What to Do if You Hate Turkey

By Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appetit

Dear BA Foodist,

I have a dirty secret: I hate turkey. And I want to do something about it. Can I just forgo the fowl this year?

-Josephina Mccarthy, Gallup, NM

Dear Josephina,

You traitor. Of all the unpatriotic acts to commit, I know of none more severe than not serving turkey on Thanksgiving. It's what the Pilgrims served, and it's what our grandchildren will serve.

I'd load the musket and demand you take back what you said-if only I didn't feel the same way.

The Foodist hates turkey. There, I admit it. I've always had turkey on Thanksgiving. I've had it roasted, brined and roasted, deep-fried, smoked, and stuffed with a chicken and a duck (Turducken). No matter what kind of turkey I cook-factory-farmed, wild, heritage breed-it always underwhelms, even when it's perfectly cooked with juices flowing. What would turkey be without gravy or cranberry sauce? Not much. And when was the last time you saw turkey on the menu at a well-regarded restaurant?

Thanksgiving is at my house this year, and-Mom, please take note-I'm not serving turkey. I'm considering venison, rabbit, or duck. Maybe braised short ribs and roasted loin of beef with stone-ground grits, like the menu offerings on Thanksgiving at Quality Meats in New York. Perhaps even a suckling pig.

There are other American proteins we could serve with pride on Thanksgiving. Maybe now that we've both come clean about our dislike of the bird, others will join the flock.

Photo Credit: CN Digital Studio

More from Bon Appetit:

• Thanksgiving Superfoods
• Bon Appetit's Ultimate Turkey Guide
• Thanksgiving Menu Generator
• 10 Holiday Foods Worth the Calories