- Jan 14, 2011
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This year my family did a taste test of six breeds that I raise plus a supermarket turkey. We were surprised to find most of our guest found no difference. That was so disappointing since I want to brag about what I raise.
It seems you can say any bird can win a taste test. The results of a dozen or more taste test give completely different results. Just because one is at the tops of the list does not mean it would be my favorite or that my family would agree. Here is a example
What Creates Flavor
Flavor in any animal is a function of four factors:
The underlying quality of the meat. Flavor is a fundamental expression of an animals genetic stock.
The age of the animal. Older animals acquire more fat, which provides more flavor; and heritage animals grow more slowly than commercial animals. Heritage turkeys are generally seven or eight months old, compared to commercial birds which are three or four months old.
How it was raised. The more exercise an animal gets, the more its muscular flesh builds, the better its flavor. Animals allowed to roam in pastures and free-range poultry in yards get exercise; animals confined in pens and coops do not.
What it was fed. Animals allowed to graze and forage will develop a deeper flavor than those fed a pure grain diet (different grains also produce different flavors). Free-range turkey (and chicken) will eat grasses, grubs and insects to produce more flavor nuances.
The Contenders in the Blind Tasting
The contenders were identified only as Bird 1, Bird 2, etc. until after the tasting and voting. They were then revealed as:
Bird 1: Organic Turkey
Fed only whole organic grains and pure spring water are fed to the birds, these free-range birds are raised in a pesticides- and herbicide-free environment with no antibiotics, growth hormones, no arsenicals or artificial light are permitted at any time.
Bird 2: Frozen Supermarket Turkey
This was a brand-name frozen turkey, not a generic. Keep in mind that as with steak, ice cream, or any food product, there are average producers and great producers.
Bird 3: Heritage Bourbon Red
These Heritage birds are the oldest breed of turkeys. They fly and breed naturally. Their chest bone is longer, and they are naturally well proportioned, which means that they have a larger quantity of the dark meat than the more recent chest-heavy breeds. They are raised outside in the fresh air where they can forage. They are raised humanely, not given antibiotics, and are fed a certified organic diet Heritage turkeys all have richly flavored meat, are succulent and juicy, and are naturally well proportioned, which means that have not been genetically altered to produce birds with larger breasts. They are also heartier and can be raised outside in fresh air and where they can forage, which affects the quality and taste of the meat.
Bird 6: Heritage Standard Bronze
The Standard Bronze turkey was developed in the 1830s in Rhode Island by crossing Narragansett turkeys with wild turkeys.
Bird 7: Wild Turkey
The most authentic turkey, this is the bird that inspired Benjamin Franklin to nominated it as the symbol of America (it lost to the American Eagle). Very lean with a long, arched chest bone, it looked like an aerodynamic track star compared to the other birds. Slender of chest, it had the least white meat. For an authentic Thanksgiving, try it.
The Process
The birds were prepared simply: salted and peppered, and cooked according to weight (which ranged from 10 to 15 pounds).
They were served plainno salt, no pepper, no sauce, no sidesallowing the tasters to experience the bare essence of the meat. Palates were cleansed with spring water or wine.
The birds came out of the oven at roughly the same time, were allowed to stand, and were carved by three of the greatest chefs in Americainstructors at the culinary schoolwho also participated in the tasting.
The Outcome
Going into this tasting, we would have bet on a different outcome than we experienced. However, any good scientist repeats tests. One tough strip steak does not condemn the category. It only means that one steak from one source at one point in time prepared by one chef at one point was chewy.
Remember, we were tasting without benefit of salt, gravy, anything: just plain unadorned meat. These notes were written when tasting blind, although the birds are identified below. In full disclosure, we prefer dark meat, but certainly do eat white meat when it is hot out of the oven moist.
Bird 1: Organic Turkey
White meat was pebbly, papery. Dark meat was pink, moist, very tasty.
Bird 2: Frozen Supermarket Turkey
The meatiest legs. Excellent texture and taste, very birdy flavor, classic white meat. Dark meat is darker in color and a little chewier than Bird 1, but a lovely, pure flavorexcellent. The interesting thing about this bird is that the white meat and dark meat flavors are not at extremes: white meat lovers should enjoy the dark meat, and dark meat lovers should enjoy the white meat.
Bird 3: Heritage Bourbon Red
Smaller, broad breast with lots of breast meat but smaller drumsticks. Chewy all over without a lot of flavor. The dark meat is very dark; moist but just too chewy with no other payoff.
Bird 4: Heritage Standard Bronze
The third bestchewy, but not as chewy as Bird 3. Moist dark meat, white meat O.K. Still waiting for a turkey epiphany, and not getting it. Only one bird to go.
Bird 5: Wild Turkey
This scrawny, elongated bird looks like an Olympic runner from Chariots of Fire. Almost no meat on the upper breast, but big thighs. Surprisingly, very tender white and dark meat. I wish it had more turkey flavor. Bird 6 and Bird 7 are the second and third best; I guess 7 wins it by a hair.
In deference to the Heritage Bourbon Red, which was chewy, we had read that heritage turkey dark meat can be a little tougher than commercial dark meat, but that brining for a day prior to roasting was a solution to a more tender and juicy bird. Our turkeys were not brined, and we found both the white and dark meat to be chewy on both birds. We did not find the flavor payoff to be significantly distinctive to make brining a priorityespecially at five times the cost.
Tasting Conclusions
While the birds that were celebrated at the first Thanksgivings have become virtually extinct, todays commercially produced, factory farmed Broad Breasted White turkeys, are tasty.
One tasting does not a decision make. Good restaurant critics go back to taste three or four times before making a pronouncement about the food. And, as with steak, different breeders will producer different-tasting birds.
In another taste test this was the conclusion
The clear favorite turned out to be from Maple Lawn Farms, which produced 20,000 free-range turkeys this season. Judges liked the white meat, which they called "rosy and glistening" in appearance, and the dark meat, described as "moist" and "full bodied" in flavor and "rich," "silky" and "fine-grained" in texture. Gray, co-owner of Equinox restaurant downtown and executive chef of Salamander Hospitality in Middleburg, put it succinctly: "That's good turkey."
There were dumbfounded cries when Voltaggio announced that the turkey that had collectively placed second was America's favorite: the humble Butterball. Most in the group liked the "mild, familiar" flavor and "visibly moist meat," but they didn't care so much for the "dry," "grainy" texture.
And talk about a mouthful: Coming in at No. 3 was the fresh, free-range, organic, certified humanely raised and handled American Bronze turkey from Ayrshire Farm in Upperville. This was one handsome bird, straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting, with a high, peaked rib cage and glorious, glistening flesh. Judges remarked on the "distinct muscles and marbled flesh" and the "beautiful dark meat" but found the flavor "flat."
No one seemed to care for the readily available, fresh, natural Shady Brook Farms turkey, which was deemed "unappetizing," "bland" and "salty."
This taste test had almost complete opposite results.
In a first taste test more than half the birds were inadvertently overcooked (prompting someone to say that they were probably closest to what most people get on Thanksgiving).
Despite that, two things stood out in a blind tasting. The Butterball, though not overcooked, was tasteless. It was juicy because it was injected with broth and salt (not butter, as the name implies). The Bourbon Red heritage turkey, from a limited supply at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and the American Bronze heritage turkey from DArtagnan, though cooked too long, had the best flavor.
In a second test, we cooked two heritage birds, a Bourbon Red and an American Bronze from Heritage Foods; a domesticated wild bird from Quattro Farm; an organic free-range broad-breasted white from DArtagnan; and two naturally raised broad-breasted whites, one from Griggstown Quail Farm, the other from Eberly Poultry.
This time, with the help of a professional chef, the turkeys were cooked to a uniform 150 degrees, removed from the oven and then tented with foil and allowed to rest until they reached 160 degrees.
Dan Barber of Blue Hill and Peter Hoffman at Savoy follow similar procedures, cutting off the thighs before or after roasting and cooking them longer, since they are not quite done when the breast is.
When we were finished I would not have been ashamed to serve any of the following birds on Thanksgiving, though the heritage turkeys were still my favorites.
HERITAGE Both the white meat and the dark delivered the essence of old-fashioned turkeyness. The white was succulent; even the richer dark meat was tender. If this turkey were a wine, it would be a fine old red. The additional cost is considerable, but for a once-a-year treat I will spend extra for either a Bourbon Red or an American Bronze. Available from heritagefoodsusa.com for $119 for a bird weighing 8 to 10 pounds, shipping included, or from dartagnan.com for $71.50.
ORGANIC The DArtagnan organic free-range turkey was moist; the white meat had a mild turkey flavor and a fine, firm texture, and the dark had deeper flavor and was slightly chewier. This would be a Beaujolais. At retail stores for $3.49 to $3.99 a pound.
NATURAL The turkeys from Griggstown Quail Farm and from Eberly were similar to the organic: tender and juicy. The white meat had the light turkey flavor that most Americans are used to. The dark meat was a bit richer. Griggstown turkeys are available from www.griggstownquailfarm.com; a turkey weighing 15 to 18 pounds costs $100.95. Whole Foods sells the Eberly for $3.69 to $3.99 a pound.
WILD These turkeys were a little disappointing: somewhat chewy, a little dry. To my surprise, the white meat was not bursting with turkeyness. The dark meat, however, was moist and had a nice gamey flavor. Maybe even 150 degrees was too high a temperature for such lean birds. The Quattro Farm birds are available at the farms stand at the Union Square Greenmarket on Saturdays, and on Wednesday, Nov. 22, for $5.79 a pound. The birds must be ordered in advance from (845) 635-8202, and are available now. Quattro birds are also sold through dartagnan.com, where one weighing 8 to 10 pounds costs $71.50.
In another taste test.
A fellow Washington heritage turkey farmer hosted a recent turkey taste test at the Dahlia Lounge in Seattle, WA. The event seated 50 people and sold out in 2 hours! Four different varieties of birds were roasted including the Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Midget White (all Heritage Breeds) and a Butterball (Broad Breasted White-commercially raised bird). In a blind taste test the Bourbon Red ranked first with qualities for superior taste, texture, and finest flavor.
It seems you can say any bird can win a taste test. The results of a dozen or more taste test give completely different results. Just because one is at the tops of the list does not mean it would be my favorite or that my family would agree. Here is a example
What Creates Flavor
Flavor in any animal is a function of four factors:
The underlying quality of the meat. Flavor is a fundamental expression of an animals genetic stock.
The age of the animal. Older animals acquire more fat, which provides more flavor; and heritage animals grow more slowly than commercial animals. Heritage turkeys are generally seven or eight months old, compared to commercial birds which are three or four months old.
How it was raised. The more exercise an animal gets, the more its muscular flesh builds, the better its flavor. Animals allowed to roam in pastures and free-range poultry in yards get exercise; animals confined in pens and coops do not.
What it was fed. Animals allowed to graze and forage will develop a deeper flavor than those fed a pure grain diet (different grains also produce different flavors). Free-range turkey (and chicken) will eat grasses, grubs and insects to produce more flavor nuances.
The Contenders in the Blind Tasting
The contenders were identified only as Bird 1, Bird 2, etc. until after the tasting and voting. They were then revealed as:
Bird 1: Organic Turkey
Fed only whole organic grains and pure spring water are fed to the birds, these free-range birds are raised in a pesticides- and herbicide-free environment with no antibiotics, growth hormones, no arsenicals or artificial light are permitted at any time.
Bird 2: Frozen Supermarket Turkey
This was a brand-name frozen turkey, not a generic. Keep in mind that as with steak, ice cream, or any food product, there are average producers and great producers.
Bird 3: Heritage Bourbon Red
These Heritage birds are the oldest breed of turkeys. They fly and breed naturally. Their chest bone is longer, and they are naturally well proportioned, which means that they have a larger quantity of the dark meat than the more recent chest-heavy breeds. They are raised outside in the fresh air where they can forage. They are raised humanely, not given antibiotics, and are fed a certified organic diet Heritage turkeys all have richly flavored meat, are succulent and juicy, and are naturally well proportioned, which means that have not been genetically altered to produce birds with larger breasts. They are also heartier and can be raised outside in fresh air and where they can forage, which affects the quality and taste of the meat.
Bird 6: Heritage Standard Bronze
The Standard Bronze turkey was developed in the 1830s in Rhode Island by crossing Narragansett turkeys with wild turkeys.
Bird 7: Wild Turkey
The most authentic turkey, this is the bird that inspired Benjamin Franklin to nominated it as the symbol of America (it lost to the American Eagle). Very lean with a long, arched chest bone, it looked like an aerodynamic track star compared to the other birds. Slender of chest, it had the least white meat. For an authentic Thanksgiving, try it.
The Process
The birds were prepared simply: salted and peppered, and cooked according to weight (which ranged from 10 to 15 pounds).
They were served plainno salt, no pepper, no sauce, no sidesallowing the tasters to experience the bare essence of the meat. Palates were cleansed with spring water or wine.
The birds came out of the oven at roughly the same time, were allowed to stand, and were carved by three of the greatest chefs in Americainstructors at the culinary schoolwho also participated in the tasting.
The Outcome
Going into this tasting, we would have bet on a different outcome than we experienced. However, any good scientist repeats tests. One tough strip steak does not condemn the category. It only means that one steak from one source at one point in time prepared by one chef at one point was chewy.
Remember, we were tasting without benefit of salt, gravy, anything: just plain unadorned meat. These notes were written when tasting blind, although the birds are identified below. In full disclosure, we prefer dark meat, but certainly do eat white meat when it is hot out of the oven moist.
Bird 1: Organic Turkey
White meat was pebbly, papery. Dark meat was pink, moist, very tasty.
Bird 2: Frozen Supermarket Turkey
The meatiest legs. Excellent texture and taste, very birdy flavor, classic white meat. Dark meat is darker in color and a little chewier than Bird 1, but a lovely, pure flavorexcellent. The interesting thing about this bird is that the white meat and dark meat flavors are not at extremes: white meat lovers should enjoy the dark meat, and dark meat lovers should enjoy the white meat.
Bird 3: Heritage Bourbon Red
Smaller, broad breast with lots of breast meat but smaller drumsticks. Chewy all over without a lot of flavor. The dark meat is very dark; moist but just too chewy with no other payoff.
Bird 4: Heritage Standard Bronze
The third bestchewy, but not as chewy as Bird 3. Moist dark meat, white meat O.K. Still waiting for a turkey epiphany, and not getting it. Only one bird to go.
Bird 5: Wild Turkey
This scrawny, elongated bird looks like an Olympic runner from Chariots of Fire. Almost no meat on the upper breast, but big thighs. Surprisingly, very tender white and dark meat. I wish it had more turkey flavor. Bird 6 and Bird 7 are the second and third best; I guess 7 wins it by a hair.
In deference to the Heritage Bourbon Red, which was chewy, we had read that heritage turkey dark meat can be a little tougher than commercial dark meat, but that brining for a day prior to roasting was a solution to a more tender and juicy bird. Our turkeys were not brined, and we found both the white and dark meat to be chewy on both birds. We did not find the flavor payoff to be significantly distinctive to make brining a priorityespecially at five times the cost.
Tasting Conclusions
While the birds that were celebrated at the first Thanksgivings have become virtually extinct, todays commercially produced, factory farmed Broad Breasted White turkeys, are tasty.
One tasting does not a decision make. Good restaurant critics go back to taste three or four times before making a pronouncement about the food. And, as with steak, different breeders will producer different-tasting birds.
In another taste test this was the conclusion
The clear favorite turned out to be from Maple Lawn Farms, which produced 20,000 free-range turkeys this season. Judges liked the white meat, which they called "rosy and glistening" in appearance, and the dark meat, described as "moist" and "full bodied" in flavor and "rich," "silky" and "fine-grained" in texture. Gray, co-owner of Equinox restaurant downtown and executive chef of Salamander Hospitality in Middleburg, put it succinctly: "That's good turkey."
There were dumbfounded cries when Voltaggio announced that the turkey that had collectively placed second was America's favorite: the humble Butterball. Most in the group liked the "mild, familiar" flavor and "visibly moist meat," but they didn't care so much for the "dry," "grainy" texture.
And talk about a mouthful: Coming in at No. 3 was the fresh, free-range, organic, certified humanely raised and handled American Bronze turkey from Ayrshire Farm in Upperville. This was one handsome bird, straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting, with a high, peaked rib cage and glorious, glistening flesh. Judges remarked on the "distinct muscles and marbled flesh" and the "beautiful dark meat" but found the flavor "flat."
No one seemed to care for the readily available, fresh, natural Shady Brook Farms turkey, which was deemed "unappetizing," "bland" and "salty."
This taste test had almost complete opposite results.
In a first taste test more than half the birds were inadvertently overcooked (prompting someone to say that they were probably closest to what most people get on Thanksgiving).
Despite that, two things stood out in a blind tasting. The Butterball, though not overcooked, was tasteless. It was juicy because it was injected with broth and salt (not butter, as the name implies). The Bourbon Red heritage turkey, from a limited supply at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and the American Bronze heritage turkey from DArtagnan, though cooked too long, had the best flavor.
In a second test, we cooked two heritage birds, a Bourbon Red and an American Bronze from Heritage Foods; a domesticated wild bird from Quattro Farm; an organic free-range broad-breasted white from DArtagnan; and two naturally raised broad-breasted whites, one from Griggstown Quail Farm, the other from Eberly Poultry.
This time, with the help of a professional chef, the turkeys were cooked to a uniform 150 degrees, removed from the oven and then tented with foil and allowed to rest until they reached 160 degrees.
Dan Barber of Blue Hill and Peter Hoffman at Savoy follow similar procedures, cutting off the thighs before or after roasting and cooking them longer, since they are not quite done when the breast is.
When we were finished I would not have been ashamed to serve any of the following birds on Thanksgiving, though the heritage turkeys were still my favorites.
HERITAGE Both the white meat and the dark delivered the essence of old-fashioned turkeyness. The white was succulent; even the richer dark meat was tender. If this turkey were a wine, it would be a fine old red. The additional cost is considerable, but for a once-a-year treat I will spend extra for either a Bourbon Red or an American Bronze. Available from heritagefoodsusa.com for $119 for a bird weighing 8 to 10 pounds, shipping included, or from dartagnan.com for $71.50.
ORGANIC The DArtagnan organic free-range turkey was moist; the white meat had a mild turkey flavor and a fine, firm texture, and the dark had deeper flavor and was slightly chewier. This would be a Beaujolais. At retail stores for $3.49 to $3.99 a pound.
NATURAL The turkeys from Griggstown Quail Farm and from Eberly were similar to the organic: tender and juicy. The white meat had the light turkey flavor that most Americans are used to. The dark meat was a bit richer. Griggstown turkeys are available from www.griggstownquailfarm.com; a turkey weighing 15 to 18 pounds costs $100.95. Whole Foods sells the Eberly for $3.69 to $3.99 a pound.
WILD These turkeys were a little disappointing: somewhat chewy, a little dry. To my surprise, the white meat was not bursting with turkeyness. The dark meat, however, was moist and had a nice gamey flavor. Maybe even 150 degrees was too high a temperature for such lean birds. The Quattro Farm birds are available at the farms stand at the Union Square Greenmarket on Saturdays, and on Wednesday, Nov. 22, for $5.79 a pound. The birds must be ordered in advance from (845) 635-8202, and are available now. Quattro birds are also sold through dartagnan.com, where one weighing 8 to 10 pounds costs $71.50.
In another taste test.
A fellow Washington heritage turkey farmer hosted a recent turkey taste test at the Dahlia Lounge in Seattle, WA. The event seated 50 people and sold out in 2 hours! Four different varieties of birds were roasted including the Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Midget White (all Heritage Breeds) and a Butterball (Broad Breasted White-commercially raised bird). In a blind taste test the Bourbon Red ranked first with qualities for superior taste, texture, and finest flavor.
