Episode 185: The Turkey Book with Jesse Griffiths

Summary: In this episode, Justin and Adam are joined by Jesse Griffiths, a world-class chef, hunter, and author of the new book, The Turkey Book. They discuss turkey hunting, cooking, and the inspiration behind the book. Jesse shares his experiences hunting turkeys in different regions of the United States and the unique culinary perspectives he gained from each location. The conversation explores the importance of cooking using the entire turkey rather than just the breast. They talk about the different aspects of the book, including the storytelling, cultural details, and techniques for butchering and cooking turkey. Jesse shares his favorite chapter on breaking down the turkey breast and the various recipes and techniques included in the book. They also discuss the flavors of turkeys from different regions and the process of confit cooking. - Leave a Review of the Podcast - Buy our Wild Fish and Game Spices Guest: Jesse Griffiths is a world-class chef and owner of Dai Due, a butcher shop and supper club in Austin, Texas, where everything on the menu is sourced locally.  He is also the head instructor of the New School of Traditional Cookery.  In 2012 he released Afield: a chef's guide to preparing and cooking wild game and fish, which was nominated for a James Beard award. In 2021, he released The Hog Book, which won a James Beard award in 2022. We chatted with him about this book back in 2021.  Info on Dai Due Info on Jesse's 1st book "Afield" The Wild Books Website Takeaways: The Turkey Book is a new book by Jesse Griffiths that explores turkey hunting and cooking. Jesse traveled to different regions of the United States to hunt turkeys and learn about the unique culinary perspectives in each location. His love for wild turkey meat has inspired him to become a better hunter and appreciate the importance of patience and skill. The book offers a beginner's journey into turkey hunting and provides recipes and insights from experienced hunters and chefs. Jesse's experiences with wild turkeys have shaped his culinary outlook and deepened his appreciation for different cuts of meat. To respect and appreciate the whole animal, it is important to utilize the entire turkey when cooking. Culinary conservation involves responsibly using the resources harvested through hunting. Plucking and cleaning a bird can be a satisfying and enjoyable process. Keeping the skin on provides culinary options and enhances flavor. Personal experiences and aspirations in turkey hunting vary. Jesse's book on turkey hunting and cooking includes storytelling and cultural details. Flavors of turkeys from different regions are not easily discernible. Confit cooking is a great method for tenderizing and preserving turkey. Turkey hunting is about the journey and experience, as well as conservation. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Overview 04:01 Jesse Griffiths' Background and Previous Books 08:45 Jesse's Turkey Hunting Experiences 13:45 The Inspiration Behind The Turkey Book 25:05 How Turkey Hunting Shaped Jesse's Culinary Outlook 26:14 Utilizing the Whole Turkey 27:58 Culinary Conservation 28:26 The Satisfaction of Plucking and Cleaning 30:21 Keeping the Skin On 42:43 Personal Experiences and Aspirations in Turkey Hunting 50:00 Introduction and Overview of the Book 52:04 Techniques for Butchering Turkey Breast 54:30 Flavors of Turkeys from Different Regions 56:16 Butchering and Cooking Turkey Wings 58:08 Key to Successfully Cooking Turkey Wings 59:06 The Art of Confit Cooking 63:41 The Journey and Experience of Turkey Hunting Keywords: turkey hunting, cooking, book, storytelling, cultural details, butchering, cooking techniques, turkey breast, recipes, flavors, regions, confit cooking, journey, experience, conservation, turkey cooking, The Turkey Book, wild game, culinary perspectives, patience, skill, wild turkey meat, turkey, cooking, utilization, meat, culinary conservation, plucking, skin, options, satisfaction, enjoyment, hunting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices