A Period Turkey

[mishalak]

Okay the local SCA is doing its Baronial Yule next Friday and I’m pretty much sure that I'm going to go. I'm thinking that I'll cook a turkey for the feast even though turkeys might not be strictly in period. I'm going to substitute turkey for goose since though I like goose (nay, love it!) for Christmas they're fairly expensive from what I remember. Unless someone can suggest a source for a less than $2 a pound goose in Denver I'm not even going to consider it.

I'm going to select dried fruits as seem appropriate to stuff into the bird with nuts and things. So I call upon great google!

http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-MEATS/Gos-Farced-art.html

Humr. Grapes would seem to be the thing. Since this is a winter Christmas type feast I think raisins soaked would be the thing that would be most period to use. Though if I don't soak them they would absorb the juices from the bird, though I think I would have to chop them up so that the insides of the grapes are not being protected by their skins. Must ponder this for a bit before I do it. Also that's quite a recipe. I rather doubt I'll try to do that! Though it would be cool and I have saffron.

Comments

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Raisins seem to soak water up quite nicely, skins or no skins, especially in heat. I've no idea how osmosis works with fat, though, which is what I'd think bird drippings would mostly be.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

I was thinking they would need to be chopped because in the linked recipe the writer mentioned that one needs to peel grapes used in stuffing, because otherwise the skins don't let the flavor out to mix with the rest of the stuffing. I think I'll experiment with a chicken this weekend if I can get a nice whole one cheap.

[aylinn.livejournal.com]

ah but raisins have the seeds alredy removed so the skin IS punctured ergo it lets in moisture.

quick cheap experiment? throw a handful in chicken soup & nuke.