Two cooks. Two turkeys. Let the cook-off begin! Visit Our Website! ➧ www.townsends.us/ ➧➧ Help support the channel with Patreon ➧ / townsend ➧➧ Facebook ➧ jas.townsend Instagram ➧ townsends_official
Just visually alone, a turkey hanging in the fireplace like that makes me feel like it's the holidays. I'd really like to try cooking a turkey that way.
ikr? I started daydreaming about building a portable fireplace that I can use on the patch of cement outside my townhouse living room door, where the management says we have to keep our grills. I'd have to be careful not to get caught 😂
Oh look its that tyrant dictator Lincoln. Who abandoned the constitution and denied people the right to a fair trial in favor of his Banker overloards who declared war on the south.
I understand that this is a business but the guys seem so wholesome, modest and passionate about what they do, the world really needs more such people for sure
@@BJHinman Family channels would fit the same mold with no efforts, vanity, obscenities, fake conflicts, extreme pride, child-exploitation (No child deserve the Truman-esque show they put on) and pretend wholesomeness. We absolutely do win with Townsends, This is far better, I really commend the guys for all their efforts and all the hard work!
@@CamelliaSinensis You see the episodes with his daughter? Absolutely adorable. And you can tell they're all *actually passionate* about early American history.
Nothing wrong with running a business per se. Sometimes bad things happen, but in its pure form it can be a very fair and mutually beneficial exchange.
@@msjkramey With 18 weeks of age, once they are adults, they become really loud. They yell all the time and all at once. But they are mean little fellas. They follow you around and attack you with their beaks and claws. I have some scars on my calfs and forearms from when I was foolish enough to wear shorts on a hot summer day. 😄 You can really see that they evolved from dinosaurs like raptors. They also puff up themselves to look as attractive to the lady turkeys as possible. For me they look like fluffy little clouds when they do that. They attack humans that are 4 times heavier than themselves and they do their best to look pretty. I perceive that as signs of vitalness and good health and I love them for that.
@@Betterhose do we eat both males and females? And do you ever get eggs? Sorry for the inquisition lol. I'm just curious because I've never thought about turkey farming before. Thanks for the info! And one more question, do you like it or is it rough?
@@msjkramey I love talking about turkeys, so don't hesitate to ask. 😄 Turkeys have very strong gender dimorphism. The males become as heavy as 48lbs while the females "only" reach 28lbs. Both is far too heavy for a thanksgiving turkey. These very heavy birds are for processing into turkey bacon, ground meat or sausages. Chicken is not very suitable for that, because it isn't firm enough. Chickens are only 40 days old when they are slaughtered, which is why their muscle fibers are still very soft. The turkeys you get as a whole for thanksgiving are just younger birds. A frozen bird of 10lbs grew 12 weeks old. Female and male turkeys reach 28lbs roughly at the same time, but it wouldn't be profitable to feed the hens for 5 more weeks, because they won't grow much further. That is why they are separated after they are hatched. On our farm we raise only the males, but some females always slip through the sorting (up to 3%). I already found some eggs from those few females, but that is a rare occurrence. They have to be left in peace before they start laying their eggs. The hens get disturbed too much when they are in the barn with the males. Our turkeys come to us as day old chicks. There are designated operations that produce the eggs and do the breeding. I love the birds and I love my job. It is anything but a 9 to 5 job, but that applies to every job in farming. I am worrying about the future (meatless alternatives and such) but I guess nowadays anybody has something to worry about.
@@Betterhose that's fascinating. I'd love to raise chickens myself, but I don't have the space for it at the time. I had no idea turkeys got that big! That's the same weight as a 5 year old child for goodness sake. Do you get emotionally attached to them or is it really routine for you to have them slaughtered? I don't know if I could eat my future potential chickens (even though I eat chicken) and I'd just use them for eggs because they'd feel too much like pets for me. I really need to look more into the poultry industry for sure And do you worry about meatless alternatives because your business will go down or you just don't care for them? Do you have any other farming experience that you could use to transition if demand plummets?
It's times like this I wish I was American, or at least knew an American family well enough to be invited to Thanksgiving dinner. Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends, with love from Australia.
There's definitely a few guides out there if you want to try it yourself! I'm not sure if turkeys are available where you are but you might be able to find one if you like.
@@rileywebb4178 turkeys aren't a problem. It's some of the other stuff that can be difficult to find. For example, we don't have sweet pumpkins or sugar pumpkins, or even tinned pumpkin mix, for pumpkin pie.
@@DeniseSkidmore Yah, Butternut squash is technically a pumpkin variety (same botanical species as other pie-pumpkins), and because it's so dense inside with a minimal seed cavity it's actually great for making pumpkin pie filling. 😁
I was glad to see the brown paper turkey! My grandmother would bake turkey in brown paper bag in the wood stove. Happy thanksgiving to all, be safe and grateful.
For our Thanksgiving dinner I volunteered to do the turkey. I basically followed the “How to force a fowl,” from The Compleat Housewife book, on page 62. Slitting the skin down the back, I skinned it out. Deboned the whole thing and chopped the meat up and proceeded to improvise the ingredients and their amounts: shredded beef suet, a pint of oysters, 2 anchovies (😝), shallots, bread crumbs, herbs, 3 egg yolks and mixed it all up and stuffed it back into the skin and sewed it up. I didn’t have a bladder to cook it in; so I roasted it for about 1 1/2 hours. I made up the gravy (sauce) with some chopped meat, oysters and butter. I cut it up into slices and served it; garnished on a bed of lettuce and slices of oranges and lemons; with gravy on the side. It was like magic - it disappeared very quickly; by ravenous beasts. No leftovers this time!
I occasionally do something similar. I split the turkey down the breast and debone it leaving the meat attached to the skin. Then I fill it with ham and sew it back up. After cooking you cut it in oval slices across the bird. Each slice has both white and dark meat and ham in one serving. The ham flavors the rest of the turkey. It's really good. 🦃🤓🍻
I’ll have to try that! This was a “Period “ meal; so I wanted to do something hysterically accurate! It was at a reproduction of a historic site and everyone was in costume. You’d think between the oysters and anchovies, the taste was weird; but it wasn’t. The blend was tasty and unique!
Sometimes with oysters we combine, Sometimes assist the sav'ry chine. From the low peasant to the lord, The turkey smoaks on ev'ry board. - John Gay Fable XXXVIII 1727
@@rosemcguinn5301 Seeing the turkeys "smoaking" on the cabin board (7:38 - 8:03) made me think of this. Go ahead and use it, John Gay won't mind. For the complete poem look here. www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/works/ojg27-w0390.shtml
Best stuffing is cooked in the bird hands down my mom has done that my whole life, I think the best bite of thanksgiving is that first greasy crispy bite of the stuffing hanging out the back basted the whole time with the drippings ;)
I absolutely have to agree! My mom always made both stuffing in and out of the bird, and the stuffing inside was/is always phenomenally better! It’s just not Thanksgiving without the bird having been properly stuffed.
Lol, I was just thinking - 'did I miss any Townsend videos this week' - and boom new video alerts. Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for all your videos and work.
sadie21962 , Every year there were always two or three people that would say they cooked their turkeys in brown paper bags. I have never tried that method because we all like the crisp skin too much.
@@TrappedinSLC as long as the bag is not touching any metal areas you're fine. It won't catch fire. I do put a roaster pan under mine to catch any grease that leaks through the paper. Otherwise your oven would be real smokey and a mess to clean. The bag holds in the juices and produces a very moist and delicious turkey. If you want flavor rub the cavity with herbs and salt. These flavors will cook through the meat. Yum yum.
What’s tranquil about it is that we don’t have to deal with cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis, plague, starvation, freezing to death, pirate raids, and attacks from hostile neighboring tribes, as our ancestors did.
@@censusgary don't forget all the wood that needed to be chopped for the cooking fire *and* to stay warm over winter, and all the work and time going in to waking up early to make sure the fire was hot by the time husband and children woke up (early) and ate breakfast, cooking the food, and keeping the house functional. Life was *HARD* back then, for *EVERYONE* except the wealthy.
"I don't have a recipe, so I'm just winging it". That is basically how I cook everything 😄 Two wonderfull birds you guys made. Happy thanksgiving to all you in the States.
I'm no expert but I would use both your methods on one turkey: stuff the turkey. That is a must. Then start the turkey in the oven wrapped in paper to seal in the moisture. Uncover the bird and hang it in front of the fire to get a nice semi crisp outside then transfer it to the oven with some kind of greener fruit wood for punkiness to produce a nice smoke for finishing. I think you both did a fantastic job and I always love all of the Townsend videos. The addition of the earthen oven and the cabin just make the presentation more authentic and enjoyable. And a big thank you to Ryan and Brandon for this episode!
@Karalevsky Borzoi does the bottom crust get soggy from the juices or does it also crisp? That method sounds really good, but I feel like I would miss the turkey gravy that comes from the drippings!
Gov. Bradford did mention "taking Turkeys" that year but not in connection with the OG celebration, your are correct . Many speculate as to what waterfowl could have been presented
There might have been no turkey at the first thanksgiving, but it represents the spirit of the holiday very nicely (since the turkey is one of the few livestock animals that is native to northern america). All the other traditional dishes were unknown to the european pilgrims as well. Things like potatoes, corn, cranberries and pumpkin all share their american heritage with the turkey.
Oh to be a taste-tester at that hearty and hearthful table! Both birds belong as crown pieces at the Van Tassel feast, and I would quite like sample that outstanding stuffing.
Idk what it is about these videos but they always help me relax when I’m bedding down at the end of the day. I think it’s his voice, I find it really soothing for some reason.
This is fantastic. Nicely done turkey. What an awesome channel. So much good content. Canadian Thanksgiving was on October 12. I hope those in America have a Happy Thanksgiving. Cheers, everyone! 🦃
What you attempted to do with the turkey on the jack was what is referred to as , " dredging" and it was used to seal the meat keeping it juicy inside. The dredge was usually made by grating harden bread and pressing it firmly around the meat everytime you baste it. There can be up to 1/2 of crust and the turkey would be moist and flavourful. This is what made English roast beef so yummy. Happy Thanksgiving to all my American neighbours.
I love the way Jon lovingly pats his turkey before hanging it. 🤣 What a wonderful, homey video! Thank the whole Townsend crew for everything you do, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Thanks for the amazing video. I said "That's a beautiful bird" more times during this video than all the other times in my life combined! 😆 Your deliciously light-hearted content with an upbeat message is something we can all benefit from today (and everyday, really). Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
One of the things I am thankful for is that you had Natalie and Tara on your show. I watch them almost every week, just as I watch you most weeks. Both channels make my weeks much better, so thank you and your team so very much!
You guys are such a pleasure to watch, it's such a nice nugget at the end of a long trying day. I think I would've used a dish for Ryan's turkey, to caught the juices. HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all the Townsend family.
18th and 19th c. thanksgiving turkeys were also commonly stuffed with apples, oranges, onions, celery. carrots. Keeps the turkey REALLY moist. Been doing that with mine for over 20 years.
Hey Townsends! In this case, I'm going to say thanks to you all for being there. Fan since short and love to watch those cosey vids. Stay safe and greetz from Belgium.
Ryan and Jon have a great rapport, and the idea of comparing old school methods is just a blast. The rich and poor comparison of the rice pudding was really interesting, so having the techniques, tools, and variety of one dish compared side by side in one episode is great. I think you guys are into something! Ryan is just fun and knowledgeable, and works really well with Jon's charm and educational focus. The competitive streak was great!
Momma always put her big turkey inside a brown paper bag (buttered, stuffed w/ cornbread stuffing) and seasoned with lots of thyme, sage, pepper and salt. Yum. Great video!
Might not have done a modern oven style turkey, but they did have one pot big enough to catch drippings in: pie crusts. More often cited as a Christmas recipe, but Christmas pie or great pye are the way to oven roast a turkey in period. No crispy skin, but very juicy. That gelatin with the suet and butter cap kept the pie fresh as it was served out over the days of Christmas.
I'm all for the losing Turkey over the fire is period correct as you stated. God bless those souls that did that and it's the way it was done in that time period, in a cabin surrounded by loved ones!!! Thanks for doing this today, got me pretty emotional now!!! JohnT
I watched this as I was preparing my bird for "roasting." I used your mortar and pestle to blend the herbs I used - marjoram and thyme, but also rosemary and sage. The rosemary has to be pulverized and the sage broken up.
This was wonderful. My mother's turkey started the night before Thanksgiving and ended in the afternoon of Thanksgiving day. The smell lasted all that time from the oven.
As a fan for over a year now, This channel is truly a relaxing breath of fresh air. I really enjoy the cabin episodes with Ryan! Watching you guys cook and enjoy is awesome, truly. cant wait for more of these seasonal episodes as we approach the Holiday season. Stay well, & looking forward to more recipes from you guys!
Yeah people get so scared of food safety these days, as long as what you get is legit, it’s gonna be fine these days, in fact it’s probably safer than 50 years ago
My family always does it so that one batch of stuffing is cooked inside of the turkey for those who like it done that way and then another separate batch is cooked just by itself.
Hi Jon, my gr grandmother always wrapped her turkey in brown paper, then 2 generations later my Mother came up with using a section of cotton floursac to lay over the turkey after a heafty buttering, then cook it in the oven, basting the bird regularly. The cotton cloth held extra butter and the entire bird browned nicely in the oven. Needless to say all turkeys get a piece of floursac, and all hams go into a brown paper bag or wrapped up in brown paper...had no idea about cooking history until I found your channel. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Haha I appreciate the friendly competition! Brandon the Blacksmith had the best job. The birds are well prepared and look very delicious. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 🇺🇸
What about putting the oven turkey on a trivet! Take the stuffing from John's turkey and to Ryan's turkey. My wife won't fix a turkey without stuffing. The stuffing does keep the meat moist!
I bake my turkey in a wood burning pizza oven. I put it in roasting pan and place the pan on top of an insulated baking sheet. You have to use the baking sheet to prevent the bottom from burning. I do not wrap the bird or cover it. It comes out tremendously.
I have learned to watch these kinds of videos while eating dinner. If I try to watch these videos before I have eaten it never fails to make me so hungry that I have to pause the video and go into my kitchen and cook something up.
Let's see Ryan do fish in paper in the oven! It's a long standing French method at least, no idea how accurate it is to the period, but I know at least that fish was super common for the 18th century.
Seriously watching these videos really gives me a peacefully nostalgic heartfelt feeling of joy! The comradery and just trying things from a simpler yet difficult time! Very interesting and fun to watch.
Aw, you took the whole cranberries out of the cranberry sauce?? Why?? There's 2 ways and 2 ways only to eat cranberry sauce: homemade with whole cranberries left in and out of the can with the can shape preserved lol
