An Alternative to Broad Breast
No one in our family can forget the Thanksgiving I cooked the goose , literally. The big old big tough greasy honker that my son and his faithful German Wirehair, Chaps proudly brought home made for lots of left overs, trust me , no one asked for seconds. I’m Susan Allen as we prepare for my favorite holiday, there are other options than the traditional turkey, really! For the last 50 years Americans have grow accustomed to eating a breed of turkey known as the Broad Breasted White a Dolly Pardon like creature that has been bred for a life span of 18 months and can’t reproduce without artificial insemination, a bird far different from the one kids draw in grade school and Ben Franklin wanted to make our national bird . Yet just like with cattle, sheep and other livestock there are lots of other breeds of turkey a bird unique in that is indigenous to North and South America. Problem is locating one because won’t find an American Standard Bronze at Fred Meyers , they’ll think you are asking for a facet. Heritage Turkeys are raised like free range chicken thus they mature much slower and can actually live to be quite old if they make through Thanksgiving. I’ve not eaten one but am told they have more thigh meat due to strong legs and a richer taste. There are also pretty darn expensive if you can even find one a typical eight to 12-pound American Standard Bronze can go for $75.00 plus shipping whereas the average price for a conventionally raised 16-pound turkey this year will be about $21.57, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
