Poultry Notes

Benjamin Franklin was unhappy when, in 1782, Congress adopted America’s “Great Seal” with the bald eagle as its centerpiece. In a letter to his daughter, Franklin claimed, “He is a Bird of bad moral character,” a result of the bald eagle’s history of stealing fish from other birds. What other bird does Benjamin Franklin insist would be a more appropriate symbol for America’s Great Seal? Turkey! Quote from Benjamin Franklin’s letter to his daughter: “For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on." Source:

Poultry Nutrients Protein Niacin, Vitamins B6 and B12, Calcium, Phosphorus, and Iron Most fat is under skin Relatively low in fat Is in the same MyPlate food group as meat and eggs

Poultry Types Chicken Turkey Duck Goose

Poultry – Dark Meat vs. White Meat Determined by location on bird uses of the muscles “Ground Birds” such as chickens and turkeys have both white and dark meat “Flight Birds” such as geese and ducks have only dark meat Dark meatWhite meat Found in muscles used to sustain activity thigh, back contain a large amount of meat-darkening myoglobin Bold flavor Found in muscles used for quick bursts of power breast contain little of the meat- darkening myoglobin Mild flavor

Turkey and Chicken

Duck and Goose Common Culinary Dishes Roast Duck Foie Gras Peking Duck

Poultry Facts Age of the bird determines the tenderness and the type of cooking method selected USDA – Federal government grades and inspects poultry Grade A – most commonly found in supermarkets Thawed poultry should be used within 1–2 days Salmonella – Food Borne Illness can be present in poultry Cook to internal temperature of 165°

Purchasing Poultry Parts of the bird (more expensive than whole) halves, quarters, breast, leg, thigh bone-in / boneless Ground poultry can substitute for ground beef Giblets edible internal organs liver, gizzard (stomach), heart Processed poultry turkey bacon canned, frozen precooked, deli meat