Conference turris::cooks

    I use a lot of ground turkey, you can use it the same way that you
    use ground beef.  It makes terrific meatballs, meatloaf and meat
    patties.
    
    We don't eat red meat any more so we have found it to be very good.
    
    Anne

    
    Brown it and then throw it in your spaghetti sauce...it's great!

    Danger!
    
    Don't try to grill turkey patties like burgers!  It's too lean and
    falls apart.  Add some egg to it first.

    serves 4, pretty quick to make.
    
    1 lb ground turkey
    1/4 to 1/3 cup quick oats
    1 tbsp hot catsup (or 1 tbsp regular catsup plus some hot sauce)
    1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
    1 small onion, minced
    1 stalk celery, minced
    1 tbsp minced parsley (or one lg sprig fresh parsley, minced)
    herbs to taste - I use 1/4 tsp rubbed sage + 1 tsp thyme
    salt and pepper to taste, depending on your liking for salt
      [optional, one egg or one eggwhite or 1/4 cup eggbeater, helps
    hold it together]

    Blend all ingredients well.  Form into 4 patties Broil patties about
    10 min on first side, 5 on second.  (I sprinkle them with paprika
    before broiling, since the turkey does not brown like beef does
    and the paprika gives a nice color.)
    
    The original recipe was double this amount and was made into
    a loaf.  It said to cook the loaf 2 hours at 325.  I've always
    made patties, since they're FAST.

Ground turkey can replace hamburger in any chile recipe....noone will EVER
know you are "cheating" and they get less than half the saturated fat.

    I noticed when I made Turkey Burgers (good think I read this first,
    or I wouldn't have added egg and bread crumbs!), anyway, I noticed
    that the burger didn't get as 'dry' in the middle as hamburg.  Is
    that normal?  They were pretty good. I added some spices.  My husband
    was a little disappointed, I guess his taste buds expected hamburg!
    Should I have cooked them longer to dry out the middle.  I don't
    mean DRY, just not as mushy/moist as they were. I know they were
    cooked all the way thru.
    
    bs

    Perhaps you made them too thick.  I press mine out until they're
    about 5 inches in diameter, and 1/2 inch thick.  They won't be
    dry this way, unlike beef hamburgers, and they've never been
    mushy.
    
    --Louise

    Make sure you cook it all the way thru!  It's easy to forget that
    it's poultry, not beef, and can carry germs that'll make you real
    sick if you don't cook 'em to death.  

    I have experimented with several variations for Turkey Loaf and this
    has been the best by far. It was good hot or cold and sliced for 
    sandwiches. When I made this I did not really measure the 
    spices or herbs. I just spinkle or toss depending on my mood at the
    time. 

    Herbed Turkey Loaf

    1 1/2 - 2 LBS. ground turkey
    1/4 cup chopped onion
    2 eggs, slightly beaten (put this in bowl first and beat lightly)
    1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    1/2 cup chopped parsley
    1/4 finely chopped chives
    2 TBLS fresh basil, finely chopped or 1 TBLS dried basil 
    1/4 teaspoon paprika (I used Hungarian HOT)
    2 TBLS capers, drained
    1/8 teaspoon hot pepper
    Nonstick vegetable spray


    1. Preheat oven to moderate (350�F.)

    2. In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Using the hands, blend
    well. (This is the fun part, just remmber to remove your rings. Also,
    one of the recipes had a warning about not working the meat too much
    because your loaf will be too tightly packed. I guess this is a matter
    of preference.)

    3. Spray a loaf pan with the nonstick vegetable spray and press the
    meat mixture into loaf pan. 

    4. Bake for one hour. When removing from the loaf pan, be sure to
    loosen all four sides with a spatula before lifting out so loaf will
    not crumble. (I just slice the loaf in the pan and scoop out with a
    spatula. Then when done with meal and loaf has cooled it is easier to
    lift out.) 


    Enjoy!
    
    Rachelle �

    I've been very tempted to try ground turkey.  However, I find regular
    turkey to be very fatty in comparison to chicken.  Do people find
    the ground turkey to be as fatty as regular turkey?  Or, is there
    such a thing as ground chicken?

    Actually, turkery is leaner than chicken, lower in fat and calories.
    White meat, of course.
    
    But I have never tried ground turkey.
    
    -Dotti.

Turkey dark meat is very fatty, due to modern feeding methods, it is roughly
equivalent to beef in fat content.  Turkey white meat is, however, leaner
than dark or white meat chicken.  Ground turkey is a mixture of roughly
half dark, half light turkey and is, therefore, far superior to ground
beef or veal in fat content per/lb..  I have not seen ground chicken
offered, but it would be easy to make with your food processor...just
remember to use at least half dark meat so it has enough fat
to bind like a ground meat, rather than lots of very tiny pieces of meat,
all falling apart.


I use ground turkey in place of ground beef in everything and have yet
to have any comments from friends or family except that I was informed
my spaghetti sauce was much better, it tasted fresher and didn't
leave that "heavy", oily feeling on the palate...I didn't tell the
gang it was made with bird rather than beef.  I just smilled and
thanked them.

    It's easy to reduce the fat in ground turkey.  Just saute it until
    the meat is starting to brown, drain off all the juices.  Put the juice
    in a dish and put it in the freezer.  In about 10 minutes, remove the
    dish from the freezer, take off the fat, and return the tasty juice
    to the pan.  (Or you could throw the juice away without separating
    the fat and meat juice, but I think that's a waste!)
    
    In the microwave, put the turkey in a plastic strainer over another
    dish and cook it a little, then take the juice in the dish and proceed
    as above.  
    
    This works for beef, too.
    
    Ground meat of all sorts can contain as much fat as the grinding
    company/store wants it to have.  Often ground turkey will contain all
    the fat and skin from the bird - read the label.  The above process
    will remove fat to your desired level of leanness.
    
    --Louise

    Turkey Stuffing Loaf:
    
    This recipe is from the Weight Watchers "Quick Start" Cookbook.
    It's yummy.
    
    1 1/2 tbsp margarine
    2 small Granny Smith apples, cored, pared and diced
    1/2 cup shredded carrot
    1/2 cup diced onion
    1/2 cup diced celery
    1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
    13 oz ground turkey
    4 slices white bread, cut into cubes
    1/2 cup plain lo-fat yogurt
    2 eggs beaten
    1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
    1/4 tsp salt
    
    Preheat oven to 375. In 8" nonstick skillet heat margarine until
    bubbly and hot; add apples and vegetables and saute, stirring
    constantly, until apples are soft.  Remove from heat, stir in remaining
    ingredients.
    
    Spray 9x5x3 loaf pan with non stick cooking spray and transfer mixture
    into pan; smooth top and bake until set, 35 - 40 minutes (center
    should be firm).  Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes;
    invert onto serving plate.
    
    Makes 4 servings
    
    
    
    WW Exchanges per serving:  3 protein, 1 bread, 1 veggie, 1 fat,
    1/2 fruit, 1/4 milk
    
    310 calories per serving
    
    
    I'm making "Porcupines" in Tomato Sauce for dinner tonight (using
    ground turkey) if it's edible I'll post it tomorrow.
    

    I don't eat meatloaf, but I do know that ground turkey makes great
    meatballs.  My dad prepares them the same way he would with hamburger
    (Italian seasonings), browns them and then puts them in sauce.  They're
    wonderful.  A week or so ago, I make sweet and sour meatballs using
    ground turkey.  They were delicious.  I'd say, try your favorite
    meatloaf recipe using ground turkey (there's much less fat in the pan,
    of course, but that's not something to complain about!).  Plain old
    turkey burgers are pretty bland.  You need to spice it up first.
    
    Good luck,
    Susan

    I use it to:
    stuff shells (mix with sauce, cheese, spices, etc.)
    in meat sauces
    burgers
    
    Actually anywhere you'd use ground beef would be fine. 
    Turkey sausage is good, too. Used the same as pork sausage.
    Most of the time your unsuspecting diners will never know the
    difference! The only time my husband knew was we made burgers and
    the meat is lighter in color than hamburg.
    
    beth

    
    Note 4.20 in the ATSE::WEIGHTLOSS conference has a ground turkey chili
    recipe in it that I hear is quite tasty.
    
    Di
    

    I use ground turkey all the time for meatloaf, or should I call
    it turkey loaf.  I usually use the recipe on the back of the
    Lipton Onion Soup packages.  The only thing different that I
    do is spray the loaf pan with Pam so it won't stick.
    
    I was also thinking of browning it and using it with American
    Chop Suey or spaghetti. 
    
    Gail

    Use it instead of ground beef in your favorite sloppy joe recipe. 
    American Chop Suey and Spaghetti sauce are good with turkey, too.
    
    I never tell my family when I use ground turkey.  I know if my hubby
    knew, he would "suddenly" taste the difference, and turn his nose up!
    
    

    My mother made lasagna with it and I couldn't tell the difference.
    

    I make turkey meatballs, too. But with a twist. I make the meatballs
    with stuffing mix, chopped onion, chopped celery and poultry seasoning.
    I brown them and then simmer them in a simple gravy made with butter,
    flour and canned chicken broth. (I use a little boullion and poultry
    seasoning, too) Simmer the meatballs for 1/2 hour or more. My fiance
    and I love this meal. I make a big batch of meatballs and freeze some
    for later use. 
    
    I think that's what we'll have tonight!
    
    Martha
          

    the Sainsbury in SAV-A-CENTRE Reading used to carry ground Turkey,
    I don't know about all the Sainsbury chains though.
    
    gailann

    GROUND TURKEY IS ALSO EXCELLENT IN TACOS!

    Well, I have so many recipe's I will try to list them all.
    
    
    Terrific Turkey Meatloaf
    
    1 pound ground turkey                 1/2 green pepper, minced
    1 egg white                           3 slices onion, minced
    1/2 cup oatbran                       2 tblsp. copped green olives
    3 tblsp. ketchup                      1 large garlic clove, minced
    1 tblsp. worcestershire sauce         1/4 tsp. each: sage, blackpepper,
    1/2 tsp. dijon mustard                    marjoram, and celery salt
    
    
    Mix all ingredients together and form into a loaf.  Bake for 1 1/4
    hours at 350 F.  Use a meat thermometer (170 degrees) to be sure of
    doneness.  Don't overcook.
    
    serves 4
    
    
    I hope you enjoy, I have tried lots of these recipe's and found that I
    can enjoy food just as much!
    
    Amany
    
    
    
    
    
    

    I've been watching my cholesterol for a few years and my doctor says,
    "sure, you could substitute some very lean veal in with your turkey."
    So, as I've started to "cluck", "gobble-gobble" and (i'm not quite sure
    what sounds fish make)from all the chicken, turkey and fish, my wife
    tried a 50-50 mix of lean chopped veal with the turkey in our meatloaf.
    
    AH ! ! !  FOOD WITH SOME TASTE AGAIN !!!!!
    
    Regards,
    
    Barry Goodman

    Sounds like maybe you've been skimping on the herbs and spices all
    along - white meat and fish don't *have* to be bland.  We've
    drastically changed our way of eating, too, and now when my husband has
    the opportunity to eat red meat, he won't because he says the taste of
    it is too heavy and it overpowers the rest of the meal!  I never would
    have believed it!  You can get almost hedonistic with food while
    still keeping fat intake low.  Glad you found something you like,
    though!  
    
    BTW, has anyone heard or know anything about this "Lite" beef I've seen
    advertised - supposedly 40% leaner??
    
    Terry
    

The USDA rating system grades beef as PRIME, CHOICE, and GOOD, based on, among
other things, the marbling.  GOOD has the least marbling of the 3.  As a result,
the fat around the edges can be trimmed, leaving much less fat overall.  Sounds
like the beef marketing business might have caught on to making "low" grade 
beef more appealing to the masses.  By the way, GOOD ain't bad!  You just have 
to be more particular about cooking it, so it doesn't turn into shoe repair
material.

    My guess is that "Lite" is really "GOOD".  I remember cooking & eating some
    of the commercial grades once upon a time:  CANNER, CUTTER, UTILITY. 
    Now there's some beef that'll challenge your cooking skills.
    
    ed

the lite beef sold around here is simply beef from "pastured-only" animals.
the steer acquires that nice marbling effect because of the pen-feeding period
during which the animal is saturated with antibiotics, fed a very high-fat
diet and kept in large holding pens - very crowded conditions.  The result
is the animal tends to overeat out of boredom, the fat builds up in the
muscle tissue, the animal gains weight.  The rancher pays a lot of money
to "fatten" his beef prior to marketting it.  The consumer pays twice...
both the price of the meat and the cost in health.  Some ranchers have
started leaving their beef cattle on the pasture or range until the beef
is sold.  They have also stopped using the massive doses of antibiotics as
the animals are not crowded together and they don't get each other sick.
The resulting beef is much healthier and leaner, although you can get premium
cuts of the beef....filet mignon, new york strip, etc.  When I DO get a
hankerin' for RED MEAT _ not often these days - I buy the lite stuff.  It
may cost more, but it is worth it. 

    Ironically, I just got my charter issue of "Eating Well" magazine, and
    there is an article about "designer beef", Brae Beef in particular. 
    They feed the cows beer among other things!  This should probably be
    another topic, but has anyone else signed up for this rag?  In the
    first issue there was a recipe for flour tortillas using a frozen
    oil/flour mixture instead of lard that worked great, and also one for a
    deep-dish "torte" with spinach, onions, peppers, etc., in a yeast dough
    (top & bottom) made in a springform pan - haven't tried that one yet!
    
    Terry
    

You might want to try the recipe in a microwave.  I began my efforts with a 
recipe from a package of Purdue Ground Turkey, but now improvise for 
purposes of fewer calories and lower cholesterol.  I still, however, follow 
the cooking instructions in the original recipe.  They should well for the 
recipe here.

Preferably place the mixture in a small round pan, pressing it to the sides.  
The round pan minimizes cooks more evenly, but a loaf will do in a pinch.  
Cover with waxed paper and cook on high for 7-8 min.  Remove paper, spread 
ketchup (Purdue choice) and/or mustard (my choice) on top and cook uncovered
for another 7-8 min.  The timing really depends on how powerful the oven is.  
If it comes out very hard or dry, cook less time.  Also, this timing is for 
their package size -- about 1 1/4 lbs. 

    I made the Herbed Turkey Loaf in .10 and it was FABULOUS!!!  Of course,
    measurements varied a bit, but the capers really were a treat.  My
    husband says it's a keeper!  BTW,  I made a veloute sauce with some
    shallots and a shot of brandy.... quite an elegant topping for the 
    leftovers!
    
    Thanks,

    I have always loved ground turkey, specially in Meatloafs but last
    night I got some cartiledge (or so it seemed) and it was a total
    turn-off.  I wonder if its because I used the frozen cheaper brand
    named something like, "Shennadough"?  Anyways... my favorite loaf is 
    follows:
    
    1 lb ground turkey
    1 egg beaten in bowl before the rest goes in
    1 t minced garlic
    1 t poultry seasoning
    1 T parsley flakes
    1 T worcheshire sauce
    2 T catsup
    1 Pkg maple/brown sugar oatmeal 
    1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs
    1/2 t margoram
    1 1/2 t hot hungarian paprika
    1/4 t grey poupon mustard
    
    Mix everything together.  Form into loaf and place in greased bread
    pan.  Cook at 375 for 30 minutes.  Baste twice (every 15 minutes) with
    the following sauce: (total cooking time should be 1 hour)
    
    1/2 cup catsup
    1 T cider vinager
    2 T dijon mustard (i use guldens for this)
    2 T light brown sugar
    
    cj

    The Hilltop Butcher Store has a good price on ground turkey, usually
    .99/lbs. They seem to grind it finer than the other supermarkets. 
    
    I prefer using ground turkey as a substitute for hamburg, but have
    still not been satified with it in a loaf or burger. I'll have to try
    some of these ideas.
    
    Gail 

> The Hilltop Butcher Store has a good price on ground turkey, usually
> .99/lbs. They seem to grind it finer than the other supermarkets. 

	Be careful comparing prices.  Make sure to also compare
	% fat free.  Decent ground turkey is 97% free I believe.
	Some of the cheaper ones are around 85%, not much better
	than hamburger :-(.

    
    The meatball recipe in .22 sounds wonderful but what would make for a
    dish to go with it?  
    
    Pasta with a gravy of chicken broth?????
    
    cj

Anyone noticed that Perdue is advertising "ground chicken". 

Wondering if things like meatloaf, chili, etc. would be good
for the ground chicken.  My instincts tell me no but I am not
sure how much I could back it up other than saying, "I just
don't think of a chicken sausage the same as turkey sausage."

Ideas?  Recipes?

cj

re: .40
>                  -< Ground Chicken recipes, same as turkey? >-
>
>Anyone noticed that Perdue is advertising "ground chicken". 
>
>Wondering if things like meatloaf, chili, etc. would be good
>for the ground chicken.  My instincts tell me no but I am not
>sure how much I could back it up other than saying, "I just
>don't think of a chicken sausage the same as turkey sausage."

Well of course you'll have to change the seasonings, etc., 'cause
chicken tastes different than beef.  I wouldn't use turkey in place of
beef without adjusting the seasonings either.  Other than that, I'm
not sure I understand what the problem is.  Chicken can certainly 
take plenty of spices, peppers, etc., and do quite well.  I frequently
make burrito fillings out of chicken (shredded, not ground, but it
shouldn't make that much difference).  They come out quite tasty.
Chicken has quite an affinity for onion, garlic, hot peppers, etc.

-Hal

    I picked up some of the ground chicken....curiousity got the better of
    me.  There was a recipe included for a chicken salsa meatloaf.  It was
    *excellent*.  Sorry, I don't remember the ingredients and I didn't save
    the recipe.

    Watch out for the FAT content!  Just what percentage of this
    stuff is the SKIN???

    justme....jacqui

    
    Well personally I "hated" it.  And, there isn't much food out there
    that I dislike but I had to throw out 1/2 my loaf and really try to get
    one piece of this down.  Why?
    
    Because it wasn't the same texture as the ground turkey.  It was mush.  I
    used the regular meatloaf recipe with tomato sauce, chili powder, steak
    sauce, and plenty of spice.  The texture came out similar to the stuff
    I used to give my dogs as a kid.  
    
    I tend to agree with jacqui that there must of been alot of skin in it. 
    I used Perdue fresh.  
    
    It was just plain awful!  
    
    cj