Looking for a Thanksgiving alternative

[Trish1974]

If you're in NC Indiana, you are not very far from plennnnty of people with quail. I see them advertised on FB groups constantly. I'd start poking around and I'm sure you can find local quail.

I didn't know that...thanks!

 

[Acre4Me]

I think I'm going with quail this year. IF I can find a place that will ship it for less than $84!(Fossil Farms). I'm afraid pheasant will be too gamey (from what I read), and I can't really find any info on the taste of guinea. Stuffed quail it is!

Given your location of North central Indiana, you could easily find quail people. I’ve bought quail from MyShire Quail Farm in Miamisburg, OH (to the west of Dayton). They are growing as a business and recently did a meet and greet trip to Indiana (as I recall) to visit some of their customers. You could visit MyShire directly, but might be farther than you want to go.

 

[Chick-N-Daddy]

Too much? NEVER! I plan all of my meals around how best to utilize the leftovers. Develop a plan before the even to use the leftover meat and veg in a slow-cooker Ala-King dish, served over rice.

Anything left after that is chicken food.

 

[aart]

I buy fresh turkey(s) and part them out in portions to freeze to eat all year round.
Stuffing can be made with broth and baked.
Works for me...might not work for a big family meal.

 

[Erkenstein]

Quail is flavorful. I like it roasted with a chili-garlic marinade/sauce. One downside (depending) is that it's pretty hard to eat it gracefully unless you were to bone it and stuff it (which requires plucking and skin on). And you can't avoid knowing that you are actually eating a whole little bird, which could be a turnoff for some people.

It cooks in about 15 minutes, though, so that's awesome compared to a big bird!

 

[oldrooster]

Question, why can't you buy just a turkey breast and what left overs you have make some turkey pot pies in aluminum pie pans and freeze them to bake later? or even a turkey noodle casserole frozen to bake later???

 

[rosemarythyme]

Quail is quite delicious IMO, it tastes a little more delicate than many other birds, though I've never tried cooking it myself. Nothing like duck which can get oily (or dry and/or rubbery). Though I do like making gyoza from roast duck, mm....

I'm usually making Thanksgiving for 2 so I just buy turkey cuts. A package of thighs off the bone can easily be 3 lbs, and I roast it until the skin gets super crisp. It only lasts 2 days in our house!

 

[Mosey2003]

My friend's family actually just buys Cornish hens for Thanksgiving. They each get their own and they cook them on the grill I do believe.

 

[Chick-N-Daddy]

Question, why can't you buy just a turkey breast and what left overs you have make some turkey pot pies in aluminum pie pans and freeze them to bake later? or even a turkey noodle casserole frozen to bake later???

We've done that. We've also had capon (neutered rooster) which was very good.

 

[Trish1974]

Question, why can't you buy just a turkey breast and what left overs you have make some turkey pot pies in aluminum pie pans and freeze them to bake later? or even a turkey noodle casserole frozen to bake later???

Because (as I mentioned previously) most of us prefer the dark meat and I'm not a fan of leftovers - especially frozen. Nothing tastes as good once cooked, frozen, thawed and cooked again IMO.