Turducken

Turducken. I heard the word mentioned recently on the Cooking Channel. Turducken. Could it be what it sounded like? Three birds in one?

So I looked it up. And alas quickly found the 1 reference given. The definition (noun): a boned turkey stuffed with a boned duck that is stuffed with a small boned chicken, sometimes also containing a breadcrumb or sausagemeat stuffing. Cite source

Fascinating. So I googled again. Apparently this poultry invention had been prepared by cooks for centuries. But it was brought to the American table in the 1980's. A company in Louisiana actually prepares around 5,000 turduckens per week around the American Thanksgiving holiday. Oh my! Visions of endless deboning and de-feathering!

Not that I would want to make a turducken, but if I did - who would I call? So I googled instead as I know no cooks with the claim of preparing three birds in one. When in doubt, food network always helps me out! In five hours you can cook like Paula Deen does - Turducken made easy! Click here for the recipe.

And so the poultry mystery - solved.

As I so often question the meaning of words and the importance of doing anything in life I pondered the reason for this creation. Why was one bird not enough on the American family's Thanksgiving table? And why the order of the word - turkey - duck - chicken? I may never know the answer to that question.

Three things all rolled into one when one was good enough on it's own. Some things though need all three to make up the one thing created. If one component is removed, the entire product will suffer as a result. The American flag for an example. Red, white and blue. Necessary to have all three.

Pep Boys Manny, Moe and Jack. How sad if one were not included on a bobblehead? A triathlon. Swimming, cycling and running. Without one of these activities it would have to be a biathlon! One more example? Baseball, hotdogs and apple pie. No 4th of July celebration would be complete without all three of them!

But Turducken? Not sold on the fact that this triune combination is necessary. After all, a turkey is delicious with all the dressings. A duck would be a wonderfully excellent meal on a chilly evening accompanied by hen in the woods mushrooms and wild rice. Chicken? Any day of the week chicken is welcomed by chefs worldwide.

And so I delved deep into my Bible to come up with some necessary truths about the Trinity. As a Christian, I serve a Triune God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One. One without the other would never exist. All work together to achieve the purposes and plans for God's people.

The Trinity:
God the Father  John 1:1
Jesus Christ the Son Matthew 3:17
Holy Spirit John 14: 16-17

Matthew 28:19. Some well-meaning people believe God exists to serve them. However, the complete opposite is true. With the Trinity in place, we are able to do anything (Philipians 4:13).

I sure am glad some things are not negotiable in life. What we eat, activities we enjoy, advertising campaigns we embrace, patriotic traditions we uphold - yes all have meaning and value and if one element were removed, we would lose the totality of that established icon. However, nothing, Romans 8:38 & 39 is as crucial to living life the way it was intended to be lived as the Trinity. It must remain together - all three.

The Truth of the Trinity gives the Christian believer freedom and is key to living a victorious life. Knowing this, the choice is simple.

It really is okay to deconstruct a Turducken and still serve a successful Thanksgiving meal. After all, many things in life really are just a fanciful version of something that was just fine on it's own. But, if you are going to prepare a Turducken please consider inviting me. I really would like to see three birds all rolled into one. Just one time I would like to eat a turkey, duck and chicken in one bite.

Now what kind of gravy would one serve with this poultry paradise? Paula Deen no doubt will solve that quandary. Or possibly we can concoct  our own. Possibly use churkey stock with duckey giblets and duckling spices - hmmm - save me a seat!