is Turkey the only protein survivor? Who said "Christmas Turkey"? Ok, Let's talk Turkey!

Turkey became the choice because of historical influence & economically pragmatic reasons. By the time Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving in 1863 as a national holiday in the USA, many eminent figures in the country's past gave high praise to the turkey. William Bradford's diary, Of Plymouth Plantation, included turkey in the first Thanksgiving meal.

Before turkey farms, turkeys were caught in the wild. So as Thanksgiving started becoming a celebration, there were more turkeys to catch than the other animals. Turkeys are not serviceable as other animals. They aren't used for a milk or egg source. Turkeys are also uniquely American. It is a native bird to the USA, Canada, & Mexico. Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey as the country's bird over the bald eagle. So for many years, turkeys were talked about especially. Even Alexander Hamilton is documented saying "No citizen shall refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day". So, the turkey "seed" was planted with the founding of the country. So before the November holiday became major, turkey was already center stage.

Winter holidays have been pricey for generations. Turkey is large enough to feed a table full of hungry guests. The bird is thought to be the most cost-effective protein. They are cheaper per pound than chicken. And it is also cheaper & easier to raise than geese, the former traditional yuletide bird. Turkeys (farm raise & wild) are born in the spring and eat a diet of worms, insects, corn, & nuts to make them grow 10+ pounds in 6-7 months.

Those big birds can feed the multitude. Many food chroniclers feel like the iconic status of the turkey yuletide meal was popularized by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol, published in 1843 (20 years before American Thanksgiving became a national holiday). It is believed that Scrooge's gift of a turkey was to help Mrs. Cratchit with meals to feed the family. Many sneer their noses at leftovers these days but then they were needed. That leftover turkey could make soup for a few days to warm the kids after playing in the cold while on school break. Bob could have a few sandwiches for lunch. And though the Crachits are fictional, that kind of poverty was(is) not. A lot of real people were (are) making those meals for that reason.

So, that is how the turkey survived. Unlike deer and seafood, that big bird is a beloved native that helps lessen a hit or two to our bank accounts.

Ok here's a question, who makes the best turkey, for you? You? Your Grandmother? Your Mother? A Mom & Pop Diner? A Luxury Department Store? In my opinion, my cousin, blog name Cha-Cha makes the Best turkey.  I think my whole family agrees. It is moist, tender, and very flavorful. And with her permission, I am sharing her recipe. It is her take on Ree Drummond's(The Pioneer Woman) recipe. Her recipe takes out the salt, butter, and cooks it in a bag. We are a roasting bag kind of family. We don't stay up to baste anything. LoL

Cha-Cha's Roasted Turkey
Turkey "Brine"
Ingredients

• 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
• 2 gallons Cold Water
• 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
• 2-1/2 cups Garlic Powder
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 3 Tblsp Peppercorns
• 5 whole Bay Leaves
• Peel Of Three Large Oranges

 Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until garlic powder and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover. 
2. Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in "brine" solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. 
3. When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside. 
4. Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Roasted Turkey Method
Ingredients

• 1 whole Turkey, Brined 
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• 1 whole Orange
• 2 whole Fresh Rosemary Sprigs, Leaves Stripped And Minced
• 1 teaspoon Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper

• Roasting Bag, Turkey Size
• 1 Tbs Flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove the turkey from the "brine" Pat the turkey dry and place in a sink. 
3. Using a vegetable peeler, shave off thick slices of orange peel and slice them very thin. Combine with oil, rosemary, garlic, and pepper. Smear the oil mixture all over the skin, in crevices, etc so that it is fully covered. 
4. Shake flour inside the roasting bag and place in a large roasting pan that is at least 2 inches deep.
5. Carefully slide turkey into the oven bag, breast side up. Close oven bag with the included nylon tie and cut six 1/2 inch slits in the top of the bag.
6. Baking time varies depending on the size of your turkey. (Times are at end of recipe)
7. When your turkey reaches an internal temperature of 180°F in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, remove it from the oven and let stand in the oven bag for another 15 minutes. Cut open the top of the bag and carefully remove turkey from the bag, and place it onto a cutting board
8. Cover loosely with clean aluminum foil until you're ready to carve!

Turkey Cooking Times

• 1.5-2 hours for 8-12 lb turkeys
• 2-2.5 hours for 12-16 lb turkeys
• 2.5-3 hours for 16-20 lb turkeys
• 3-3.5 hours for 20-24 lb turkey

Pair that with the actual food star on our family's table, my mother's green bean casserole, and my plate is complete. LoL I need to do some sit-ups just thinking about it.

No matter what you have on your table remember those who are less fortunate and be grateful for whatever you have. Not to sound cliche, all of it is truly about the reason for the holiday season. It is about the peace, happiness, joy, & love that we are blessed with. If material things are how you define the word Blessed, then your dictionary is wrong. Be Thankful! Be Joyful! Be Blessed!

As Always Talking To You In Adult Terms