Turkey

It must be a real feast or famine profession, being a turkey farmer. You get one day a year with more sales than you can handle and the rest of the year is pretty slow.

We always did a turkey and had the usual week of turkey sandwiches and turkey a la king etc. to use up all the excess turkey leftovers. Enjoyed some of that as well as the original presentation of the turkey on Thanksgiving (though I've misplaced my family recipe for oatmeal dressing - the American practice of using things like oysters in a dressing just seems wrong...)

But I've been one that doesn't do turkey in between Thanksgivings. Until this year when I saw some turkey thighs in the butcher shop, I bit and took a pair home. I butchered them (used the bones to make stock) and rubbed the meat with ancho chili (could have used some mild Aleppo I have), garlic and cumin for awhile I then grilled them.

Turned out looking rather like pork done the same way. I sliced up the thighs crossways and served them up with a salad side and we really enjoyed them. A pair of thighs makes enough for two plus a lunch for one later.

So we are no longer a once a year house (maybe twice if you decide to have turkey at Christmas, although my wife likes a good goose) and our only challenge may be finding turkey bits the rest of the year.

As it happen, we have a half a bandsawn turkey in the freezer (a whole one is too much for two people) so will probably have that for Christmas.

[Jenise]

I agree with you on the quantities--it's tough for two.

Thinking we would be away on Tday (and we were) I roasted a small fresh turkey the week before. Since I hate the flavor of recooked meat (that wasn't braised or stewed in the original prep), all the usual leftover solutions other s like are off the table. It just tastes spoiled to me, so we we just end up eating the rest in a few cold meat & veggie platter lunches, and we actually enjoy it that way. I occasionally roast a turkey breast too when I happen to see one at the Co-op where they occasionally break down whole birds. But otherwise, no we don't eat much turkey.

Many years ago we were able to get turkey cutlets at the butcher and we'd use them for variety's sake. They do cook up a bit firmer than chicken, though.

But nowadays, we have 1 or 2 a year, as Bill related, always for TG and maybe for Xmas (if we don't think of something more interesting to make). We like goose, too, but the yield, yummy as it is, is kinda low for all that work.

We always do sausage/bread cube stuffing. Pumpkin very much favors sweet Italian sausage.

I'd be inclined to cook some turkey thighs if I had a good-looking recipe. Do they work in coq au vin?

[Jenise]

Jeff, you remind me that I used to be able to get turkey cutlets at Whole Foods in Southern California, and I'd prepare them often in the style of things you'd do with veal. Schnitzel, with or without mushroom sauces, and the like. I'd sometimes buy whole breasts and cut the cutlets myself. I've kind of forgotten all about those since I moved north! I need to remedy that, it's such a versatile and healthy protein.