Roast turkey is still our holiday meat of choice. About 525 million pounds of turkey are eaten annually on Thanksgiving, 22 million at Christmas, and 19 million at Easter. Americans generally prefer the white meat, while other countries choose the dark meat. A 15-pound turkey typically has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat.
The two types of meat differ nutritionally. White meat has fewer calories and less fat than dark meat, but those who prefer dark meat say it has more flavor. White meat is milder in flavor and is a good counterfoil to flavors such as tomato, marsala, lemon, mushroom and apples, though it can be dry if overcooked. Dark meat holds up well in rich marinades and is a perfect choice for grilling and barbecuing, and makes very rich, tasty ground meat.
Boneless, skinless breasts are perfect for poaching to make turkey salad, or marinating and then barbecuing, or slicing for sandwiches. Ground turkey - whether light, dark or mixed - is suited to dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, meatloaf, picadillo and stuffed peppers.
Sweet and spicy turkey sausage is a delicious alternative to pork-based sausages. Smoked turkey drumsticks are inexpensive and flavorful - excellent when cooked with bean or other hearty soups, giving that smoky, meaty flavor without using pork products.
Native to North America, turkeys are now farmed and used around the globe. The word turkey was originally a prefix to the terms cock, hen and poult (a young bird), but now stands on its own. Americans took the word turkey from the English, who may have had their first birds brought by Turkish or Levantine merchants.
The original wild turkeys of North America are much leaner and more streamlined than their modern farm-raised descendants. Wild turkeys live in flocks, roosting in swampy areas and feeding on woodland berries and seeds. They are awkward in flight but run fast.
