Heritage Turkey

[atlanticat]

If you're a turkey eater, you've probably eaten Broad Breasted Whites all of your life. This is the bog standard turkey that you get in any store or restaurant. I've never liked that variety of turkey and hence I never eat the stuff

Comments

[ladysilverlark]

I had a friend that brine(pretty sure it was Alton Brown's recipe) a wild turkey(I would think it would be similar to a heritage bird) one year for thanksgiving. If I remember right he pick the middle ground on the 2 methods you are talking about. He also basted it about every half hour. He did do the butter under the skin method too. Sorry can't give you more info then that since it has been several years since that Thanksgiving.

[atlanticat]

Yeah, they're actually pretty close genetically. The difference is that you don't get the gamey flavor you get from wild meat because it's been farm-raised. The middle ground is pretty much the traditional way to roast a bird, but we may not get much in the way of pan drippings on account of the leanness of the bird. I guess we'll have to pioneer it.

How did the wild bird taste?

[ladysilverlark]

Really good. But I am one of those people who like wild meat. I think there was gravy. But if I remember right chicken broth was added to the pan drippings. I know I did not add gravy to the turkey. Since that was wonderful most and very flavorful.

[samiraalthores]

I had a heritage bird from the Amish last year. I did the slow roast using foil to retain moisture. The bird was on a rack and there were cut veggies below. It was about a 6 hour process, I recall.

[atlanticat]

Did you tent the whole pan in foil or just cover the breast? I presume it was delicious. :)

[samiraalthores]

I tented the whole pan until the last hour when I removed it to brown the skin.

I used the vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, celery, herbs) to thicken the gravy instead of corn starch by pureeing them.

[lilybrooke]

I wish I could contribute to this conversation, but I have only ever cooked them over a hearth using a tin kitchen, and I am unable to tell you how they came out, since I didn't eat any. I feel useless when I shouldn't be!