The difference between an old-fashioned heritage turkey and those big Butterball birds lies in genetics.
Most Americans purchase a supermarket turkey for the holidays which bears little resemblance to the “real” turkeys our ancestors ate. The Broad Breasted White (also called “Large White”) turkey is essentially a human-engineered breed created 50 years ago with factory farming in mind. These enormous turkeys have been selectively bred to be quick-growing, meat-heavy with oversized breasts that can be easily cleaned and processed.
Broad Breasted White: Perfect for Production, Not so Perfect for the Bird
While Broad Breasted White turkeys – which comprise 99 percent of the turkeys sold for Thanksgiving -- are considered “perfect” for mass production, it hasn’t been perfect for the breed: males can no longer mate and females must be artificially inseminated; some birds can’t walk because of their large breasts and often have leg and heart problems. Most turkeys never see the light of day and are confined indoors their entire lives.
It’s also not perfect for your Thanksgiving table: these turkeys are injected with saline solution and vegetable oils to make up for the lack of taste and moisture in the meat.
Old Fashioned, Heritage Turkeys Make a Comeback
Meanwhile, the original strains of turkeys -- the ones your grandparents ate for the holidays -- have almost become extinct until recently when family farms began to breed these varieties for a niche market eager to eat heritage and local foods.
Heritage breeds of turkeys – the Narragansett, Bourbon Reds, Jersey Buffs, and Standard Bronze turkeys, among others – may be smaller in size than supermarket turkeys, but are big in taste, which has contributed to their growing popularity. The rich tasting meat of heritage turkeys is considered moister and more flavorful than the mass-produced Broad Breasted Whites; heritage turkeys also live happier lives eating insects, fresh grass, and enjoying free range of a farm.
According to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy the trend for sales of heritage turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables have increased from a mere 1,000 sold in the U.S. in 2002 to an estimated 25,000 that will be sold to consumers around the country by the end of 2008. Still a drop in the bucket when you consider that, according to USDA statistics, almost 300 million Broad Breasted White turkeys are sold annually in the U.S.
Heritage Turkeys More Expensive, But Worth It
While the taste is superior to supermarket turkeys, expect to pay a premium price for heritage turkeys. These turkeys cost more to raise than the $1 a pound supermarket turkey; they take about 27 weeks to reach market weight, as opposed to about 15 weeks for a Broad Breasted White turkey. Prices can range from $4.50 all the way to $7 a pound, retail.
But those who bite into a heritage turkey say that the wait – and cost – are well worth it.
Find a local farmer in your area who raises heritage turkey, visit Local Harvest.
For more information visit: Heritage Turkey Foundation
