Looking for a Thanksgiving alternative

[wyoDreamer]

According to some research I did a little while back, Guinea tastes a lot like pheasant - enough so that that pheasant you eat in a restaurant may be guinea hen...

My sister was in the peace corp and lived in africa for a while. When she was visiting after we first bought our place she saw our guinea hens and said that she had them in Africa and they were good eating but "don't worry I'm not going to eat your guineas, lol"

 

[shedinator]

For next year, I'd suggest raising a heritage breed turkey and processing it small - they're mostly dark meat, and depending on breed a mature hen carcass can be closer in size to a large chicken.

If you want to go super traditional with Thanksgiving, there's a high probability the pilgrims would've made lobster

 

[oldrooster]

I've seen them, but it's rare.
Why I butcher a fresh one each year.
Have learned to love the breast meat too, tho prefer the dark, gravy is the key for me

In my area sometimes I have seen legs, thighs and sometimes wings, but I do not see any packaged separate packages from the processors often (ie tyson or Perdue).....

I’ve never before thought about this, but I would imagine the first Thanksgiving meal consisted of many meats: turkey, chicken, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, etc., whatever was plentiful in New England. And, it would have been roasted over a fire I guess.

I do believe I will try a little something different for my family too.

I was at a (cheap) sea food chain a few days before thanksgiving one year and saw the sign on the door saying they were to be closed on Thanksgiving day and teased the asst. manager about not getting an authentic thanksgiving dinner from there that year she questioned me, and I said well I'm sure sea food was available, and also cabbage from cole slaw potatoes (baked, or french fried) etc etc etc she couldn't deny that it was possible that food was there....
OP sorry forgot you didn't like white meat, long thread here!

 

[aart]

Gravy makes EVERYTHING better!

And turkey gravy is the best, IMO.
I can get enough drippings out of even a breast with skin on to make a decent amount of gravy...and the stuffing I prefer can be baked, and of course that is best with gravy too!!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@Trish1974 What did you make? How was it?

 

[Trish1974]

@Trish1974 What did you make? How was it?

Thank you for asking! I made quail. Stuffed and roasted them like turkeys. I was the only one that didn't like it! Very odd taste... but, my dad said it was the best meal he has had in a long time so I'm glad I tried it. It's not easy getting a compliment from him!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Aww, too bad the quail was hit/miss, but at least your dad enjoyed it!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Thank you for asking! I made quail. Stuffed and roasted them like turkeys. I was the only one that didn't like it! Very odd taste... but, my dad said it was the best meal he has had in a long time so I'm glad I tried it. It's not easy getting a compliment from him!

At least you tried something different and you got complimented on your dinner.