Before the vitriol-filled comments come pouring in, I’ll first clarify that I’ve never tasted a turducken. Perhaps it is indeed a revolutionary taste sensation. It’s credited to chef Prudhomme although I’ve read theories that variations of the motley meat mash-up are credited as an authentic Cajun dish first found in Maurice Village of Vermilion Parish, Louisiana in the late 1800s. If anyone is still unfamiliar with the festive turducken, it is summed up as a stuffed boneless chicken, stuffed into the cavity of a boneless duck, which is stuffed into a boneless turkey. Slow roast the entire thing and you’ve got a crispy skinned Disney character medley, roasted and served on a plate.
The idea of the turducken is at least intriguing. Was its true inventor someone who imagined the three-fold fowl melding together into a flavor much greater than each individual taste? Was the more fatty, bolder duck intended to be a sort of inner-basting, flavor-boosting element to the other milder birds? Was it created due to a shortage of oven space necessary to cook the three independently?
I have my own theories. Perhaps some late 1800’s culinary student stepped out of his kitchen to enjoy a coffee break and “herbal” brownie on his front porch. A building, Technicolor wave of munchies soon washed over him and his hyper-driven palate began daring to dream as of yet forbidden thoughts. As the contents of the brownie pan dissipated the level of hunger built. But this hunger wouldn’t be satisfied easily as he deeply craved a level of savory enjoyment he hadn’t before. An unsuspecting mélange of live fowl soon sacrificed their lives to satiate his desires. Salted breadcrumbs and garden herbs joined the concoction and soon the wood-burning oven exuded new smells of roasting, juicy birds. Munch-o-licious!
Then again, the creation may have originated from someone less seduced by her kitchen. Disgruntled and bitter by the demands of a picky and over-demanding family, an early American housewife found herself alone in the kitchen, shoving breadcrumbs up the backside of a turkey at 5 am (I often imagine Roseanne’s TV persona to have originated from this angst-ridden woman). Perplexed by the task of being asked to prepare not just turkey on Thanksgiving, but duck and chicken as well, she sought a simpler solution that would allow her to sneak back into bed before the onslaught of ungrateful in-laws arrived that afternoon. Wielding a boning knife with more enthusiasm that she’d experienced before, she cut away the carcass of all three birds.
Stuff. Stuff.
Into the oven.
Back to bed.
Perhaps this is the beginning of yet another new style of Thanksgiving cooking. First smoked turkey was the must-have preparation, then deep frying and now the impressive, yet slightly intimidating turducken. Maybe it’s time to infect other holiday meal courses with a mutated viral cooking style and condense some other traditional favorites. Perhaps I could invent the Yamatoricessing. You'd simply pipe mashed potatoes into hollowed yams filling about 2/3rds full. Fill the remainder with cornbread dressing and secure potato closed with a toothpick. Dip stuffed yams in gravy and then roll in wild rice and bake at 400 F for 45 minutes. Serve hot.
Mmmmmm! Seconds anyone?
6 comments:
I first heard of the Turducken on a Paula Deen show.. and well.. coming from the Queen of Butter, I didn't take her too seriously.
I see now that this issue must be taken quite seriously.
eww.
xoxo
This post was hilarious! I'm not quite sure what type of insanity brought about the creation of a turducken, but your story of a frustrated housewife is quite compelling... ;)
I admit I didn't know what a Turducken was, much less that it was back "in". as they say; you learn something new everyday.
I'm curious... Are you making Turducken for Thanksgiving along with the sweet potato and everything else casserole thing you invented? Or are you just going to make a video showing how to hunt one? Either one would be fun to see!
Actually Joanne, I'm thinking of shoving a completed Yamatoricessing up the chicken before cramming the bloated bird in the oven to roast. That way, I can simply serve slices of the finished product and pour the wine. Viola!
My hypothesis is directly opposed to your "frustrated female cook" theory: instead, it is one of those culinary chimaeras that springs from the masculine mind. A turducken, with three boned birds and, traditionally, three different stuffings, is a massively impractical cooking odyssey. It covers any normal kitchen in bird schmaltz, and takes up to 12 hours to cook, roadblocking any normal oven.
I live outside the U.S., and when I describe our quaint Thanskgiving customs, women think the Turducken sounds revolting, and all non-vegetarian men want to try it instantly.
The Yamatoricessing sounds pretty good; I'd stuff each sweet potato with 1/2 rice and 1/2 stuffing!
So this begs the question: is there a tofuducken version available for our vegetarian friends?
Post a Comment