Ground turkey, do you use it?

[AmandaES]

I like using ground turkey for tacos, chilis, sometimes burgers and meatloaf. I don't think it smells weird at all and I think it has a nice flavor and texture.

 

[MoodyBlueFoodie]

Yes, I made a turkey & pork, loaf to which I added cheese, red bell peppers, onions, garlic (...more) and it was really fabulous. One of the best loaves I ever made. Not totally sure if it was the turkey or the cheese that made the dish, though. Using it in place of a fattier meat is the way to go. It binds better than beef, too!

 

[Babbadean]

I also use it for Spaghetti Sauce, Tacos, I have used it for
Meatloaf. And I never told my family afterward i asked them how they liked they said it was great!! And they are very hard to please!!
Brabara-Jean

 

[KimEC]

It's a great, light substitute for ground beef

I use it all the time in my favorite light chili recipe.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Since my husband isn't a red-meat eater, I've been buying ground turkey & ground turkey products for at least 21 years. Use it for anything & everything I'd use ground beef for. Fabulous stuff, & very versatile. I rarely if ever buy the ground breast though, as I find it a tad on the dry side - stick to the regular ground, which is a mixture of white & dark meat. Am also a big fan of the many different varieties/flavors of turkey (& chicken) sausages available these days as well. And turkey ham, pepperoni, etc. The variety of healthy low-fat turkey products now available is outstanding.

 

[Robo410]

use it a lot. sometimes for friends who don't eat red meat, and sometimes just because I like it and it works well in a recipe.

 

[AmandaES]

I also use it for Spaghetti Sauce, Tacos, I have used it for
Meatloaf. And I never told my family afterward i asked them how they liked they said it was great!! And they are very hard to please!!
Brabara-Jean

I love it in spaghetti sauce!

 

[bakechef]

I don't use it often, but I have used it in chili and spaghetti sauce with great success.

I have a friend that doesn't eat beef, so I made my regular meat ball recipe (I usually use beef, pork and veal) and substituted all ground turkey, the meatballs were fantastic, I was quite surprised. It is nice to know that I have options when making the meatball recipe!

 

[x7anooonah]

I used to use it for everything. I like it a lot better then beef actually. But we moved overseas almost two years ago and you can not find turkey here what so ever. I use ground lamb now instead of beef.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

I use it alot now since my mother does not eat meat... I use my same recipes except I substitute turkey

 

[jpinmaryland]

I may have said this earlier: I find that using a good bit of garlic compliments this meat quite well. Not sure why this pungent works. if you like garlic at all, give it a shot.

 

[kadesma]

My family does not like turkey.I like a slice of it at Thanksgiving for a sandwich, but any type of ground meat makes me gag. so NO ground turkey for anything.
kades

 

[buckytom]

we use ground turkey in place of beef in just about every one of our regularly made dishes with the exception of burgers. i just can't stand a white hockey puck instead of a real beef burger, no matter how it's spiced. oddly, though, i don't mind turkey meatloaf, or turkey kjott-kaker (norwegian salisbury steaks).

my wife makes italian style meatballs in tomato sauce that have fooled many of my co-workers (including the italian and italian wanne-be's) thinking that they were the traditional beef/veal/pork mix of meats.

 

[ChefJune]

I don't use it at all.

me neither. at least, not lately. and when I have, I buy turkey and grind it myself. Like ground beef, the preground, prepackaged stuff can have just about anything in it, and I'm not "fer" that.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

me neither. at least, not lately. and when I have, I buy turkey and grind it myself. Like ground beef, the preground, prepackaged stuff can have just about anything in it, and I'm not "fer" that.

So as a caterer June you never use it??? Or do you personally never use it???

 

[ChefJune]

So as a caterer June you never use it??? Or do you personally never use it???

I am no longer a ceterer, Mimi, but no, I would not use it in any case, unless I had ground it myself. Unfortunately, as with already ground beef, the quality of ground turkey sold in most markets is questionable.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

I am no longer a ceterer, Mimi, but no, I would not use it in any case, unless I had ground it myself. Unfortunately, as with already ground beef, the quality of ground turkey sold in most markets is questionable.

I'm with you on that June... I almost always get my meats from whole foods, or fresh market, not only is it better quality but I get the amount I need, not the amount in the styrofoam...

 

[buckytom]

I am no longer a ceterer, Mimi, but no, I would not use it in any case, unless I had ground it myself. Unfortunately, as with already ground beef, the quality of ground turkey sold in most markets is questionable.

i'm just curious, but what is questionable about it, and where might one get facts supporting that?

i'm interested as we eat ground turkey every week, and i'd rather not feed my family something unhealthy.

 

[ChefJune]

i'm just curious, but what is questionable about it, and where might one get facts supporting that?

i'm interested as we eat ground turkey every week, and i'd rather not feed my family something unhealthy.

some of it is processed, as ground beef is, with byproducts ground fine and washed with ammonia.

Marion Nestle (Professor of Food Science at NYU), in her book "What to Eat," suggests that grinding one's own meat is safest as then you can be sure what is (and isn't) in it. and that was before I knew about the ammonia stuff!

OTOH, if you are in a meat section or butcher shop where they are willing to grind the meat in front of you, that's a safe bet, as well.

 

[suzyQ3]

i'm just curious, but what is questionable about it, and where might one get facts supporting that?

i'm interested as we eat ground turkey every week, and i'd rather not feed my family something unhealthy.

I wouldn't fret at all, buckytom. I've yet to grind my own meat -- beef, turkey, or any other. I, too, buy both packaged ground beef and ground turkey all the time.