Skinny Turkeys

Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa

Butterball, We have a problem.

Butterball it seems, has as shortage of fresh turkeys at or over 16lbs.  Frozen birds, which are slaughtered earlier in the year, apparently are unaffected.  Butterball also has no idea why.

Other producers and purchasers such as Cargill and Whole Foods have reported no such problems.

Wild Turkey Unaffected

Photo: Craig L Duncan

Thanksgiving Approaches

With the shortage of large fresh birds to feast upon, we offer you this recipe that predates our traditional Thanksgiving.  Served on Forefather's Day (The anniversary of the Mayflower landing), December 21st 1769

1 quart “large white beans (not the pea beans)” (or 6 one-pound cans of beans)

6 quarts white hominy (12 16-ounce cans)

6-8 pounds corned beef

1 pound lean salt pork

4-6 pound fowl

1 “large white French turnip” (or four smaller purple-top turnips)

8-10 medium potatoes

1.  Soak beans overnight in cold water. If using canned beans, go on to Step 4.

2.  In the morning, drain the beans and bring to a boil in fresh water to cover.

3.  When beans have boiled a few minutes, pour off the water, and again bring them to a boil in water about an inch over the beans. Let simmer until beans are soft enough to mash to a pulp.

4.  About four hours before the stew is to be served, put corned beef and salt pork on to boil in a lot of water in another large kettle.

5.  Two hours before dinner time, put the beans, mashed to a pulp, and the hulled corn [hominy] into another kettle, with some of the fat from the meat in the bottom to keep them from sticking. Take out enough of the liquor from the meat to cover the corn and beans, and let them simmer where they will not burn.

6.  Clean and truss the chicken as for boiling, and put it with the meat about an hour or a quarter before dinner time.

7.  Peel the turnip and cut into inch-thick slices, add it to the meat pot about an hour before serving.

8.  Peel and sliced the potatoes, and add them to the meat pot about half an hour later.

9.  Remove the chicken as soon as it is tender (or a meat thermometer in the thigh indicates 170 degrees.)

10.  The chicken was served from a platter, with another platter for the meats and vegetables. The beans and corn were served from a soup tureen, so succotash was both a thick soup, and a boiled dinner

Complete recipe with additional historical information