Turducken Fever

Inside the Turducken cult: The real history of how a Frankenstein bird took over the holidays

“It’s like the perfect storm of your top three edible birds!” cries Dean Winchester after chomping down on a Pepperjack Turducken Slammer. If you’re a fan of Supernatural and you’ve seen this episode you may not be too keen to try a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — even if it is in a tasty sandwich form.

But let’s set the record straight: In the real world there has never been a case of turduckens causing self-cannibalism.

On the other hand, according to Allrecipes.com a single turducken contains 1,639 calories, 107.2 grams of fat, 577 milligrams of cholesterol, 539 milligrams of sodium and 156.9 grams of protein. So it may cause some other issues.

But if you’re pigging out at Thanksgiving anyway, why not try this delicious dish from Cajun country?

"During the holidays we sell around 3,500 to 4,000 of them. Most are frozen, we can only turn out about five hundred fresh next week and they’re already pre-sold.”

“We sell them year round,” says Chris Catlett, owner of the Louisanna-based Hebert’s Specialty Meats. “But during the holidays we sell around 3,500 to 4,000 of them. Most are frozen, we can only turn out about five hundred fresh next week and they’re already pre-sold.”

Hebert’s (pronounced A-bears) ships turduckens, and the rest of its Cajun specialties, around the country. The original shop in Maurice, Louisiana claims to be the first store to make the birds commercially.

“Paul Prudhomme usually takes credit for it,” says Catlett. “He published a recipe for it in a cookbook, but in the early 1980s a farmer came into the Hebert’s in Louisiana with these three birds and asked if we could put them all together and we did.”

Turducken History
In the late 1980s, NFL anaylst John Madden started giving turduckens away to the winning team playing in the Thanksgiving Day games he broadcast. Catlett says people started going nuts for turducken after that.

At Hebert’s you can choose from cornbread, pork, crawfish, dirty rice or shrimp stuffing. It’s like building your own Franken-bird for the holidays.

But the tradition of stuffing birds and animals inside other birds and animals probably dates back to the Romans, those wacky folks known for lavish feasts. In 1807 Grimod de La Renière created the rôti sans parei made with 17 different birds for a royal feast in France. And there are recipes for cockentrice — a really freaky looking beast made by sewing together a capon and a pig stuffed with pork liver, nuts and fruits — dating from the Middle Ages.

But it’s the modern day Cajun turducken that is so popular in America. And it’s the one that uses several different kinds of stuffing layered between the birds. At Hebert’s you can choose from cornbread, pork, crawfish, dirty rice or shrimp stuffing. It’s like building your own Franken-bird for the holidays.

“We always make one at our house for the holidays,” Catlett says. “But my family doesn’t like duck so we make a turporken. That’s a chicken stuffed inside a pork loin inside a turkey with two kinds of stuffing.”

The possibilities are actually endless. Catlett once made a special order for a customer with five birds, starting with a hard boiled egg inside four larger and larger birds.

But there’s one request he won’t honor.

“Some people have asked me about selling pre-cooked turduckens,” he says. “I’m like, 'Can you turn on an oven?' I’ve already done all the work for you, all you have to do is pop it in the oven, and enjoy all those wonderful smells as it cooks.”

Roasting is the best way, Catlett says, to cook it. Five hours in a 475-degree oven — four hours covered and the last hour uncovered so the turkey skin browns and crisps. Catlett believes smoking and barbecuing are also good choices, but not deep-frying.

“When you deep-fry a turkey it cooks from the inside and the outside,” he explains. "But with a turducken there’s no cavity, because it’s all stuffed and sewn up.”

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Omakase for Everyone

New South Austin restaurant swims against current of expensive omakase

Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi keeps things simple.

Austin had no shortage of beautiful sushi restaurants, but a new one at Lantana Place is doing drawing the trend away from the center of the city and sticking a lower price tag on the experience. Tancho Sushi, offering "everyday omakase," is now open at 7415 Southwest Parkway.

The thought of casual omakase feels like a bit of an oxymoron in Austin, where the service style — which tasks the chef with choosing what the diner will eat — is almost synonymous with something fancy and expensive. Factor in the interior design at Tancho, which certainly doesn't look pedestrian, and it's hard to believe it's actually an everyday meal.

But all things considered, these prices seem reasonable: $29 for the lightest dinner option, and capping out at a $59 feast. Lunch is even less expensive, starting at $24.

Tancho Sushi interior The airy space takes advantage of its surroundings outside of the city.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

In some omakase experiences, the chef might factor in a diner's taste, the special ingredients that are available that day, and any number of other factors to determine what hits the table. But at Tancho, these prix fixe options are predetermined, doubtlessly contributing to the more accessible pricing.

The 50-seat restaurant also uses a clever marketing angle to get diners in who aren't necessarily experienced in sushi, or might otherwise be intimidated by letting a chef choose unfamiliar foods. "With thoughtfully curated preset menus, Tancho simplifies the dining experience by eliminating the guesswork so guests can focus on enjoying their meals," a press release announcing the opening says.

The release was sent November 22, but it looks like Tancho has been serving customers in a soft opening capacity for about a month, based on its Google reviews (which are stunningly high for a new restaurant at 4.7 stars).

Offerings at Tancho are simple.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Although each menu is different, there is a shared arc. All four experiences start with sunomono salad, a cucumber-based dish with red seaweed and sesame. Then there's tuna sashimi with smoked yuzu ponzu and scallions, and the rest depends on what the diner chooses.

Some standout items across the dinner service are sea bream on the light menu; akami (very red meat along the spine of a tuna) on the standard omakase menu; a lobster open hand roll on the rolls-only menu; and a tuna flight on the grand omakase menu.

No menu item is especially complicated. The focus is on doing each ingredient right, including the temperature the fish is served at and even the flavor of house-made soy sauce and ponzu.

“We keep the focus on the ingredients,” said co-founder Brad Van Otterloo in the release. “By stripping away unnecessary flourishes, we allow the quality of our fish to take center stage. This is a Texas-born concept through and through, and we’re proud to contribute to Austin’s growing sushi reputation.”

The open hand rolls are a signature for the restaurant.Photo courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Despite all this talk of omakase, it is possible to order à la carte items: some appetizers, nigiri (sliced fish on top of rice), and rolls. There's also a carefully curated beverage program, which largely focuses on sake. That includes the Kubota Manju or “Ten Thousand Celebrations" ($79), renowned in Japan for its complex layers and smooth mouthfeel.

“As Austin continues to grow, we wanted to introduce a fresh take on the sushi experience,” said Van Otterloo. “We’re here to make sushi approachable for Austinites while honoring the integrity of this cuisine. It’s about creating a space where everyone can discover and enjoy sushi at their own pace – no pressure, no pretense.”

Tancho Sushi exterior This restaurant is meant to be approachable.Image courtesy of Tancho Sushi

Tancho Sushi is located at 7415 Southwest Parkway, Building 4, Suite 300. It's open daily from 11 am to 10 pm, offering both dine-in and takeout. There are no reservations.

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