Heritage Turkeys: What's the Difference?

Heritage Turkeys: What's the Difference Between These Birds and the
Broad Breasted Whites?
Please be aware that we are not raising heritage or broad breasted white turkeys in 2012. From 2004 through 2011 at Emma's Family Farm we raised heritage or rare
breed turkeys. Every year, at Thanksgiving time, we're asked about
the differences between these birds and the broad breasted white
turkeys that we also raise. Hundreds of articles have been written
about this subject; some of them are excellent but some make claims
that aren't really credible. I'll start by saying that your
experience may vary from ours; everybody's taste buds and cooking
methods create variables.
Our broad breasted and heritage turkeys are raised here without
antibiotics feeding on quality grain and pasture. All of our meats are
premium quality, state inspected and raised with care.
We guarantee you a better price than any mail order service. If you
would like to see heritage turkeys, call and ask about a visit.
The first difference noticeable is the shape of the bird. Heritage
turkeys have longer legs so they are taller; their breastbones are
also longer so their body shape is more like a wild turkey that many
of us here in Maine have seen. The ratio of dark meat to white meat is
more equal than it is in the broad breasted whites.
If you would like to see video that shows the heritage body in detail,
Frank Reese, a long time breeder and raiser in the midwest has created
one. It is 8 minutes and 35 seconds long and eventually promotes a
specific "brand" of turkey available around Kansas. It includes
history, and much more information from a true expert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm559s-3Uj4
Of course, cooking the bird can be different and will vary according
to your taste and pleasure. Many people have created specific recipes
for cooking the heritage turkey, we often tell folks to think about
cooking these birds at a lower temperature; this does not necessarily
extend the cooking time as pastured birds, especially heritage
turkeys, cook more quickly. Most recipes encourage the use of a meat
thermometer, we do too. Overcooking any turkey will cause a dry, less
tasty meal.
If you search on the internet you can find many recipes, even the New
York Times has gotten in on the act. Here's a link to one from Local
Harvest, a farm listing service and information clearinghouse for farm
raised products:
http://www.localharvest.org/features/heritage-turkey-recipes.jsp
Texture and Taste: Oh yes, very different! The taste is more intense
and if you like turkey you will really enjoy the flavor. All of the
good qualities of turkey taste are more pronounced and, since these
birds are raised on pasture, the sunshine, grasses and other forage
plus high quality grain we feed allow for no off or bland tasting
birds. Our birds are usually eaten very soon after slaughter and have
not been frozen. If they do get frozen, they should be held at a
constant temperature, preferrably about 10 below zero Fahrenheit to
preserve the flavor and texture.
The texture is hard to describe; it is certainly different from the
broad breasted turkey because these heritage birds have excercised in
different ways; they can fly, they often run, and this builds muscle
which is what meat really is. They are also more mature at slaughter
time which creates more taste and a more compact texture for the meat
and finally, the meat is less "soft" but not tough. Industrialization
has created quick growing birds by breeding and the broad breasted
bird is a product of industrialization. Heritage birds grow more
slowly; their bone structure and internal organs are well developed
before their meat really begins to add weight. And, though that fact
doesn't describe texture, it is actually a big factor in the texture
differences; the turkey's healthy conditioning makes a high quality,
compact meat.
"Well," you say, "that wasn't much of a description," and I'll tell
you that although we've eaten heritage birds for at least nine years,
we still haven't been able to explain the differences well. I can also
tell you that many people, after trying a heritage turkey, tell us
they don't want anything else for their special meals.
Here are a few more resources for you to view:
At Local Harvest, where we list our products (search for Emmas Family
Farm) an article with links to cooking information and a recipe:
http://www.localharvest.org/features/heritage-turkeys.jsp
At the Sustainable Table website:
http://www.sustainabletable.org/features/articles/thanksgiving/
This well written article from "FriendsEat.com" has much information
but makes a claim that heritage birds are "safer" to eat. That claim
isn't necessarily true, its the grower and processor that insure your
safety.
http://blog.friendseat.com/where-to-buy-heritage-turkey-for-thanksgiving
"Don't Get Duped on Heritage Turkey" food News Media
http://www.chow.com/food-news/66738/dont-get-duped-on-heritage-turkey/

posting from Emma's Family Farm,
Windsor Maine;
Steve Hoad
See what we're doing on the Farm at
http://twitter.com/TheHoads

Maine turkeys: Heritage and Broad Breasted Whites

Reading this in Maine and want a turkey?
emmas.family.farm@hotmail.com
or call 207-445-2141

November 1 and the countdown to Thanksgiving begins. We have raised
heritage and broad breasted white turkeys for sale commercially since
2004. Each year we gather ourselves to deal with each facet of
completing the "turkey process" and the stresses that go with each
segment of completion.
1. Prices will have been determined all ready and the factors of
pricing include many variables. The least controllable variables are
potential wildlife damage, weather events and diseases. As November
arrives we worry about each one and do everything we can to prevent
damage and mortality; these are issues that determine what our season
looks like in the profit or loss column.
2. Our personal health and physical fitness are important factors as
well. Various fall maladies are always around now and we must take
care to keep ourselves healthy so that our flocks can be well
maintained, watched, picked up at the appropriate time, loaded and
processed, and finally, distributed to our customers. Poor health of
any farm member makes more work for the others.
3. Processing on Time. It is a certainty that our customers want their
turkeys on a specific date, usually Thanksgiving. If there is some
hitch in the system and things don't get done on time, we stand a
chance of not having turkeys ready.
4. The customers want their needs met. Although we work to get our
customers to order early (as mentioned here previously) there is
always a crush of calls and e-mails, needing the "perfect" turkey for
Thanksgiving. It seems hard to make potential customers understand
that there are only so many turkeys available, that others have
ordered earlier and planned ahead, and that we can't manufacture a
turkey to their exact required weight.
In years past, we have worked to smooth out the wrinkles in our
operation so that things can go more smoothly but the stresses still
remain, the factors listed above will always make this a stressful
month for us as long as we raise turkeys. Some time between the
Wednesday night before Thanksgiving and dinner on Thursday, we must
unwind enough so we can enjoy our own Thanksgiving dinner --- yes, of
course we eat turkey!
Each year, we look forward to Thanksgiving day with the hope that we
can give thanks for making it through another turkey season and
knowing that our customers have enjoyed a premium quality bird for
their dinner. Later, as we evaluate profit and loss, measure effects
of the stress and think about what we enjoy as farmers, we plan for
the year to come and decide whether there are more turkeys in our
future. Our decision is often based on what happens during November,
the month when Thanksgiving occurs

posting from Emma's Family Farm,
Windsor Maine;
Steve Hoad
See what we're doing on the Farm at
http://twitter.com/TheHoads