Holiday Entertaining With A Joyce Farms Black Heritage Turkey

"For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison {to the Bald Eagle} a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

Benjamin Franklin

1784

With my three domestic divas in the kitchen conjuring mouth watering recipes over Thanksgiving, I can say with confidence that we had our best holiday meal ever, ever.  We began with a Joyce Farms Heritage Black Turkey, a first for me. Recognized as one of the original American Turkey breeds, Joyce Farms raises these pheasant family cousins on small farms in North Carolina--the old fashioned way--free range, antibiotic free, vegetarian fed, small batch, under a watchful eye. As the preparation begins,  I don't care what anyone says--I stuff my bird for the symbiotic effects that the moisture, herbs, and juices marry to create a succulent whole. Trust me, I've done this before.

Trussing the bird with sturdy kebab skewers and kitchen string works easily for me, especially on a big bird like this. Because I use convection and the bird browns rapidly, I drape cheese cloth drenched in butter and protect the bony tips of the wings and drum sticks with foil. Chopped onions beneath the turkey help brown the juices and add flavor to the gravy. I'm a baster, so I pour more melted butter over it approximately every 40 minutes.... And Voila!! There is a great deal of debate regarding basting but old habits die hard. I'm going to have to buck up and try to restrain myself for reasons of comparison.

Our tried and true menu is below: 

Fresh Cranberry and Fig Chutney

Food and Wine Magazine

Kale and Butternut Squash Tart

(adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook)

Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Wild Mushrooms

(Gourmet 2006)

Tyler Florence's Roasted Chestnut and Sausage Dressing

We topped off our beautiful meal with

Ina Garten's Apple Tart

with vanilla ice cream.

The question is, would I spend the extra money for Joyce Farms Heritage foods again, and the answer is a resounding yes!  While you pay a premium to cook a bird that takes twice as long to reach maturity, it is still a bargain compared to the price of visiting France or the very top restaurants that buy from this very special family farm.  Saveur Magazine calls their poultry Bird's of Paradise and we wholeheartedly agree. 

Thank You for joining our virtual feast.

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