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Turkey meat, commonly referred to simply asturkey, is themeat fromturkeys, typicallydomesticated ones, but alsowild turkeys. It is a popularpoultry dish, especially inNorth America and theUnited Kingdom, where it is traditionally consumed as part of culturally significant events such asThanksgiving andChristmas as well as in standard cuisine.
Turkeys are sold sliced and ground, as well as whole in a manner similar tochicken with the head, feet, and feathers removed. Turkey crowns are the breast of the bird with its legs and wings removed.[1][2] Frozen whole turkeys remain popular. Sliced turkey is frequently used as asandwich meat or served ascold cuts; in some cases where recipes call for chicken, it can be used as a substitute.Ground turkey is sold and frequently marketed as a healthy alternative to groundbeef. Without careful preparation, cooked turkey is usually considered to end up less moist than other poultry meats such aschicken orduck.[citation needed]
Wild turkeys, while technically the same species as domesticated turkeys, have a very different taste from farm-raised turkeys. Almost all of themeat is dark (including the breast) with a more intense flavor. The flavor can also vary seasonally with changes in available forage, often leaving wild turkey meat with a gamier flavor in late summer, due to the greater number of insects in its diet over the preceding months. Wild turkey that has fed predominantly on grass and grain has a milder flavor. Older heritage breeds also differ in flavor.[3] Traditionally raised English turkey meat has been granted the EU and UK designationTraditional Speciality Guaranteed under the nameTraditional Farmfresh Turkey.[4]
A large amount of turkey meat is processed. It can be smoked, and as such, is sometimes sold asturkey ham orturkey bacon. Twistedhelices of deep-fried turkey meat, sold as "turkey twizzlers", came to prominence in the UK in 2004, when chefJamie Oliver campaigned to have them and similar foods removed fromschool dinners.[5]
Unlikechicken eggs, turkey eggs are not commonly sold as food due to the high demand for whole turkeys and lower output of eggs as compared with other fowl (not only chickens, but even ducks or quail). A single turkey egg costs about$2–3.[6][7]
Turkeys are traditionally eaten as the main course ofThanksgiving dinner feasts in theUnited States andCanada,[8] and atChristmas dinner feasts in much of the rest of the world[citation needed] (often asstuffed turkey).
Turkey meat has been eaten by indigenous peoples from Mexico, Central America, and the southern tier of the United States since antiquity. In the 15th century, Spanish conquistadores took Aztec turkeys back to Europe.[9]
Turkey was eaten in as early as the 16th century in England.[10] Before the 20th century,pork ribs were the most common food for the North American holidays, as the animals were usually slaughtered in November. Turkeys were once so abundant in the wild that they were eaten throughout the year, the food considered commonplace, whereas pork ribs were rarely available outside of the Thanksgiving–New Year season.[11] While the tradition of turkey at Christmas spread throughout Britain in the 17th century,[10] among the working classes, it became common to servegoose, which remained the predominant roast until theVictorian era.[12]
Turkey withmole sauce is regarded as part ofregional dishes ofMexico,[13][14] andturkey rice as one ofTaiwan's.[15][16]
Because the turkey is aNew World bird not known to theJewish people until after the completion of theHebrew Bible andTalmud, questions about itskosher status have been discussed for years. The majority of authorities and a long history of Jewish usage have regarded it as kosher, as other related fowl such as chicken, partridge, and pheasant are.[17]
Turkeys have been raised in Finland since the 1950s,[18] and consumption is at its highest at Christmas time.[19] Turkey farming is mainly concentrated inWestern Finland,[20] with theSatakunta region producing over 98% of Finnish turkey meat.[21]
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 465 kJ (111 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 0 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 0 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.7 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
24.6 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 74 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[22] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from theNational Academies.[23] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turkeys are usuallybaked orroasted in an oven for several hours, often while the cook prepares the remainder of the meal. Sometimes, a turkey isbrined before roasting to enhance flavor and moisture content. This is done because the dark meat requires a higher temperature to denature all of the myoglobin pigment than the white meat (very low in myoglobin), so that fully cooking the dark meat tends to dry out the breast. Brining makes it possible to fully cook the dark meat without drying the breast meat. Turkeys are sometimes decorated with turkey frills,paper frills or"booties" that are placed on the end of drumsticks or bones of other cutlets.[24][25]
In some areas, particularly theAmerican South, they may also bedeep fried in hot oil (oftenpeanut oil) for 30 to 45 minutes by using aturkey fryer. Deep frying turkey has become something of a fad, with hazardous consequences for those unprepared to safely handle the large quantities of hot oil required.[26]
When raw, turkey breast meat is 74% water, 25%protein, 1%fat, and contains nocarbohydrates (table). In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) reference amount, turkey breast supplies 465 kilojoules (111 kilocalories) offood energy, and contains high amounts (20% or more of theDaily Value, DV) of protein,niacin,vitamin B6, andphosphorus, with moderate content (10–19% DV) ofpantothenic acid andzinc.
A 100 gram amount of turkey breast contains 279 mg oftryptophan, a low content compared to otheramino acids in turkey breast meat.[27] There is no scientific evidence that this amount of tryptophan from turkey causespost-meal drowsiness.[28][29]
| Meat | Protein (100 g) |
|---|---|
| Salami | 13.0 |
| Pork sausages (grilled) | 13.3 |
| Ground beef | 23.1 |
| Roast chicken | 24.8 |
| Grilled lean, back bacon | 25.3 |
| Roast turkey | 25.0 |
ForThanksgiving in the United States, turkey is traditionally served stuffed or with dressing (on the side), withcranberry sauce andgravy. Common complementary dishes includemashed potatoes,corn on the cob,green beans,squash, andsweet potatoes.Pie is the usual dessert, especially those made frompumpkins,apples, orpecans. It can also be eaten atChristmas in the United States and North America.[citation needed]
ForChristmas in the United Kingdom, turkey is traditionally served with winter vegetables, including roastpotatoes,Brussels sprouts, andparsnips. Cranberry sauce is the traditional condiment in the northern rural areas of the United Kingdom where wild cranberries grow. In the south and in urban areas, where cranberries until recently[when?] were difficult to obtain,bread sauce was used in its place, but the availability of commercial cranberry sauce has seen a rise in its popularity in these areas, too.[citation needed]Pigs in blankets, a dish consisting of small sausages (usuallychipolatas) wrapped inbacon are a popular and traditional accompaniment.[30][31][32][33][34]
Especially during holiday seasons around Thanksgiving and Christmas,stuffing or dressing is traditionally served with turkey. The many varieties includeoatmeal,chestnut,sage andonion (flavored bread), cornbread, andsausage are the most traditional. Stuffing is used to stuff the turkey (as the name implies) or may be cooked separately and served as a side dish (dressing).[citation needed]
Media related toTurkey as food at Wikimedia Commons
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