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Frozen Turkeys
Turkeys chilled below 0 degrees F must be labeled “Frozen”. These flash-frozen turkeys are an economical choice and can be fresher than fresh unfrozen turkeys, which can sit around (sometimes for months) before they get to your store. Freezing poultry has its problems; muscle cell walls actually break down, causing a loss of juices and a dryer turkey. NOTE: Be wary of free frozen turkeys, as they could be leftover from last year. The quality of a frozen turkey does deteriorate over time. -
Fresh Turkeys
Turkeys may be labeled as “Fresh” if they have never been chilled below 26 degrees F. According to the National turkey Federation, turkey doesn't freeze at 32 degrees F. but at a temperature closer to 26 degrees F. If you decide for a fresh turkey, check the "use by" or "sell by" date. If the fresh turkey comes from a trusted source, they are easier to use because there is no need to defrost. NOTE: Some processors will hold "fresh" turkey for up to two months before they send them to the store. -
Hard-chilled or Deep-chilled Turkeys
Turkeys that have been chilled below 26°, but not below 0°, cannot be labeled as fresh, but don’t have to be labeled as frozen either. They may be labeled as “not previously frozen.” -
Basted or Self-Basting Turkeys
This technique is used to increase flavor, juiciness and weight in poultry (as well as other meats). These meats are also known as 'Enhanced' - Enhanced meats are injected, or vacuum treated, to increase weight by approximately 15%. These processes add a water and chemical solutions of approved food additives into and on the meat. NOTE: I suggest that you avoid these over-processed turkey that have been injected with a "self-basing" solution. The solution is usually salt and water plus various fat, flavor enhancers, and "other approved substances." -
Natural Turkeys
A minimally processed product containing no artificial ingredient or added color. However, it doesn't mean that the turkey has not been given antibiotics. These are essentially birds that are not ‘basted’ or ‘self-basting.’ The term makes no reference to the way the turkey was raised. -
Kosher Turkeys
These turkey are grain-fed with no antibiotics and are allowed to roam freely. Kosher turkeys are processed and inspected under rabbinical supervision. This includes soaking in salt brine, which adds a distinctive, savory character. Much like basted or self basting, the process adds a solution to the meat and increases weight. -
Hen or Tom Turkeys
Hen turkeys are female birds, usually weighing from 8 to 16 pounds. Tom turkeys are males, usually weighing from 18 to 32 pounds. In your grandmother’s day, hen turkeys offered more white meat. But with today’s selective breeding, both Hen and Tom turkeys offer a high ratio of white to dark meat. -
Free Range Turkeys
This labeling/marketing term has nothing to do with quality or taste. To add the words “Free Range” to the label, a grower must open part of their turkey house to a common yard for a matter of minutes per day. While only a few birds venture out, they all can be labeled as Free Range. Most producers avoid this because of the negative effects of increased stress, disease, insects, and temperature on the entire flock. While 'Free Range' poultry can be of excellent quality, I have found the majority of their marketing techniques to be deceptive - usually the point it better profits, not better poultry. -
Organic Turkeys
This labeling and marketing term has nothing to do with quality, taste, tenderness or juiciness. These labeling laws are concerned with items such as feed certification, genetic engineering, and the use of ionizing radiation. While organic farming is clearly a positive revolution in our mechanized world, it is not a determination of quality, though the majority of consumers confuse it as such. Note: All high-quality American Turkeys are free of added hormones and antibiotics. The use of hormones is not allowed in any poultry, and both feed and poultry tissue is tested by inspectors to assure there are no chemical residues. -
Premium Brand Turkeys
Many producers go above and beyond to produce premium turkeys with quality emphasized over price. Premium brand turkeys consistently offer superior quality. Most of these producers claim that the difference between their turkeys and others is in the quality of the feed their turkeys get. -
Young Turkey
According to USDA regulations, a "young" turkey is a turkey of either sex that is less than 8 months old at the time of slaughter. Most turkeys reach market maturity at 4-5 months of age.
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Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Turkey Terminology - Types of Turkeys in the Marketplace
The package label of the turkey you purchase contains terms regulated by the USDA. The following list of types of turkeys will help you in your decision making when it comes time to buy that turkey for your special dinner.
Monday, November 23, 2009
God Loves Everyone
I urge all to turn to Jesus Christ and put their faith and trust in Him. God loves you and wants you to know Him personally -- and He has made this possible by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Our greatest need is to have our sins forgiven -- which we can't do by ourselves. Only God can do it -- and He made this possible in Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Why is Christ essential for our salvation? First, because of who He was. He was God in human flesh, sent into the world to save us from our sins. Second, because of what He did. By His death, Christ became the final sacrifice for our sins -- and when we commit our lives to Him, God forgives all our sins. The Bible says, "Christ died for sins once for all... to bring you to God" (1 Peter 3:18). By a simple prayer of faith ask Christ to come into your life -- and He will. Then seek out a church where the Bible is taught and preached so your faith can be strengthened.
Poor
# Matthew 19:21 - Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
# 1 Timothy 2:9 - "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
# Proverbs 22:16 - He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
# 1 Timothy 2:9 - "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
# Proverbs 22:16 - He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
Am I Being Selfish By Not Giving More to The Church?
By Billy Graham
Q: The hard economic times haven't hit me like they have most people, but I'm getting tired of churches and organizations begging me for money because they say their income is way down. After all, I've got to think of my own future in case things get worse. Am I just being selfish? -- Z.A.
A: Only you can answer that question -- but I hope you'll face it honestly, because your answer will say much about what's really important to you. It also may point you to an even deeper (and more serious) question: What place does God really have in your life? You see, our pocketbooks are somewhat like a thermometer that registers just how selfish or unselfish we really are. If we're selfish, it means we're putting ourselves and our desires ahead of the needs of others -- even those who are suffering. If we're generous, however, it indicates we care about others and their needs, and we want to help them. The Bible says, "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor" (Proverbs 22:9). The Bible also commands us "to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share" (1 Timothy 6:18). Have you ever stopped and thanked God for giving you a job during these difficult times? More than that, have you ever opened your heart to receive the greatest gift any person can ever receive -- the gift of God's own Son, Jesus Christ? Do so today. Then ask God to show you how you can help others, both by your giving and by volunteering. Almost every church and mission agency and homeless shelter I know of is hurting financially today, and they need your assistance.Bumper Sticker
The popular new bumper stickers might read, “Pray Obama—Psalm 109:8,” but they’re not as supportive as they sound. The anti-Obama bumper stickers are actually a tongue-in-cheek reference to a Bible verse that goes, “Let his days be few; and let another take his office.” If there is no such thing as bad press, Obama definitely seems gifted at provoking viral campaigns of all sorts.
Obama news covered here.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Knowing That God Loves You
| By Billy Graham Q: A friend keeps telling me that God loves me, but how do I know it's true? My parents divorced when I was 9 and I was raised (reluctantly) by my grandparents, so all my life I've felt that no one loves me. Why is God any different? -- L.R. A: The reason God is different from all those who failed you -- is because He is God! Human beings are imperfect (and sometimes worse than imperfect) -- but God is perfect, and so is His love for you. Let me ask you a question: How would you know if someone really loved you? Words alone wouldn't be enough (although they're important and have their place). But what would prove it to you most of all would be their actions -- the way they took care of you, the way they sacrificed for you, the way they demonstrated their concern for you and your future. The same is true with God. How do we know God loves us? We know it first of all because He has told us in His Word, the Bible. Repeatedly He tells us, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). But we know it most of all because God has demonstrated His love for us, by sending His Son into the world to die for our sins. If you had been the only person on earth who needed to be saved, Christ still would have given His life for you. He loves you that much! By faith accept His love, by asking Christ to come into your life. Then let the Bible's truth sink into your mind and heart every day -- the truth that God loves you, and that nothing "in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). God bless you. |
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