Giant Broad Breasted Turkeys?????

[pdpatch]

Depending on how you drap the cheese cloth it slows the cooking of the breast meat. You almost get the same effect with alumin foil placed of the breast. White meat cooks faster then dark meat.

 

[rebbetzin]

Has anyone ever thought of trying to raise "Thunder Thigh" Turkeys for those of us who like dark meat?

 

[Cason]

That's a good idea re: aluminum foil. Most of us keep that on hand.. I may try that this year.

 

[MissPrissy]

Aluminum foil does not work the same way as the cheesecloth.

4 layers of cheesecloth is shrouded over the turkey and you baste through the cloth. This allows the breast to remain super moist and tender and give the deep meat time to cook without over browning the breast. In the last half hour you remove the cheese cloth and the skin then crisps but it also has the perfect glossy shine.

 

[Red Tie]

My birds were BB whites. They free ranged all day until about the last month when it was only about half the day. I had to let the chickens have their turn and the turkeys would beat them up if they were all together! I'm in Michigan so they had cold and snow for the past two-three weeks. I really did not intend to have giant birds. Meyer said the toms should dress 24-28 lbs at 20 weeks. I followed these guidelines and ordered chicks so that they would be 20 weeks on Thanksgiving. My hens dressed nearly that size.....

Now, I don't want to have so many jumbo birds next year. Do I order hens and feed them for 20 weeks OR is it more cost effective to order toms and feed them for say, 15-16 weeks?

Math was never my strong suit, however, I am married to a CPA and he does do my books......

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Jane

 

[becky3086]

How interesting. I had never heard of the cheesecloth either. I usually cheat and use the plastic bag thing, lol.
My question is did you all order turkeys from a hatchery or did anyone ever try getting eggs?
Becky

 

[silkiechicken]

I would think that the food consumed to meat on the bird will be about the same, so it's just a matter of how long you want them for. Since a tom and a hen should eat about the same to reach x weight, just that it takes more time for hen to do so. Maybe I should try a white, but if they turn out as white as my leghorns.... maybe not.

 

[MissPrissy]

 

[Mrs MIA]

OK... NOW I'm drooling... and getting in the mood to bake.

 

[Promiselandfarm]

So MissPrissy do you cover it with anything else ? Or just the cheese cloth will do. I usually use a cooking bag or something to help keep them moist. Just wondering how you veggies and such turns out....thanks