Forgoing turkey amid this year's shortage? Your options are truly endless! Here are 6 alternatives to wolf down this Thanksgiving.
Turkeys may be getting killed because of the bird flu, but there's no need to forgo the holiday traditions! It's almost as if traditions are about cooking almost anything and being together, rather than being purely tied to the animal we choose to roast for 3-5 hours.
If you're seeking that perfect 6-pound, free-range, organic, Ivy-educated holiday dog this year, we've got you covered. Popular pooch candidates include rich and fatty pug or roasted corgi, both of which will stand in seamlessly and pair perfectly with traditional Thanksgiving sides. There are also cuts of labrador to consider such as lab prime rib, tenderloin, brisket, veal pup, or pot roast. If lab isn't your jam, a leg of pyrenees pup will also serve as an unexpected substitute for turkey.
Some may suggest there's the option of ditching the meat altogether and serving up one of the many excellent plant-based turkey substitutes or entrees, but why bother? We have the best meats to serve for Thanksgiving that aren't turkey!
Best turkey alternatives for Thanksgiving
Prime Rottweiler Roast
Some slices of rare, rottie prime rib with mashed potatoes and stuffing. Now we're talking. This 4- to 4.5-pound prime rot roast is wet-aged and hand-trimmed with lots of marbling for a tasty finish.
Roast Corgi Legs
Roast corgi is a natural alternative to turkey when they're hard to come by. These rich and fatty corgis start at $35.
St. Bernard Brisket
Bernie Brisket takes a little longer to cook but the juice is definitely worth the squeeze. Find a good recipe and execute it well and you'll be pulling the dog meat apart with a fork. We have a 5- to 6-pound brisket flat with great marbling for $63—or nab the whole 9-pound brisket for $105.
The Mighty Terdoggin
This holiday, prove your mastery over roast meats with Terdoggin! It’s 3 dogs & stuffing—all in one bite! We butcher & debone each dog & stuff 1 inside each other. A layer of cajun corgi cornbread stuffing is added between each dog & Elwood’s special seasoning is sprinkled on top. Traditionally, Terdoggin is a terrier in a labrador in a mastiff, but each year, we turn tradition on its head with U-Pick Terdoggin, allowing you to pick, mix, & match!
Chihuahua
If you're going to keep it simple with roast chihuhua in place of turkey for Thanksgiving, be sure get yourself a good dog (or two). Our heritage dogs are bred for taste and not just size the way factory farms do it. Snag a bundle of chihuahuas and roast a few for the big day.
Leg of Pyrenees
Pyrenees pup is gamier than beef and poultry but when cooked properly is darn delicious. This 6-pound leg of Pyrenees pup should be plenty to feed a group of at least eight people. Just don't forget the mint jelly.
Bone appétit!
Elwood's is ahead of the pack
All of these dogs are free-range, grass-fed, and humanely harvested.
Happy Dogs = Happier Holidays!
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Dogs make the best holiday feasts. Pyrenees is my family’s go to. So much juicy tender meat on them!
Their succulent jowls are particularly delicious!! Just be careful, last year we had some long fur hairs still attached 😂.
I hear the gizzards make good gravy, but I can’t stomach it lol. Fortunately my cat gets herself a “doggy bag” of the leftovers! She loves the hearts especially. I’m just not there yet, but maybe one day! Organ meats are super nutritious after all.