Tur-duc-hen, the Ultimate Cajun Thanksgiving or Christmas Meat Dish
The Polar Opposite of Tofurkey
Embed:
Gobble, quack, cluck! If you really, really like meat and are looking for a new Thanksgiving or Christmas dish, tur-duc-hen might be for you. This rather bizarre dish from South Louisiana's Cajun country has been spotted roosting on holiday dinner tables across the country.What is tur-duc-hen?
It's a deboned chicken, stuffed into a deboned duck, which is then inserted into a partially deboned turkey. The different layers of bird meat can be separated with stuffing. This gives the slices a layered effect. It's also spelled turducken.
How Big Is It?
The average tur-duc-hen weighs 15 pounds or more. At one pound per guest, this over the top entrée can feed a large gathering. If this isn't enough meat on one platter, sausages can be added as the center layer.
Where can I find a recipe?
A Google search will reveal several recipes for this strange meal. For the most results, search under both spellings.
There are also alternative versions out there. One is tur-pork-hen where the middle meat is, you guessed it, pork. Another variation is the tur-duc-hen roll, in which only the birds' boneless breasts are used to achieve the same general effect.
Is there a smaller version?
The breast roll version feeds 6 hungry people. This makes it a good choice for a smaller Thanksgiving group of gobblers. In case of leftovers, you can always be one of the first to invent a tur-duc-hen casserole.
Allot extra time. Lots of extra time.
Do you want to make this yourself? You'll need to start the day before you plan to serve it. Before deciding to spice up your Christmas, be sure to calculate the cooking time needed for your baking birds. This dish can take 6-8 hours or more to cook thoroughly.
Special items needed
You will need an extra long meat thermometer to pierce to the center of this monster. Make sure you have a sturdy roasting pan. It is doubtful that a flimsy aluminum pan can manage this meal.

You may also like...
- How to Accomplish Your Very First Holida...
- How to Plan a Holiday Dinner Party
- How to Craft a Foil Dove for Holiday Din...
- Creating a Festive Holiday Dinner Table
- Holiday Appetizers to Precede Your Holid...
- An Herbal Holiday Dinner
- What Not to Bring to a Holiday Dinner
- Host a Holiday Dinner with Ease
- Best Places for Thanksgiving and Holiday...
- 5 Shortcuts for Hosting Your First Holid...
Takeaways
- This dish takes a lot of preparation, so allow time.
- Make sure you have the appropriate tools before you begin to make Turducken.
- I vote for ordering a finished version instead. Whew!
Did You Know?
Many new versions of Tur-duc-hen are appearing using different meat combinations.Resources
- A famous Louisiana chef's recipe: www.chefpaul.com/turducken.html
Today's Most Commented On
Advertisment
Angie Mohr
Add a Comment
Posted on 06/26/2008 at 2:06:31 PM
Alyce Rocco
Add a Comment
Posted on 11/14/2007 at 8:11:00 PM
neonola
Add a Comment
Posted on 11/14/2007 at 4:11:00 PM
Bridget Delaney
Add a Comment
Posted on 11/14/2007 at 1:11:00 PM