Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

fresh turkey?

kosoffj

By kosoffj
in Pennsylvania: Cooking & Baking

 Share

Recommended Posts

mydogbites2

mydogbites2

Posted
Posted

Well first get one.. :cool:

Then you have to go with a brining method.. very succulent..

If you are not familiar with the method refer to Alton B's Food Network recipe..and if you are, share your idea..

This year I think I am going to try a sea salt, honey, orange juice and habanero brine.. with a halved lemon and lemon basil aromatic in the carcass.. mmm sweet salty citrus with a kicker.

Dont go empty your wallet for one though.. Meaning that the texture vs. frozen is detectable but if you are just cooking it for the inlaws feed em frozen.. :biggrin:

Chow down,

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Capaneus

Capaneus

Posted
Posted
hosting thanksgiving this year for both sides of the family and would like to go fresh instead of frozen. suggestions?

I'm reasonably sure you are still in time to order from Griggstown:

http://store.griggstownquailfarm.com/c-26-turkey.aspx

I also believe several of the merchants at RTM offer fresh turkeys - including heirloom breeds - for Thanksgiving pre-order.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kosoffj

kosoffj

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

thanks! i should have been more clear that i meant where to buy one (the cooking part i'm cool on), i had a 2 year old pounding on the key board while i was trying to type so the message was brief :)

i'm in town and between work and a 2 year old it has to be close by (ie:reading terminal/south philly etc)

mrbigjas - did you have to call to reserve or stop by? do they have turkey breasts as well? i'm haveing approx 20 people and was going to do a medium sized bird and a breast....

thanks for all of your help and suggestions!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shacke

shacke

Posted
Posted

Just an opinionated opinion but unless you get a heritage turkey, all the modern day frankenturkeys mutants are pretty much the same. Is a fresh butterball that different from a local bird you get for twice as much somewhere (other than supporting local farms)? That's why you brine and/or fry them - so they taste like something. Not needed with the heritage turkeys - they are very different animals - that includes the cost!

Evan

Dough can sense fear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NaFairge

NaFairge

Posted
Posted

dibruno bros 18th street is offering lancaster organic/free range birds for 3.49 a pound. not cheap but i am sure it is good.

anyone have some price info on godshall's birds? i've always loved their chickens.

"the soul contains three elements in dining: to feel, to remember, to imagine." --andoni luiz aduriz

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rlibkind

rlibkind

Posted
Posted

Here's the info from the weekly Fair Food Farmstand (Reading Terminal Market) weekly email

DEADLINE for orders is noon on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16th  for

FRESH THANKSGIVING TURKEYS

Order from the Fair Food Farmstand and know that your Thanksgiving turkey was raised by a local family farmer, and was fed only natural feed.

* Naturally-Raised Turkeys  $2.65/LB (10-30 LB available), Green Meadow Farm, Gap, PA

* Organic Turkeys  $3.45/LB (12-24 LB available), Spring Water Farm, Gap, PA

* Heritage Turkeys $5.85/LB (6-16 LB available), Local family farm

To Place an Order: Use our secure server online, call us at 215-627-2029, or order in person at the Fair Food Farmstand (location and hours at the top of the email). If you have any questions, feel free to also email us at fairfoodfarmstand@gmail.com

Bob Libkind aka "rlibkind"

Robert's Market Report

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Diann

Diann

Posted
Posted
thank you!

now which type turkey from the farmstand? i will say 5.85 (for the heriatge) seems a bit much per pound for a turkey, but i'm willing to give it a go if it's worth it...

I got one of the heritage birds last year -- I think it's worth it if you have a smaller group to feed (I had six) -- a better, more intense turkey flavor as shacke alluded to above.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gbredben

gbredben

Posted
Posted

Today's article in the Inqy about Thanksgiving Upgrade, good article BTW, notes that the heritage turkeys will often have a lower portion of white meat. Therefore, if you have several individuals in your group who demand nothing but white meat, definitely pick up the breast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shacke

shacke

Posted
Posted
Today's article in the Inqy about Thanksgiving Upgrade, good article BTW, notes that the heritage turkeys will often have a lower portion of white meat.  Therefore, if you have several individuals in your group who demand nothing but white meat, definitely pick up the breast.

Indeed - the breast is smaller and the meat is darker and not typical of what most people think of as turkey. The frame is more reminiscent of a goose with a much longer slender sternum. These breeds were forgotten as farmers developed birds for their large breasts to the point where I hear they can't even mate naturally (can't confirm that :biggrin: ). The number of breeding stocks plummeted to the point of serious concern and ironically it is the recent attempt to get people to eat them that is going to save them. Seems to be working.

If someone wants "breast" meat - yes - they will not care for this variety but it's worth a try. It's a bird native to America and the one Ben Franklin wanted as our national bird - so mangi ....

Evan

Dough can sense fear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mrbigjas

mrbigjas

Posted
Posted
If someone wants "breast" meat - yes - they will not care for this variety but it's worth a try.  It's a bird native to America and the one Ben Franklin wanted as our national bird  - so mangi ....

from what i've read, that's not exactly true -- the 'heritage' breeds are kind of a perpetuation of the breeds that came about when people way back when started breeding wild turkeys for more meat, but before like 50 years ago when the regular old turkeys we've had our whole lives were brought about.

i mean, they're not wild turkeys. but they're still way better than regular ones, in the same way as the meadow run farm chickens are way better than regular ones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kosoffj

kosoffj

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

i wound up ordering at godshall;s cause i wanted a turkey and a breast and they could do both. I have to say the guy who awnsered the phone was a jerk (i had a question or 2 and he was real snippy with me). Hopefully the turkey is good, i pick it up tuesday :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NaFairge

NaFairge

Posted
Posted

wound up going with godshall's as well. free range, organic, etc. looking forward to it.

going to rock the heston blumenthal recipe for perfect roast chicken. i have made the chicken a number of times and it...is...unreal. takes four days to prep but really, it results in an amazing bird.

his book is called 'in search of perfection' and it will change the way you look at some of the classics. he is working on a sequel and the first book is based on his bbc show by the same name.

"the soul contains three elements in dining: to feel, to remember, to imagine." --andoni luiz aduriz

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
dagordon

dagordon

Posted
Posted

We got a fresh Meadow Run Farm turkey for Thanksgiving, a monster 21lb bird. This was the best turkey we've ever had -- even better than the Rosengarten butter and duck fat and pancetta injected Eberly turkeys we got the past 2 years. The dark meat had the most intense flavor of any turkey I've ever had; I suppose this is what turkey is supposed to taste like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kosoffj

kosoffj

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

hey to follow up.

the turkey was wonderful, i prepared it very simply and it was really juicy and vursting with flavor. the pickup process at godshall's leaves much to be desired (even though you preordered you have to take a number and wait in line, i went tuesday at aroun2:30 and was there for almost an hour), but the turkey was lovely

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...