Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Turkey Is Honored Eats

Barbara A. Holt, Ph.D.

Clark County Extension Agent

Family and Consumer Sciences

Cooperative Extension Service

Thanksgiving and Christmas are turkey time. Turkey is the all-American bird and deserves an honored place at the table, now and all year around.

Fossil evidence shows that turkeys have roamed the Americas for ten million years. Indians hunted turkey for its sweet juicy meat. They used turkey feathers to stabilize arrows and adorn their ceremonial dress. Spurs from the legs of fighting wild tom turkeys were used as projectile points on arrowheads.

When Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492, turkeys were here to greet him. Both he and Hernando Cortez took turkeys back to Europe and by 1530 they were being raised in Italy, France and England. So when the pilgrims arrived in 1620 they were already familiar with turkey.

The native wild bird became a symbol of a bounteous harvest and a rightful part of our American heritage.

The early settlers brought domesticated turkeys back from Europe and crossbred them with the larger wild turkeys. Turkey soon became a major source of food.

Historically, wild turkeys were hunted with crews who would wipe out entire flocks, selling the birds at six cents apiece. By 1900 only small populations still lived anywhere east of the Mississippi.

Wild turkeys exist today because conservationists stepped in to save them. They have made a comeback and can be hunted in season in much of the country, including Arkansas.

The tender, broad-breasted bird you take home from the grocery bears little resemblance to the wily critter our Pilgrim forefathers flushed out of the bushes.

The wild turkey must fly to survive, and can glide a full mile without fluttering a wing. It has a beautiful bronze color and is related to the pheasant.

Domestic turkeys are not allowed to scratch around and eat whatever they find, but are fed a diet of specially-blended and prepared feed. Selective breeding has develoed tender, moist, white, broad-breasted birds with 50% more meat per bone weight than wild varieties.

The turkey industry has improved the shape, weight, size,tenderness and color of the modern turkey, but the price has remained very reasonable. One reason is that the turkey is very efficient in converting feed grains to edible meat.

Today's turkey is not even the same as the one you used to roast, rising at the crack of dawn on special days. Turkeys are oven-ready when you buy them. Just remove the neck and giblets, rinse in cold water and wipe dry before cooking.

Some are even self-basting. Since modern turkey meat is so moist, cooking times are reduced. Read the label and don't overcook it.

Turkeys come in all sizesCfrom over 20 to fewer than 10 pounds. They can be roasted, braised, cooked on a spit, broiled or even deep fried whole.

Turkey now goes on summer picnics, travels to work in a lunch sack or makes it to parties all year around.

There are turkey parts, including just the turkey breast. It comes plain or hickory smoked. There's turkey pastrami, bologna, salami, ham, bacon and even turkey hotdogs. All have the lower fat, lower calories and lower cholesterol qualities of the original turkey meat.

So, plan on turkey for the holidays, and take two slices.

Food and nutrition information is avilable at the Clark County Cooperative Extension office, 5th and Clay in Arkadelphia.