Turducken, a dish consisting of a deboned turkey stuffed with a boneless duck, which is then stuffed with a boneless chicken, has become a popular Thanksgiving main course in the US. It is said to have originated in Lake Charles, Louisiana, with some crediting celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme as its creator. The dish has inspired variations, including the turduckencorpheail, which adds a Cornish bushhen, pheasant and quail to a turducken. Preparing a turducken is a time-consuming task, requiring about eight to nine hours to cook in a 225°F oven.
As if traditional Thanksgiving gluttony wasn’t bad enough, those food-obsessed Southerners upped the ante with the creation of the turducken. Bring a whole new meaning of “layered flavor” to the table. A turducken consists of a regular turkey that has been deboned and is stuffed with a boneless duck. If that weren’t enough, a boneless chicken is stuffed into the duck cavity and the three are cooked together in perfect poultry harmony.
Although other Southern states, including Texas, have claimed ownership of the original turducken recipe, Lake Charles, Louisiana is said to be its hometown. Some name celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme as its creator. His website has the most detailed instructions on how to prepare a turkey feast, complete with sausage and cornbread condiments, or stuffing, recipes. While her recipes have a Cajun twist, turducken can be made to suit any preference.
Turducken has steadily become more accepted as a Thanksgiving main course, though many still consider it an oddity, or just plain bizarre. Many traditionalists feel that it violates some unwritten rule of how to prepare turkey.
Turducken aficionados say layering the poultry produces a rich and varied taste due to all the juices from the different birds blending together as they cook. Turducken could be said to have inspired a virtual cult following, with many fans opting for “Turducken Day” either on Thanksgiving or the weekend afterward. This is one way to have a more relaxed and causal gathering of friends or family without all the stress and drama of Thanksgiving.
There are several variations on the turducken, including the turduckencorpheail, which adds a Cornish bushhen, pheasant and quail to a turducken. As long as the birds get progressively smaller and there’s room to spare, people keep trying to make more birds into one. There’s also the chuckey, in which the chicken is stuffed with the duck instead of the other way around. Turduckens can be broiled, braised, or broiled and seasoned to any preference.
Preparing a turducken is by no means an easy task. It requires about eight to nine hours to cook in a 225° Fahrenheit (107° Celsius) oven, plus the time it takes to debon the turkey, chicken and duck. The shopping list for making a turducken includes one 16 to 20 pounds (7.25 to 9 kilograms) turkey, one four to five pounds (1.8 to 2.25 kilograms) duck, and three to four chicken pounds (1.36-1.8kg).
For the cook who has never deboned poultry, there are instructions on the Internet and in some general cookbooks. Some specialist butchers may offer the service at an additional cost. Once the boning is complete, the birds are opened, spread with stuffings and toppings, then layered with the next bird, and so on. After the turkey is fully stuffed, it is netted or tied to hold its shape.
Once the turducken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), it is ready to be removed from the oven. After an hour of cooling, it should be cut in half, then carved crosswise to reveal the layered cross section. This is where the turducken really shines. For the casual chef, the idea of making turducken is a true Everest of culinary talents. If so, the turduckens can be purchased pre-assembled online for around US$65-80 and are shipped frozen and ready to cook.
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