The Mysterious History Of The Turducken

Food mash-ups come in all flavors, shapes, and sizes. From nacho lasagna to the sweet piecaken, many people cannot resist a bite of those special combination foods. At Thanksgiving, one food feast has many people slicing off a piece of intrigue, curiosity, and skepticism at the creation placed as the centerpiece of the table. When it comes to the history of the turducken, the truth might be more complicated than the poultry deboning process.

According to the USDA, this layered combination of a chicken, inside of a duck, which is inside of a turkey is created by de-boning each poultry item and creating subsequent layers. When presented, the dish looks like a turkey. When sliced, each layer is revealed. In addition, the layered poultry dish can be stuffed, similar to a traditional turkey.

Although this item has become a popular holiday tradition, the idea of "engastration" is not a recent phenomenon. According to Mel Magazine, the concept of stuffing one animal inside another for cooking purposes can date back centuries. From early Romans to 1700s England, the idea of "nesting" an animal inside of another animal might be about the indulgence of abundance. Even though this concept will make a splash on the table, the dish needs to be more than just a presentation on a plate.

Like many chapters in food history, pinpointing the exact origin of a dish can be debated. Regarding the turducken, the legend and the reality can be as difficult to separate as the layers in the dish itself.

In 2002, The New York Times looked to unravel the mystery behind the infamous turducken. The famous Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme purports to have invented the dish, owns the copyrighted name, and patented the recipe. At the same time, other chefs and butchers have their own version of a bird stuffed in a bird concept. Regardless of Chef Prudhomme being the true originator, his big personality helped to make it legendary. As he told nola.com, "One of the greatest pleasures of my life has been to be able to do things like the Turducken that make people happy. It's a huge effort but once you taste it, it is literally the best."

Although his story of creating the multi-layered poultry in a Wyoming lodge seems like a great tale told in a New Orleans restaurant, legends and reality may not always follow the same path. No matter the true origin, the turducken can be found at a variety of butchers, grocery stores, and has even been tackled by a few home cooks. As long as the first cut is juicy and tender, chewing on the exact history does not have to be a tough bite to swallow.

Regardless of the chef or butcher who placed the dish on the table, football may have sparked the popularity of the perfect poultry. During one of his Thanksgiving Day game broadcasts, John Madden boasted about the infamous dish. As retold by USA Today, Glenn Mistich of Gourmet Butcher Block delivered Madden a turducken prior to the Rams-Saints game in 1997. The football legend dug into the bird and instantly was in love with it. Over the years, the turducken became the official "All-Madden Team" food and it was featured on my holiday football broadcasts. Many football fans saw the holiday feast and wanted a taste on their own table. Long before social media food photo influencing, the television screen created that craving. 

Whether purchased from a local food store or attempting the engastration at home, the turducken has become a Thanksgiving Day legend. Thousands will be enjoyed during the holiday season. Given the novelty of the dish, it might take a bigger portion away from an extra helping of side dishes. As long as the first cut into the bird does not recreate a Clark Griswold moment, a slice will be a flavor to remember.