Who decided to make Thanksgiving a national holiday?
In the mid-1800s Sarah J. Hale, a poet and editor, lobbyed for a national Thanksgiving holiday. But it wasn't until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln - looking to unite the nation during the Civil War - gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation. Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving.
How much turkey should I buy for Thanksgiving dinner?
For generous servings and leftovers, Butterball recommends:
- 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per person when buying a fresh or frozen whole turkey.
- 1-1/2 to 2 pounds per person for a frozen stuffed turkey.
- 3/4 pound per person for a bone-in breast of turkey.
- 1/2 pound per person for a boneless turkey roast or a boneless breast of turkey roast.
How can I find the best-tasting turkey?
Age is a determining factor in taste. A turkey younger than 16 weeks is called a fryer, and a "young roaster" is 5 to 7 months old. A yearling is just over a year old. Any bird 15 months or older is considered mature. Since old females generally have tough meat, hens are eaten when they are young and small. But young male birds generally have stringy meat, so older, large males are preferred.
What is the best way to thaw a frozen turkey?
The best and safest way to defrost a turkey is to thaw it in the refrigerator. Never thaw a turkey at room temperature. Put the turkey in its original wrapping on a shallow baking sheet in the refrigerator.
What is brining?
Brining involves immersing the turkey in a saltwater solution to provide the breast meat with a moisture cushion in case it is overcooked. Brining also seasons the meat, which eliminates the need to do so before or after roasting. A brined turkey will also cook faster than an unbrined bird by about 30 minutes because the absorbed water conducts heat.
How do I do it?
Here's a brining recipe for a 10- to 12-pound turkey from chef Emeril Lagasse:
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 oranges, quartered
- 2 lemons, quartered
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 4 sprigs rosemary
Step 1: Dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a nonreactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stock pot, or a clean, heavy-duty plastic garbage bag.)
Step 2: Add the oranges, lemons, thyme and rosemary. If you have a bigger turkey and need more brine, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.
Step 3: Remove the neck, giblets and liver from the turkey, and rinse it inside and out under cold running water. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Step 4: Rinse the turkey well after removing it from the brining solution to prevent it from being too salty.
Besides the meat, what parts of a turkey can be used?
- A mature turkey has about 3,500 feathers, most of which are composted or disposed of. But some are used for such things as American Indian costumes and pen quills. It has even been reported that Big Bird's costume on "Sesame Street" is made of turkey feathers. Turkey feather down is also used to make pillows.
- Giblets are the edible internal parts of a turkey, including the gizzard, heart, liver and neck. They are usually removed, placed into a plastic bag and reinserted into the body cavity. Many people, particularly in the South, use the giblets to make gravy.
- As for the turkey's skin, it can be tanned and used for cowboy boots, belts and other accessories.
Does turkey really make you sleepy?
After a big meal of turkey and trimmings, most people want to nap. Studies have associated the essential amino acid L-tryptophan, a natural sedative, with drowsiness. Although L-tryptophan occurs naturally in turkey, you would have to eat a lot on an empty stomach with no other protein for it to make you sleepy. If you get drowsy after a big turkey dinner, the culprit is probably your high carbohydrate intake as the blood rushes from your brain to your stomach to help digest the large meal.
How should I store my leftovers?
Within two hours after roasting, remove the stuffing from the turkey and carve the meat off the bones. Chill the leftover meat in the refrigerator before wrapping for storage. For refrigerator storage, wrap the turkey and stuffing separately, and eat them within three days. If you're storing leftovers in the freezer, wrap the turkey and stuffing separately in heavy foil, freezer wrap or freezer bags. For best flavor, eat the stuffing within a month and the turkey within two months.
How can I use the leftovers?
The five most popular ways to serve leftover Thanksgiving turkey are:
- Sandwich
- Soup or stew
- Casserole
- Stir-fry
- Salad
Where do turkeys come from?
Turkeys originated in North and Central America and are believed to have been around for more than 10 million years.
How much turkey do Americans eat on Thanksgiving?
More than 45 million turkeys (about 535 million pounds) are cooked and eaten on the holiday.
How did the turkey get its name?
There are several theories on the origin. Some believe that Christopher Columbus thought he had discovered a land connected to India and that the bird was some kind of peacock, so he called it tuka, which is peacock in Tamil, an Indian language. Others believe it got its name from the American Indian word for turkey, firkee. Others theorize that it got its name from the noise it makes when scared: "turk, turk, turk."
Can turkeys fly? What other special traits do they have?
Turkeys raised on turkey farms can't fly because they're too fat and weak. But wild turkeys can fly for short distances at up to 55 mph and can run at speeds up to 25 mph. Turkeys have great hearing. They can also see in color, and a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees), which makes sneaking up on them difficult.
Why do some people view turkeys as silly creatures?
Well, turkeys have been known to drown if they look up when it's raining. They are also known to drop dead from the shock of passing jets.
But at one time the bird did command enough respect to have a ballroom dance - the turkey trot. (Although, the dance was named for the jerky steps a turkey takes.)
Why do turkeys gobble?
Actually, only male turkeys gobble. Females make a clicking noise. Male turkeys, or toms, gobble to attract a mate, when they hear loud noises and when they settle in for the night.
Courtesy of McClatchy Got a question or a comment? Send us an email.
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