Talking Vintage Turkey

Find out why looking to the past is a tastier alternative to the usual turkey dinner.

By Sacha Zimmerman
From Reader's Digest
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Many people buy organic turkeys for health and ethical reasons. Now "heritage" turkeys are gaining popularity. These are the same breeds our forefathers ate centuries ago. What you should know:

  • Heritage breeds are better proportioned (they're not as breast heavy) and have more dark meat than typical, mass-produced store turkeys.

  • It takes longer for a heritage bird to come to full market weight than it does for a regular bird (7 months versus 4), which is partly why a heritage costs more: $50 and up for a 12-pounder.

  • Both the white and especially the dark meat have a rich, gamelike flavor, and the meat is soft and less dense than a conventional bird's.
  • Buying a heritage turkey creates a market and helps protect the varieties, including Bourbon Red and American Bronze, which virtually reached extinction in the 1990s.

  • The meat is juicier and oilier (but not heavy) than other turkeys, so moisture tricks like brining aren’t necessary.

  • Not all heritage turkeys are organic; ask the farmer how and what he feeds his birds.
For buying and cooking tips, click here.
From Reader's Digest - November 2006
 
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