Plus, how to buy or make your own.
For years, you’ve heard tales of a ridiculously magical — or absurdly decadent, depending on your perspective — Thanksgiving main. It’s turducken, the three-in-one bird that takes the challenge of stuffing oneself to a new level. So what is this dish exactly, and what genius (or madman) put this unthinkably extravagant show-stopper on the map? We’ve got all the answers, plus some details on where you can get your own without covering your counter with poultry innards (and risking a turkducken failure). And for the most adventurous amongst us, we’ve also pulled out our favorite turducken recipes.
What is turkducken?
In case you haven’t googled, “turducken” is a portmanteau that combines “turkey,” “duck,” and “chicken” — it’s pronounced tur-duhk-uhn. And as you might guess, the dish is exactly what it sounds like: You stuff a deboned chicken inside of a deboned duck, then pack that duo into a deboned turkey. (The turkey’s wings and legs are usually left intact for that Thanksgiving-ready look.) Sometimes, you might find stuffing between those savory layers, too. And even if you’re opting to nosh on a more minimalistic bird, you have to admit that all that bonelessness makes this entree astoundingly easy to carve.
Who invented turducken?
It’s not surprising that the origins of turducken are a little hazy; after all, the concept of stuffing one animal inside of another and proceeding to cook both has roots in antiquity. Turns out an impulse to roast up lightly monstrous proteins is cross-cultural and timeless.
That said, we can trace the origins of the turducken back to south central Lousiana, where it was at least popularized by — if not invented by — chef Paul Prudhomme sometime in the 1970s. Others attribute the fun fusion dish to a meat store, Herbert’s Specialty Meats in Maurice, Louisiana, which has hawked turduckens for decades. Some argue that the former New Orleans restaurant, Corrine Dunbar’s, first dished up the bird in their professional kitchen.
What does John Madden have to do with turducken?
Regardless of who invented it, turducken gained nationwide popularity when championed by NFL broadcaster John Madden. In 1996, Madden sampled the bird at a Rams-Saints game and was utterly entranced by the medley of poultry. Madden waxed poetic about turducken repeatedly throughout his career, especially during the NFL’s Thanksgiving games. And the viewers tuning into Madden’s broadcasts quickly became intrigued and began to purchase or craft their own mega-birds. While Madden is most famous for his sports commentary and career as a pro football coach, he also holds a special place in turducken history.
Where to buy a turducken
You can always reserve the three separate, deboned birds at your local butcher, but if you don’t want to perform such a fantastical feat in your own kitchen, you’ve still got options. Herbert’s Specialty Meats sells turduckens on Goldbelly, which means revelers nationwide can feast on the most authentic turducken one can buy. You can opt for a small bird if you’re feeding a tighter-knit crowd, but if you want to go big or go home, the large option should serve you well. And we’re not saying you’re obligated to pick up a boudin and sausage sampler while you’re at it, but you certainly won’t regret such a savory decision.
How to make your own turducken
If you’re a culinary whiz with a hope and a dream, there’s a chance you’re thinking of undertaking the turducken challenge. Not sure where to start? The good folks over at foodie-approved recipe site Serious Eats have broken down the perfect method to cook this ambitious Thanksgiving main. You’ll start by deboning the birds using a knife and a cutting board (they’ve included slice-by-slice instructions with incredibly comprehensive photos).
Since Serious Eats is a brand known for pushing the envelope with creative cooking hacks, you’ll then poach the chicken and duck separately before stuffing them into that turkey. And instead of a traditional bread stuffing, you’ll separate the poultry layers with ground meat. Recipe developer J. Kenji López-Alt argues that a sausage stuffing cooks more evenly than his bread-based results, so you might opt for this recipe if all that stuffing is a source of stress.
Not feeling the experimental method? The Spruce Eats advocates for a more conventional approach that calls for three simple bread stuffings. You’ll cook all the birds together at once, the traditional way. This recipe urges you to request that your butcher do the deboning, which seriously cuts down on fuss.
If you’re seeking the most authentic turducken you can make, and don’t care about cultivating an easy experience or playing around with hacks, then there’s only one option: Chef Paul Prudhomme’s turducken recipe. This method calls for over 30 ingredients, including Prudhomme’s own branded seasonings; you’ll also be required to use a handful of tools and utensils, including “one small hammer.” You must start cooking this recipe the day before Thanksgiving, so whipping it up on a whim is pretty much impossible. Prudhomme’s site recommends approaching this recipe as a group activity, so if anyone owes you a favor, now is the time to cash in. Trust that Prudhomme’s way will be very exhausting, but it will also be equally delicious. Regardless of your journey, your Thanksgiving table is about to experience a culinary revolution that’s John Madden-approved.
