114-Untistif Farming, Saturday, November 12,1983 Jaindls Hustle to Process Holiday Turkeys BY KIMBERLY HERR OREFIELD The hustle and bustle of the holiday season will soon descend, bringing wishes for 40-hour days and an extra pair of hands to get everything ac complished. For the Jaindl family of the Jaindl Turkey Farm, Orefleld, those wishes were voiced around Labor Day. From September until Thanksgiving the Jaindl Farms will process approximately 400,000 turkeys. So, unlike those of us who wait to the last minute to prepare for the holidays, the Jaindls have to plan ahead. According to Mark Jaindl, controller of Jaindl Farm, their turkey farm in the Lehigh Valley, is the largest in the world that raises, hatches and processes turkeys. They raise between 800,000 and one million turkeys each year. Although today the Jaindl Farm produces enough turkeys for thousands of families to eat on Thanksgiving Day, it wasn’t always that way. Fred Jaindl, Mark’s father, began the turkey business in the 1930 s with his father, John L. They started with 12 turkeys and a small incubator. According to Marie, the processing plant was in the bottom of the house. Fred and his father had IS acres of land at that time. As the processed turkeys reach the end of the production line, they are bagged and all the air is evacuated to help preserve the freshness of the meat. t The Jaindl Turkey Farm, Orefield, produces between 800,000 and one million turkeys each year. From Sept. 1 until Thanksgiving, they will have prepared approximately 400,000 turkeys to be served on tables in more than 20 states. The Jaindl Farm now consists of 6000 acres. Both Mark and Fred attribute their success to their special breed of turkey and “just a little hard work.”. “The competitive advantage that we have is the turkey and the confirmation of the turkey,” Mark explained. “Our turkeys have 15 to 20 percent more white meat.” Mark explained that the ad ditional white meat is gained from, the way the turkeys have been bred. The Jaindl turkeys, ac cording to Mark, have a “box shaped breast.” Fred Jaindl handpicks all the breeders used on the farm. Ac cording to Mark, Fred looks at approximately 300,000 turkeys and chooses about 32,000 for breeders. After the breeders have been selected, the rest of the turkeys head toward the processing plant. After the turkeys are killed, the feathers are picked off automatically and the birds head toward the line to be dissembled, where each of the turkeys is in spected. By the time the turkeys reach the end of the line, they have received one of three grades. Ninety percent of the birds leave the Jaindl Farm with the Grade A Grand Champion tag. Those birds with a slight skin tear leave with a Mark Jaindl is the controller for the Jaindl Farm. He and his father, Fred, pay close attention to the commodity markets, which they receive from a satellite disc which is located on the roof of their plant. Harvest Brand, and anything less than that receives the Parkland Valley label, which is shipped strictly to canners, according to Dave Jaindl, general manager of Jaindl Farm. The turkeys that were not old enough to make it for this Thanksgiving are housed in one of 192 45X301 pole barns. The Jaindl turkeys are fed corn, which is grown on the Jaindl Farm, and soybeans, with protein mixes added, according to the age '* • * o* I # * ♦ * "We make our own boxes, which makes it a little bit more efficient.” explained Dave Jaindl, general manager of the Jaindl Farm. of the turkey. The Jaindl turkeys consume about 1300 ton of food per week during their busiest time of year, according to Dave. The Jaindls also grow their own wheat, which is used for straw bedding. According to Dave, they use approximately 100,000 bales of straw each year. But after planning for bedding and what the turkeys will eat and working with the birds every day, don’t the Jaindl’s ever getting tired of turkeys? Never, according to Dave. “It’s the best food you can eat,” he said. “You can make it so many ways, and it’s high in protein.” Dave explained that their family has turkey at least once a week, and his favorite is turkey cutlets. “I could eat those every week,” Dave said. The recipe for turkey cutlets, as well as some ideas for Thanksgiving Day dishes and ways to use leftover turkey, follow. All recipes are courtesy of the Jaindl Farm. Turkey Cutlets Cut thin slices from uncooked turkey breast. Dip the slices first in flour, then in beaten egg and finally in bread crumbs. Fry slices only a few minutes on each side to brown. The cutlets may be served with the following tomato sauce recipe. Tomato Sauce Make a paste with one tablespoon shortening and one tablespoon flour. Add one teaspoon sugar and a pinch each of salt and pepper; then add three cups of tomato juice and bring to a boil. GiMet Gravy Cook gizzard, heart and neck of turkey in four cups of salted water until tender, about one to two hours. Add liver last half hour. Remove neck; chop giblets into small pieces; return to cooking water. Use as liquid in making pan gravy as follows. For each cup of medium gravy, add two tablespoons fat, two tablespoons flour, one cup liquid. For each cup of thin gravy, add one cup of liquid and one tablespoon each of fat and flour. For thick gravy, use one cup of liquid and three tablespoons each of fat and flour. Remove meat to warm place. Pour off fat; measure amount needed back into pan or saucepan. Add level tablespoon of flour. Stir fat and flour together until smooth, then cook over low to medium heat, stirring steadily until it’s all bubbly and brown. Hot Turkey Casserole 4 cups diced cooked turkey 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 hard cooked eggs, diced 1 small jar pimientos, diced 2/3 cup blanched chopped almonds 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon minced onion 2 cups chopped celery 1/2 cup mushroom soup 1 cup grated cheese 11/2 cups crushed potato chips Combine turkey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, eggs, pimientos, almonds, salt, onion, celery and soup. Mix well and turn into greased 13X9-inch baking dish. Spread cheese and potato chips over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Turkey Barbecue 8 cups cooked chunked turkey 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup diced celery 1 cup catsup 1 cup turkey broth or chicken bouillon 1/4 cup vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon celery seed Simmer the above ingredients for one hour.
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