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12 BIRDS, 1 OVEN! Are you man enough? [Christmas food thread]

Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then?Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
edited December 2007 in Social Entropy++
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=502605&in_page_id=1770&ito=newsnow

It serves 125 people and has over 50,000 calories and looks like it was made in heaven.


12turkeysMS1512_468x351.jpg
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1. Turkey, 2. Goose, 3. Barbary duck, 4. Guinea fowl, 5. Mallard, 6. Poussin, 7. Quail, 8. Partridge, 9. Pigeon squab, 10. Pheasant, 11. Chicken, 12. Aylesbury duck

For decades, a few simple slices of turkey were all it needed. But now even the traditional Christmas dinner has been supersized.

Multi-bird roasts, where different types of bird are stuffed inside a larger one, have become the thing to carve this year - and the more birds involved the better.

One of the top-sellers is the Waitrose four-bird roast: guinea fowl, duck and turkey breast stuffed inside a goose. Demand has soared 50 per cent this year - even though each roast costs an eyewatering £200.

The surge in popularity may have something to do with TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's creation of a ten-bird roast on his show two years ago.

He stuffed an 18lb turkey with a goose, duck, mallard, guinea fowl, chicken, pheasant, partridge, pigeon and woodcock - producing a remarkable Russian doll-like dish.

But now his effort, inspired by recipes dating from Tudor times, has been dwarfed by a behemoth containing no fewer than 48 birds of 12 different species.

This massive roast, the proud creation of Devon farmer Anne Petch, weighs almost four stone (more than most airlines' baggage allowance), costs £665, and has enough meat to serve 125 people.

It contains about 50,000 calories and takes more than eight hours to cook in an industrialducksized oven.

Anne, who runs the Heal Farm shop near Kings Nympton, said: "The True Love Roast has a bird for each of the 12 days of Christmas.

"It uses skinless breast meat from several birds of each species with flavours that work well together."

The roast contains turkey, goose, chicken, pheasant, partridge, pigeon squab, Aylesbury duck, Barbary duck, poussin, guinea fowl, mallard-and quail with herb and fruit stuffings.

Anne added: "It takes about 45 minutes to build the roast. However, it takes at least three hours before that to bone the birds and another couple of days to make all the stuffings.

"We've been making smaller multibird roasts for a while, but I wanted something with a real wow factor.

"It was only when I was halfway through the first prototype that I realised what a crazy idea it was. But I still think that next year we'll have something even more spectacular, perhaps a 21-bird roast.

"These sorts of things used to be made with great bustards and swans, but they are protected birds now."

To put the True Love Roast to the taste test, we took it to the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, London - home to a mammoth convection oven capable of cooking our monster.

Chef Phillip Corrick said: "I was taken aback by the sheer bulk of meat. Something of this size is difficult to cook because it could get very dry, but in the end, I was surprised.

"It was very moist and had an interesting mix of textures and flavours. All the citrus stuffings cut through the strong gamey flavours really well.

"I'd happily eat this on Christmas Day. But I found that although the game has some powerful flavours, it's difficult to distinguish-which is which because the flavours mingle together.

"I think a better result could be achieved by simply taking the four most distinctive-tasting birds - the goose, the Aylesbury duck, the turkey and either the pheasant or partridge.

"As it is, this is more interesting than turkey, but not very practical.

"There's no doubt it's a very impressive thing to serve. But much as I enjoyed it, the impression is better than the taste."

Food historian Ivan Day said that despite popular opinion, multi-bird feasts were historically cooked in pies, rather than roasted because with the real fires of the era, rather than ovens, the outer meat would have become dry and tough.

"These pies would have given Bill Oddie nightmares," he said: "There was one baked for the Earl of Lonsdale in 1753 after which there must have been not a single bird singing for miles.

"It had dozens of things like yellowhammers in it and weighed 20 stone."


Return of another culinary golden oldie

ANOTHER historical cooking tradition coming back into fashion this Christmas is gilding. The technique for making roast birds golden was favoured by Henry VIII and was the ultimate sign of wealth and opulence in the 16th Century.

Real gold leaf was occasionally used for the task. It made little difference to the taste but showed off the host's wealth - and fortunately it is non-toxic.

But more frequently, the gilding would be made from a saffron butter, spread over the roasting chicken or turkey for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

It gave the bird a beautiful colour as well as a subtle flavour. Saffron was the most expensive spice available - it costs up to £500 a pound today - so using it still gave an indication of the host's affluence.

Last week, Asda launched £1 pots of gilding glaze containing saffron.

Food historian Marc Meltonville said: "Saffron gilding was very popular in the 16th Century and enhanced both the taste and appearance of roasted meats."


So what are you kids making for dinner? Or do you all live at home and watch your mother slave away like a good housewife should?

I am going to make an awesome Prawn salad which contains, prawns, pecans, avacado, feta, dil, avacado oil, mango and obviously some lettucey stuff, I plan on making a practice batch sometime during the week to see if I can improve the flavour by adding some lemon juice but I am worried it will not play well off the mango, hence the practice run.

I will probably also do a batch of spiced nuts also.

Blake T on
«134

Posts

  • potatoepotatoe Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    serves 125? 50,000 calories?
    sounds like my kind of challenge

    potatoe on
  • Cold Salmon and HatredCold Salmon and Hatred __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2007
    I HUNGER

    Cold Salmon and Hatred on
  • BroloBrolo Broseidon Lord of the BroceanRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    turkeysMS1512_468x307.jpg

    12birds1oven.mpg is possibly the hottest action i've seen since 2girls1finger.avi

    Brolo on
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Rolo wrote: »
    turkeysMS1512_468x307.jpg

    12birds1oven.mpg is possibly the hottest action i've seen since 2girls1finger.avi

    He only sticks it in there once, but he lasts for 8 hours.

    Blake T on
  • The_DcipleThe_Dciple Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I've vowed to eat Turkducken all the time if I ever become a multimillionaire.

    Seems like the proper food of choice for the wealthy.

    The_Dciple on
  • M.D.M.D. and then what happens? Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I watched the 10 bird roast video on youtube, man they must have a hell of a time getting those two extra birds to fit.

    M.D. on
  • StealtharcadiaStealtharcadia Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Rolo wrote: »
    turkeysMS1512_468x307.jpg

    12birds1oven.mpg is possibly the hottest action i've seen since 2girls1finger.avi

    OH THAT IS SUM NICE ASS

    YUM

    Stealtharcadia on
  • Big Red TieBig Red Tie beautiful clydesdale style feet too hot to trotRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    that's disgusting
    the stuffing in the back looks good though

    Big Red Tie on
    3926 4292 8829
    Beasteh wrote: »
    *おなら*
  • potatoepotatoe Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    i'm sorry

    you spelled glorious wrong

    potatoe on
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    potatoe wrote: »
    i'm sorry

    you spelled glorious wrong

    I think we found some kind of nasty hippy vegetarian potatoe.

    They probably want to eat your potatoey insides out, I'd be carefull.

    Blake T on
  • FaricazyFaricazy Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    that's disgusting
    the stuffing in the back looks good though
    can you be any more wrong? holy crap.

    Faricazy on
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Blaket wrote: »

    12turkeysMS1512_468x351.jpg

    LOOK AT THAT, THAT IS A SLICE OF 12 DIFFERENT KINDS OF ANIMALS.

    WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO DIE EATING THIS?

    Blake T on
  • MathildaMathilda Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Wonder how many Rane could eat.

    Mathilda on
  • CrossBusterCrossBuster Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Every species of bird.

    1 roast. From ostrich to hummingbird.

    Go.

    CrossBuster on
    penguins.png
  • CrossBusterCrossBuster Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Except pigeons, of course.

    Pigeons are disgusting creatures and would sully an otherwise glorious creation

    CrossBuster on
    penguins.png
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Except pigeons, of course.

    Pigeons are disgusting creatures and would sully an otherwise glorious creation

    Have you ever eaten pigeon?

    Their Drumsticks are small yet tastey.

    Mind were prepared by a French Grandmaster Chef.

    Blake T on
  • monkeyfeet63monkeyfeet63 Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Why are they numebered if we don't have a key saying what is what?

    monkeyfeet63 on
    Ducktalesavlong.jpg
  • CrossBusterCrossBuster Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I saw pigeons eating barf off of the street, OK?

    CrossBuster on
    penguins.png
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Why are they numebered if we don't have a key saying what is what?

    I apologise.

    1. Turkey, 2. Goose, 3. Barbary duck, 4. Guinea fowl, 5. Mallard, 6. Poussin, 7. Quail, 8. Partridge, 9. Pigeon squab, 10. Pheasant, 11. Chicken, 12. Aylesbury duck

    I shall go update the OP.

    Blake T on
  • monkeyfeet63monkeyfeet63 Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Every species of bird.

    1 roast. From ostrich to hummingbird.

    Go.

    We could stuff them all inside of Big Bird

    monkeyfeet63 on
    Ducktalesavlong.jpg
  • CrossBusterCrossBuster Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Once we get cloning extinct animals down, we can bring back the elephant bird, and use that.

    CrossBuster on
    penguins.png
  • potatoepotatoe Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    i've heard that crow is pretty tough and stringy

    potatoe on
  • Just Like ThatJust Like That Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    But why

    Just Like That on
  • stimtokolosstimtokolos Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    This does look pretty damn good, how about all us Aussies band together and have a big old roast?

    stimtokolos on
  • CrossBusterCrossBuster Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Tobasco wrote: »
    But why

    Why do anything other than wear loincloths and live in caves?

    CrossBuster on
    penguins.png
  • Cold Salmon and HatredCold Salmon and Hatred __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2007
    They're forgetting the tastiest bird of all

    the bat!

    Cold Salmon and Hatred on
  • Peter EbelPeter Ebel CopenhagenRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    The greatest humiliation of bird kind.

    Peter Ebel on
    Fuck off and die.
  • Just Like ThatJust Like That Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Why do anything other than wear loincloths and live in caves?

    I don't think you can consider this to be progress for the human species, though. I mean, turkey is pretty good by itself.

    This right here is just tempting the wrath of God

    Just Like That on
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    You know next time I want to have a thread just about Christmas food I should not include the most awesome meal in existence.

    Oh well live and learn.

    I want my turducken to put inside a 747.

    Blake T on
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Tobasco wrote: »
    Why do anything other than wear loincloths and live in caves?

    I don't think you can consider this to be progress for the human species, though. I mean, turkey is pretty good by itself.

    This right here is just tempting the wrath of God

    What because we are trying to become better than God?

    Blake T on
  • CrossBusterCrossBuster Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Blaket wrote: »
    Tobasco wrote: »
    Why do anything other than wear loincloths and live in caves?

    I don't think you can consider this to be progress for the human species, though. I mean, turkey is pretty good by itself.

    This right here is just tempting the wrath of God

    What because we are trying to become better than God?
    nogodsorkings.png

    CrossBuster on
    penguins.png
  • PbPb Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    When I die I want to be buried in Danny Glover. No real reason.

    Pb on
  • KreutzKreutz Blackwater Park, IARegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    In other news, millions of people are starving all over the world.

    But what the fuck, we've got turgookensanttridgepigduckuckpouseamallail, right? Fuck the rest of the world!

    Kreutz on
  • PbPb Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Kreutz wrote: »
    In other news, millions of people are starving all over the world.

    But what the fuck, we've got turgookensanttridgepigduckuckpouseamallail, right? Fuck the rest of the world!

    Like we could really ship the twelve birds out to them, along with the chef AND the oven. Seriously, can you imagine the logistics? No thank you!

    Pb on
  • Blake TBlake T Do you have enemies then? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Kreutz wrote: »
    In other news, millions of people are starving all over the world.

    But what the fuck, we've got turgookensanttridgepigduckuckpouseamallail, right? Fuck the rest of the world!

    No wonder you have a CAD gif.

    Blake T on
  • I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell UpI'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Kreutz wrote: »
    In other news, millions of people are starving all over the world.

    But what the fuck, we've got turgookensanttridgepigduckuckpouseamallail, right? Fuck the rest of the world!

    uh ooh guys green peace just showed up

    hide the meat

    everyone pretend you're eating tofu

    I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up on
  • stimtokolosstimtokolos Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I EAT TOFU
    WizardLionClose.jpg

    stimtokolos on
  • nevilleneville The Worst Gay (Seriously. The Worst!)Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I'm working on 8 diff types of cookies tomorrow.
    Diabetes HO!

    neville on
    nevillexmassig1.png
  • GoatmonGoatmon Companion of Kess Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Zot wrote: »
    I HUNGER

    Bring on the first Cuban child!

    Goatmon on
    Switch Friend Code: SW-6680-6709-4204


  • Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    neville wrote: »
    I'm working on 8 diff types of cookies tomorrow.
    Diabetes HO!

    Care to mail me some?


    Pwease? =^_^=

    Lucky Cynic on
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