In reading the title to this episode I feel like Matpat is just trying to get the rest of the us to eat less turkey on thanksgiving so that he can have more of it.
“A turkey”? He got to write 2 off as business expenses a couple years ago and judging by his expressions in that video I’d bet he has insisted on 2 plus turkeys ever since.
I didn't think this was ever a debate because in my family we have turkey and ham for thanksgiving. I assumed it was similar for most people but I guess not.
I love when matpat brings in a third option in his theories, like "AND THE BEST OPTION IS (INSERT NAME OF A THIRD PARTY WE NEVER EXPECTED), So you may be wondering why but as I was researching this episode-"
I’m allergic to poultry. It’s a rare allergy, so people are always shocked when I tell them. A common response I get is “but what do you eat in thanksgiving?!” Ham, duh! I’ve also been told a few times that I’m not missing much lol.
honestly, they're not wrong. poultry is a decent meat, but it's definitely not something that I go for if there are other meats available. just kinda weird in flavour and texture for some reason, doesn't help the bones get squishy
We did a chicken this year, crispy, juicy, and spatchcocked. Btw we have flattened our bird every Turkey Day for the past three years. So I think your spatchcock video influenced my kitchen more than I realized 😂
As a south African, I don't celebrate Thanksgiving. However I do agree with the ostrich argument. Ostrich is one of the only animals that don't have wasted parts. From the feathers to the meat to the bones, every part of it can be used. Ostrich is one of the best things I've ever eaten. I've had ostrich neck, burgers and even drumsticks
When my family went from 'literally not enough tables' to just mom and I, we chose to celebrate how WE wanted. Getting take out pizza the day before. No cooking, no foods you don't like, just yummy goodness, and a bonding of formed traditions.
I come from a large family so we always had ham and turkey for thanksgiving so everyone had their choice and their fill. When a lot of us started moving away and splitting holidays between inlaws, we started only having turkey, because we wanted lots of leftovers to make soups and tacos etc. The holidays were just an excuse to get a discounted turkey to feed us for a week or two.
I find this intersting. Having Ham for Thanksgiving never really crossed my mind. In our family, we have a Turkey for thanksgiving, and a "Christmas Dinner" as we call it, which is much like Thanksgiving but with Ham instead. So we kinda do both.
Weirdly, i never thought about it but my family always serves turkey and ham together as two separate dishes for Thanksgiving. I always assumed ham was part of the Thanksgiving meal (since it also came with the usual Thanksgiving foods like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy) and was kind of mindblown at the reveal that ham isn't actually part of the traditional menu.
@mwmxktty That's a lot like how it works for our family, too. Usually, we have a bit less food for our Christmas dinner since we aren't inviting people over.
I love jellied cranberry sauce! Given the choice between a "regular" Thanksgiving meal and a can of cranberry sauce, I would choose the cranberry sauce.
My family is Mexican so we didn’t use to celebrate thanksgiving. Since we started to, my mom basically makes the classic turkey with the stuffing but with a chicken instead and some ham on the side as well, weird he didn’t talk about chicken at all tho.
@@jollironNeither is ham - it's more of a Christmas meat - but that's not really the point here. How often is your family serving up whole roasted chicken?
He's not lying about people being eager to jump from Halloween to Christmas. During the start of November, I was already seeing Christmas decorations and hearing Christmas music.
In Germany there's Christmas Stuff everywhere starting around the End of September. We don't have Thanksgiving and Halloween still isn't celebrated all that much. Which is unfortunate because that's literally my fav Holiday.
My friend, I saw Christmas displays in the stores *mid-October, before Halloween even happened.* In the distant future, America will be renamed Christland, and every day will be Christmas.
my family does the turkey for Thanksgiving and then a nice glazed ham for Christmas with some of the same sides for both. I've always loved ham way more than turkey, so it also feels right to have it for Christmas since it feels like the bigger holiday at least for us
That’s what my family does, except we usually use chicken on thanksgiving because it’s cheaper and we’re a smaller family (unless I get a turkey from work). I wonder how chicken would stack up in this fight.
My family started deep frying our turkey a few years ago and now that's the only way the whole family wants it. My parents have to take the fryer along to whoever's house we're having it that year and fry it then. It takes maybe a half hour to an hour and leaves the turkey's juices in and cooks it really nice. As for the stuffing, my grandmother used to make it without the turkey years ago and when she died my parents got her recipe and now make it every year. This is honestly the best way to make your Thanksgiving meal.
Here in Texas we often get brisket too. This year we will have turkey, ham and brisket. Sometimes we have a roast, but a beef option is regular. I don't eat pork, but others in my extended family do, so it's really for them. Turkey is just so cheap and easy to make into left over anything because it can go into almost every chicken dish.
What percentage of the turkey is bones? The weight of the bones is why they recommend buying more turkey per guest than ham. In practice, people are eating roughly the same amount of ham as turkey for thanksgiving.
For Christmas in Australia people usually get glazed ham, but this year there is also turkey in the stores, just like last year for the first time there was pumpkins to carve in stores and way more awareness for Halloween.
My family actually makes Turkey on thanksgiving, and Ham on Christmas Eve, so we get the best of both worlds in a sense. It would be interesting to try Ostrich though
I'm Dominican, and when my family does Thanksgiving, we have the turkey and a bunch of Dominican food to go with it, so our Thanksgiving looks very different. I've literally nver had most of the foods listed for a "normal" Thanksgiving. I didn’t get it when MatPat said the turkey usually comes out dry and plain because the turkey I always have is super juicy and full of flavor.
Most people don't take the time to learn how to cook a turkey. They follow the vague instructions on the wrapper, then complain about dry or tasteless turkey. Obviously you aren't in that category. "Normal" Thanksgiving is only "normal" in the U.S. and we have wide ranging variations for the dishes and how each is prepared. Go to your new in-laws for Thanksgiving and you may be in for some not so tasty surprises, but to them it is exactly as it should all be prepared and tastes perfect. The only thing everyone in the US agrees on is what day Thanksgiving occurs on:) Enjoy your meal it sounds delightful.
I really appreciate you sharing your experience, because as much as I like MatPat and Food Theory, I think he could benefit from having at least some cultural input.
Same. We do like a turkey and a candied sweet potato... thing. But the rest? Moro de guandule, ensalada rusa, pasteles en hoja, lasaña, like we do one or two things from the holiday and the rest is cena de año nuevo type-o-beat. Mom's Turkey always comes out super juicy and delicious 🙌
Oh man 🙈 I love green bean casserole. I eat it year round. I know that it's disgustingly mushy, but idk y'all, something about that salt level just hits exactly right to me. I can devour a half of a pan in one go, which is, like, 3 full cans of beans. And I'm not a big eater--I have strong satiety reflexes and am literally the worst person to bring to a buffet. But that green bean casserole, idk what to tell you, it's literally one of my favorite foods. Ever. I can't stop eating it when I make it, it's such a treat. I'd make it more often except trader joe's doesn't sell any of the ingredients except this time of year 😭
It doesn't even have to be mushy. The trick is to put plenty of fried onions on top at the very end of the baking period. This ensures that a good scoop will always have a satisfying crunch
I make it from scratch with fresh, blanched green beans. Cooked soft with just a bit of bite so it’s not mushy. With freshly fried onion/shallot topping with a spicy breading. Homemade cream of mushroom soup with shiitake mushrooms, bacon and sautéed bell peppers.
I got tired of turkey and ham a LONG time ago, I go for prime rib, sadly its not a cheap choice. I also don’t care for cranberry sauce or green bean casserole. I always do my cornbread stuffing/dressing separately.
Here in Australia we don't have Thanksgiving but I've always had both ham and turkey at Christmas. Both are incredible but prepping them with glaze definitely elevates them
I did ostrich and bison ribs last year for thanksgiving. The bison was incredible, but the ostrich had a very mineral flavor that made it not a fan favorite.
There are online retailers that sell exotic meats. I've never bought from any though. I used to go to a local shop that would sell it too (we bought boar, bison, and elk from them) but I think they've gone out of business now. You may also have luck at more trendy grocery stores (Central, Whole Foods, etc), my local version occasionally has some unusual stuff in their frozen meat section.
Matpat video title: Everyone should stop eating turkey for Thanksgiving! Matpat actual video: While both Turkey and Ham can be the king of Thanksgiving,the actaul animal that should be the king of Thanksgiving is the Ostrich. Now, that's is one of the most matpat moment I ever seen in my entire life so far.
I like how like every third word Mat said about Turkey get it a point but he could go on a 2 minute stretch talking about ham, give it on point and then take the point away 2 seconds later lol
another option which is Interesting and much less expensive than osterich: Rabbit! you may need to purchase a few of them if you have a large family, but rabbit is a lean meat best described as "chicken but more mammal-y". it pairs great with all your favorite dishes, it's relatively easy to cook, and it's ideal for smaller families who are getting bored of having massive leftovers.
This is cool - rabbit isn't bad eating on the day to day. But a lot of people see rabbits as poverty food - so not really a food that you'd want to eat to celebrate.
one issue is so many people think of rabbit (or pigeon) as poverty food- its not, but... also rabbit is LEAN!!!!! so you do have to take care not to dry it out
Spatchcocking has basically been the only way to cook now since that episode. When that episode came out, I literally convinced my wife to have us try it (I performed the cpr on the mid scapula lol). It was our first time cooking a full turkey, and it was brilliant. Haven't looked back since. Also, stuffing is absolutely disgusting. Get rid of it from any dish.
This is interesting, and not just for the new idea (at least to me) of ostrich. While many people i know are on one side or the other, my wife and I decided we don't like either option, and not just because of the meat itself, but also the recipe. I'm fine with turkey and ham, but prefer a roulade or something equally unique, flavorful, and eye catching. Heck, the tradition here is to do something fancy and extravagant for the one special meal. But hey, that's just my theory! My tradition theory! Thanks for reading...
My family is Italian. So we always had pasta with our turkey. My grandmother and her sisters would hand make farfalle pasta one piece at a time for thanksgiving or Christmas.
1:17 I literally yelled out an audible "WHAT" upon hearing that one of my all-time Thanksgiving FAVS is apparently the worst??? ... I'm not the only one who thinks it's great, right? ALSO, green bean casserole is great too, right?
This is hilarious leave it to MatPat to completely introduce a whole other bird at the end of the tally up, and I have so much respect for it because I never even thought of ostrich as an option so who knows maybe one day!!! 😂❤
We have turkey 🦃 for Thanksgiving and Ham for Christmas. Besides cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, our family's thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner sides are same, so little changes tbh.
Yes! I'm the same! I hate ham and baked turkey is too dry. I'll have my roast chicken, ty. Plus, it's faaar cheaper with less food waste for a small gathering.
Yeah my family a few years back decided to scrap the turkey in favor of Smoked briskets. Tastes amazing, pairs with everything, and there's never a problem with leftovers not getting eaten.
I love turkey legs, especially from the Renaissance Faire vendors and I also love cranberry jelly, not sause. The sause is a little too tart and chunky for my liking, Im a jelly addict lol, Id eat it year round if i could.
Idk where tf americans got the idea of calling jam, jelly Jelly is the mass inside the skin thats made into the classic strawberry jelly (or the disgusting supermarket jelly ewgh)
@pandurial6282 theres actually two versions, there is the cranberry sauce which is what jam is basically but they also make jelly which is similar to jell-o with no berries in it. So when I speak of jelly I speak of the jiggly stuff with no berries in it.
@pandurial6282 yeh many people dont really know the difference even here in the states. I myself cant stand the jam kind, too chunky and doesnt really seem as sweet. The jelly though is quite nice like having a jell-o dessert after the main meal. It comes in a can and can be entirely removed holding its shape and cut into slices lol.
Yo, my fam has basically done the same meal for Thanksgiving and Christmas just replacing the turkey with ham for Christmas. Hindsight being 2020, I did look forward more to Christmas dinner than Thanksgiving dinner. Must have been that a nice honey ham appeals to me more if you're pairing it with mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet potato casserole.
When I was growing up it was turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas...usually because you got that free ham with the turkey! Now though we don't really do traditional western Christmas dinner. We do either tamales or vodka penne.
I happen to love cranberry sauce! So long as it's jellied, of course. Turkey ain't so bad(if cooked right of course). I also love ham and pretty much all other foods that come with Thanksgiving
1:26 I *_LOVE_* green bean casserole, when it's made well. *SO FIGHT ME, MATPAT.* ... No turkey, no ham, no feast; I live alone, after all, and have no one to spend time with. 🤷🏻♀
I actually cook my stuffing outside the turkey first cuz I add some veggies I like with it to make it more crunchy and some milk then I put it inside when I FINALLY get the turkey ready. I take a long time getting the turkey ready even with my siblings
My family has turkey for Thanksgiving with all the classic sides and then Ham for Christmas... with all the Thanksgiving sides. Christmas is just Thanksgiving pt 2 really.
@@Mad-Lad-Chad I've had dried ham than the average turkey before, so I disagree haha. I was just suggesting they try actually well cooked turkey before comparing it to ham and saying ham is better, because dry turkey vs good ham is an unfair comparison. Personally I really dont like pork outside of bacon, so for me turkey is WAY better. But at least compare good turkey against good ham before making a conclusion and saying one is better than the other.
@@Camazotz-kz9wrthey didnt just generally say one is better than the other tho. Just what their personal opinion is on it and what they personally like
When I was a kid, we always did ham because only my mom liked turkey. Since my husband and I got married, we've always done duck, because while neither of us are super fond of turkey, he also doesn't like ham that much. We both like duck, and for a special once or twice a year meal for a family of three, it works out really well for us.
I've never been more disappointed in you, MatPat. Two consecutive years of Thanksgiving turkey videos and you still haven't learned that frying your turkey is the objectively correct option.
We've eaten ham for as long as I can remember. It goes great with asparagus and holindays suace. Than the lrftovers can be used on a sandwich with mayo.
Me and my family always swapped between turkey and ham. But typically we will have the other one on Easter/Some Christmas'. But we started to smoke the turkey which definitely helps with all of the possible issues you can get when cooking a turkey.
Green bean casserole is good depending on how it is made and what is in it, my family makes it a certain way and it's amazing, any other way and I'm throwing it out
It's one of my favorites, but it really depends on which type and how it's made. I love the canned, jellied kind so much (yes, because it's full of sugar, but Thanksgiving isn't about health! 😅); but my sister's homemade cranberry sauce, with whole cranberries, I find pretty gross.
@@IceMetalPunk 100% to everything in your comment. Canned jellied is the best! My family also makes homemade cranberry relish, and they add a little orange in it too. All I taste is orange rind, and its the worst lol.
Reading the title makes me want to go back in time to the first thanksgiving to get turkey off the menu. That's right, reading this title makes me want to go back in time to the first thanksgiving to get turkey off the menu.
@@FelicityUwU it depends on what region your from. For me it’s primarily green beans (string beans), a sauce that has cream of mushroom soup as its base, and fried crunchy onions as a topping
I don’t know if this theory has already been done, but I almost want a video analysis of turkey trots and how much they actually impact your Thanksgiving meal. Like, based on the average distance (ex 5k), how much food would you actually get to eat? Or, conversely, if you wanted to eat the “average” American meal, how much would you have to run to fit within an appropriate calorie window?
Hi Matpat hope you read this! I was wondering about a theory idea, I hope we all know the saying " A dish is best severed cold " Or something along those lines, I was wondering is a dish actually best severed cold? I know you did this with pasta I believe but I would see what other foods are like maybe, Bread a burger or maybe some drinks too!
Shame MattPatt didn't compare the other "historic" meats as possibilities for the table. Vension is particular has started to get popular outside of the hunting community just generally and depending on where you are you can get it as cheap or cheaper than beef steak. Also, works out great for small gathers of 1-4 people.
I think it’s because people think of it being tough. But certain cuts slow cooked can be awesome. I’m watching my cholesterol, so my husband got a deer this year. We’re getting s grinder so we can make burgers and spaghetti and meatballs in meat sauce. But just slow cooking it, a little barbecue sauce, it’s lovely.
My favorite a marinating the steaks even some of the pre-bottled ones work. I have a great garlic and onion one - leave thawed steaks in over night in the fridge and cook using the broiler for 10 minutes each side. Love version hamburger as well - the only thing I've found it doesn't replace well is beef taco meat.@@AmaraJordanMusic
![Megan Thee Stallion - Roc Steady (feat. Flo Milli) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/HozPPyqW0dY/mqdefault.jpg)
Which side are YOU on: Ham or Turkey? 🦃
Ham
awesome
Not american
ham
Hello
In reading the title to this episode I feel like Matpat is just trying to get the rest of the us to eat less turkey on thanksgiving so that he can have more of it.
definitely seems like it. Though I prefer ham 100x more than turkey, there's literally no contest in my taste buds.
Well that's just a theory!
@@ellybanelly3656"A food theory.
Bon Apatite. " 😆
Why the Frick would he do that? Team theorist isn't large enough and that just seems like too much work
@@sarfarazgaming121 r/whooosh
Matpat: DON’T EAT TURKEY!
Also Matpat: *is seen buying a turkey for thanksgiving*
Yeah
@@Art.and.Hamstersthat’s exactly what I’m saying
“A turkey”? He got to write 2 off as business expenses a couple years ago and judging by his expressions in that video I’d bet he has insisted on 2 plus turkeys ever since.
Even when you make good content, you have to click bait really hard
@@boomknight1015 Salty. XD
I didn't think this was ever a debate because in my family we have turkey and ham for thanksgiving. I assumed it was similar for most people but I guess not.
Yeah we also do both.
Same, I assumed it was the same but it’s apparently not.
Same!! I thought it was common
Same ere mate
Normally we do but this year we can't afford that and thier is only 3 of us so we choose ham this year
I love when matpat brings in a third option in his theories, like "AND THE BEST OPTION IS (INSERT NAME OF A THIRD PARTY WE NEVER EXPECTED), So you may be wondering why but as I was researching this episode-"
It took seven years, but MatPat went from riding ostriches to eating them.
Time to eat those Thanksgiving Chocobos!
@@zackduffer9069 Kweh?!
As a Canadian, I was a bit confused on why this episode came out late then remembered matpat is American. Happy Thanksgiving 2 u guys!
Lol and happy late Thanksgiving to you, my Canadian friend! 😊😁 tbh ur comment is underrated
hope u had a good thanksgiving
happy very late thanksgiving my fellow canadian
W Canada! I’m a Canadian btw
I’m allergic to poultry. It’s a rare allergy, so people are always shocked when I tell them. A common response I get is “but what do you eat in thanksgiving?!” Ham, duh! I’ve also been told a few times that I’m not missing much lol.
I have finally found my opposite. I’m allergic to pork and red meat.
honestly, they're not wrong. poultry is a decent meat, but it's definitely not something that I go for if there are other meats available. just kinda weird in flavour and texture for some reason, doesn't help the bones get squishy
@@lemondoesart6560 it's the opposite for me
Rare? 40% of Americans have some form of poultry allergies. Usually eggs.
@@lemondoesart6560may be bu thicken and rice is amazing
We did a chicken this year, crispy, juicy, and spatchcocked.
Btw we have flattened our bird every Turkey Day for the past three years. So I think your spatchcock video influenced my kitchen more than I realized 😂
As a south African, I don't celebrate Thanksgiving. However I do agree with the ostrich argument. Ostrich is one of the only animals that don't have wasted parts. From the feathers to the meat to the bones, every part of it can be used. Ostrich is one of the best things I've ever eaten. I've had ostrich neck, burgers and even drumsticks
Interesting...never had it
are the necks of ostriches chewy and tough? what does it taste like!!
Ostrich Burgers? Sounds good
Every part can be used? What do you use the beak for?
@@bubbledoubletrouble I, too, would like to know what the other parts of the ostrich are used for.
When my family went from 'literally not enough tables' to just mom and I, we chose to celebrate how WE wanted. Getting take out pizza the day before. No cooking, no foods you don't like, just yummy goodness, and a bonding of formed traditions.
Your family chooses to have leftover pizza for thanksgiving? Yikes...
@@CthulhuTheory I can smell the elitism through the screen, take a shower
@CthulhuTheory based on your subscriptions, i can tell what kind of person you are.
@@CthulhuTheoryWhat a useless comment to leave. Go kick rocks
Sounds kinda eh- but sure...
2:34 that editing gave me a jumpscare 😭
What actually is that 💀💀💀
I come from a large family so we always had ham and turkey for thanksgiving so everyone had their choice and their fill. When a lot of us started moving away and splitting holidays between inlaws, we started only having turkey, because we wanted lots of leftovers to make soups and tacos etc. The holidays were just an excuse to get a discounted turkey to feed us for a week or two.
My family always have ham and turkey
Have both
I find this intersting. Having Ham for Thanksgiving never really crossed my mind. In our family, we have a Turkey for thanksgiving, and a "Christmas Dinner" as we call it, which is much like Thanksgiving but with Ham instead. So we kinda do both.
Weirdly, i never thought about it but my family always serves turkey and ham together as two separate dishes for Thanksgiving. I always assumed ham was part of the Thanksgiving meal (since it also came with the usual Thanksgiving foods like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy) and was kind of mindblown at the reveal that ham isn't actually part of the traditional menu.
That’s what I grew up with too. Turkey for Thanksgiving, and ham for Christmas. But the side dishes for both holidays were the same.
We switched to prime rib a few years back. It's a lot easier to carve and there's a bunch of stuff you can do with the leftovers.
Should eat neither. Have some ostrich!
@mwmxktty That's a lot like how it works for our family, too. Usually, we have a bit less food for our Christmas dinner since we aren't inviting people over.
As someone who eats nothing for Thanksgiving, I see this as an absolute win
You fast on Thanksgiving?
@@BornToBeWiredthey probably just live outside the US
as a guy not from the US, i can relate
Ok chandler
@@XAMEREN - Also not from the US. Born and raised in England. I live in the US now and still see Thanksgiving as strange.
I love jellied cranberry sauce! Given the choice between a "regular" Thanksgiving meal and a can of cranberry sauce, I would choose the cranberry sauce.
My family is Mexican so we didn’t use to celebrate thanksgiving. Since we started to, my mom basically makes the classic turkey with the stuffing but with a chicken instead and some ham on the side as well, weird he didn’t talk about chicken at all tho.
Cuz chicken isn't a Thanksgiving thing. It's an all year round thing.
🇸🇻
My family celebrates but does do the same thing
@@jollironNeither is ham - it's more of a Christmas meat - but that's not really the point here. How often is your family serving up whole roasted chicken?
@@voidbreather7405 never. But when is your family serving up hamd and turkey for regular dinner PERIOD?
@@jolliron I think thy meant including thanksgiving so yknow at least once a year
He's not lying about people being eager to jump from Halloween to Christmas. During the start of November, I was already seeing Christmas decorations and hearing Christmas music.
Don't read my name!!!
It's so annoying.
A house near me has been decorated for Christmas since September. It's truly coming earlier every year.
In Germany there's Christmas Stuff everywhere starting around the End of September. We don't have Thanksgiving and Halloween still isn't celebrated all that much. Which is unfortunate because that's literally my fav Holiday.
My friend, I saw Christmas displays in the stores *mid-October, before Halloween even happened.* In the distant future, America will be renamed Christland, and every day will be Christmas.
my family does the turkey for Thanksgiving and then a nice glazed ham for Christmas with some of the same sides for both. I've always loved ham way more than turkey, so it also feels right to have it for Christmas since it feels like the bigger holiday at least for us
Same here!
That’s what my family does, except we usually use chicken on thanksgiving because it’s cheaper and we’re a smaller family (unless I get a turkey from work). I wonder how chicken would stack up in this fight.
Same
My family started deep frying our turkey a few years ago and now that's the only way the whole family wants it. My parents have to take the fryer along to whoever's house we're having it that year and fry it then. It takes maybe a half hour to an hour and leaves the turkey's juices in and cooks it really nice. As for the stuffing, my grandmother used to make it without the turkey years ago and when she died my parents got her recipe and now make it every year. This is honestly the best way to make your Thanksgiving meal.
MatPat 2023 “some people like green bean casserole more then turkey. Who hurt you?”
@Daughter_of_Hades_Explains Head Editor Dan 2023 “Literal vomit”
that was probably a lie by him
Here in Texas we often get brisket too. This year we will have turkey, ham and brisket. Sometimes we have a roast, but a beef option is regular. I don't eat pork, but others in my extended family do, so it's really for them. Turkey is just so cheap and easy to make into left over anything because it can go into almost every chicken dish.
Thats a great meat. I’m jealous of y’all
What percentage of the turkey is bones? The weight of the bones is why they recommend buying more turkey per guest than ham. In practice, people are eating roughly the same amount of ham as turkey for thanksgiving.
For Christmas in Australia people usually get glazed ham, but this year there is also turkey in the stores, just like last year for the first time there was pumpkins to carve in stores and way more awareness for Halloween.
My family actually makes Turkey on thanksgiving, and Ham on Christmas Eve, so we get the best of both worlds in a sense. It would be interesting to try Ostrich though
My family does the same, lol.
Throwing the ostrich last moment was fowl play, mat.😂
I'm Dominican, and when my family does Thanksgiving, we have the turkey and a bunch of Dominican food to go with it, so our Thanksgiving looks very different. I've literally nver had most of the foods listed for a "normal" Thanksgiving. I didn’t get it when MatPat said the turkey usually comes out dry and plain because the turkey I always have is super juicy and full of flavor.
Well usualy what we do is have a huge fast on the last night of the year
Most people don't take the time to learn how to cook a turkey. They follow the vague instructions on the wrapper, then complain about dry or tasteless turkey. Obviously you aren't in that category. "Normal" Thanksgiving is only "normal" in the U.S. and we have wide ranging variations for the dishes and how each is prepared. Go to your new in-laws for Thanksgiving and you may be in for some not so tasty surprises, but to them it is exactly as it should all be prepared and tastes perfect. The only thing everyone in the US agrees on is what day Thanksgiving occurs on:) Enjoy your meal it sounds delightful.
I really appreciate you sharing your experience, because as much as I like MatPat and Food Theory, I think he could benefit from having at least some cultural input.
Most people can't cook. and that includes their grandmother's
Same. We do like a turkey and a candied sweet potato... thing. But the rest? Moro de guandule, ensalada rusa, pasteles en hoja, lasaña, like we do one or two things from the holiday and the rest is cena de año nuevo type-o-beat. Mom's Turkey always comes out super juicy and delicious 🙌
I really wasn't expecting that twist at the end!
I have no idea if I can even find an ostrich salesman around here, but I think I'm gonna have to try!
Oh man 🙈 I love green bean casserole. I eat it year round. I know that it's disgustingly mushy, but idk y'all, something about that salt level just hits exactly right to me. I can devour a half of a pan in one go, which is, like, 3 full cans of beans. And I'm not a big eater--I have strong satiety reflexes and am literally the worst person to bring to a buffet. But that green bean casserole, idk what to tell you, it's literally one of my favorite foods. Ever. I can't stop eating it when I make it, it's such a treat. I'd make it more often except trader joe's doesn't sell any of the ingredients except this time of year 😭
Same! Don't dog on my green bean casserole! It's great 😅
All about that stuffing and yam am i right?
It doesn't even have to be mushy. The trick is to put plenty of fried onions on top at the very end of the baking period. This ensures that a good scoop will always have a satisfying crunch
I make it from scratch with fresh, blanched green beans. Cooked soft with just a bit of bite so it’s not mushy. With freshly fried onion/shallot topping with a spicy breading. Homemade cream of mushroom soup with shiitake mushrooms, bacon and sautéed bell peppers.
I LOVE IT Fresh, the crunch of the Fried onion is Impeccable, until the day after when it gets mushy. I just can’t after that.
I got tired of turkey and ham a LONG time ago, I go for prime rib, sadly its not a cheap choice. I also don’t care for cranberry sauce or green bean casserole. I always do my cornbread stuffing/dressing separately.
My family always does Prime Rib for Christmas. It feels special since we only buy it once a year in December
I got lucky this year and got salmon so I did an herbed bread crumb, and hollandaise sauce for our main dish. Yes, I already had our Thanksgiving.
Seems weird to get tired of something you have once a year
Here in Australia we don't have Thanksgiving but I've always had both ham and turkey at Christmas. Both are incredible but prepping them with glaze definitely elevates them
makes sense you don't have thanksgiving, it's an american holiday...
Being's it's summer there, I would have bet on a barbecue... anyway, happy spring...
@@oregonsenior4204 yep, thats what a lot of people do. barbie on christmas is grouse
Same.
As a south african, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving but I can tell you, ostrich is definitely worth it!
I love the videos recently, idk why it feels a lot more natural compared to previous ones.
I did ostrich and bison ribs last year for thanksgiving. The bison was incredible, but the ostrich had a very mineral flavor that made it not a fan favorite.
Where can you buy ostrich from? What store sells that?
There are online retailers that sell exotic meats. I've never bought from any though. I used to go to a local shop that would sell it too (we bought boar, bison, and elk from them) but I think they've gone out of business now. You may also have luck at more trendy grocery stores (Central, Whole Foods, etc), my local version occasionally has some unusual stuff in their frozen meat section.
@@vultar9999 Thanks for the info.
Never had a Thanksgiving. I still watch every Thanksgiving episode on Food Theory
Matpat video title: Everyone should stop eating turkey for Thanksgiving!
Matpat actual video: While both Turkey and Ham can be the king of Thanksgiving,the actaul animal that should be the king of Thanksgiving is the Ostrich.
Now, that's is one of the most matpat moment I ever seen in my entire life so far.
I like how like every third word Mat said about Turkey get it a point but he could go on a 2 minute stretch talking about ham, give it on point and then take the point away 2 seconds later lol
another option which is Interesting and much less expensive than osterich: Rabbit! you may need to purchase a few of them if you have a large family, but rabbit is a lean meat best described as "chicken but more mammal-y". it pairs great with all your favorite dishes, it's relatively easy to cook, and it's ideal for smaller families who are getting bored of having massive leftovers.
I see rabbits as pets, so no ty 😓 I'll stick to roast chicken
This is cool - rabbit isn't bad eating on the day to day. But a lot of people see rabbits as poverty food - so not really a food that you'd want to eat to celebrate.
one issue is so many people think of rabbit (or pigeon) as poverty food- its not, but...
also rabbit is LEAN!!!!! so you do have to take care not to dry it out
As someone who raises rabbits for meat, I approve of this XD
Venison is very heart healthy. Yeah, it CAN be tough, but slow cooking certain cuts of meat it can be wonderful.
Spatchcocking has basically been the only way to cook now since that episode. When that episode came out, I literally convinced my wife to have us try it (I performed the cpr on the mid scapula lol). It was our first time cooking a full turkey, and it was brilliant. Haven't looked back since. Also, stuffing is absolutely disgusting. Get rid of it from any dish.
As someone who has had ostrich, it's actually pretty good. Expensive, yes, but worth it to try at least once in your life.
This is interesting, and not just for the new idea (at least to me) of ostrich. While many people i know are on one side or the other, my wife and I decided we don't like either option, and not just because of the meat itself, but also the recipe. I'm fine with turkey and ham, but prefer a roulade or something equally unique, flavorful, and eye catching. Heck, the tradition here is to do something fancy and extravagant for the one special meal.
But hey, that's just my theory! My tradition theory! Thanks for reading...
When comparing price, he forgot to mention that turkey becomes egregiously expensive right around thanksgiving time, for some _inexplicable_ reason
My family is Italian. So we always had pasta with our turkey. My grandmother and her sisters would hand make farfalle pasta one piece at a time for thanksgiving or Christmas.
Yo I need an invite to your place for Thanksgiving, this sounds fkn delicious my dude.
1:17 I literally yelled out an audible "WHAT" upon hearing that one of my all-time Thanksgiving FAVS is apparently the worst???
... I'm not the only one who thinks it's great, right? ALSO, green bean casserole is great too, right?
Would love to see you guys cook ostrich on thanksgiving. Given the hype you gave. 😊
My dad ate Ostrich when he fought for Communist Angola in 1976. His advice is to marinate the meat for 24 hours, because the meat is very dry.
@@sld1776 cooking it medium rare would also be dry?
@@ahmadsyafiqsaifullah4542 Don't know enough to have an opinion. With bird meat, I'd only go fully cooked, no 'pink' whatsoever.
@@sld1776 in the video mat said it can be cooked medium rare because there are no risk of salmonella like other bird.
Drake be the kind of guy to say “I actually prefer ham over turkey”
Surge main
Yea, I got his mastery title too
This is hilarious leave it to MatPat to completely introduce a whole other bird at the end of the tally up, and I have so much respect for it because I never even thought of ostrich as an option so who knows maybe one day!!! 😂❤
ok but like this is one of the most creative episodes IMO I wanna see this being used more
We have turkey 🦃 for Thanksgiving and Ham for Christmas. Besides cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, our family's thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner sides are same, so little changes tbh.
My family has been doing smoked brisket for Thanksgiving the last few years and its been AMAZING
As someone who doesnt like turkey or ham, I see this as an absolute win
Then go to your Puerto Rican friend's house and have pernil! Trust me.
Yes! I'm the same! I hate ham and baked turkey is too dry. I'll have my roast chicken, ty. Plus, it's faaar cheaper with less food waste for a small gathering.
@@Sly-MooseI stick my turkey in the crackpot in pieces. Then it's not dry at all, but also not baked.
1:22 cranberry sauce is so under rated. It’s taken me years, but I’ve finally perfected it.
We've shifted over to duck for the last half decade, just as historically accurate. Its amazing as well, but I do love ostrich.
Yeah my family a few years back decided to scrap the turkey in favor of Smoked briskets. Tastes amazing, pairs with everything, and there's never a problem with leftovers not getting eaten.
i have never done thanksgiving, but i really wanna try cooking a full feast at least once
Who is re watching after the goodbye internet video was up
I love turkey legs, especially from the Renaissance Faire vendors and I also love cranberry jelly, not sause. The sause is a little too tart and chunky for my liking, Im a jelly addict lol, Id eat it year round if i could.
Idk where tf americans got the idea of calling jam, jelly
Jelly is the mass inside the skin thats made into the classic strawberry jelly (or the disgusting supermarket jelly ewgh)
@pandurial6282 theres actually two versions, there is the cranberry sauce which is what jam is basically but they also make jelly which is similar to jell-o with no berries in it. So when I speak of jelly I speak of the jiggly stuff with no berries in it.
@@etherserra8638 ah ok, i thought you were talking abt jelly in the jam way like pb&j (wich is disgusting btw)
@pandurial6282 yeh many people dont really know the difference even here in the states. I myself cant stand the jam kind, too chunky and doesnt really seem as sweet. The jelly though is quite nice like having a jell-o dessert after the main meal. It comes in a can and can be entirely removed holding its shape and cut into slices lol.
Yo, my fam has basically done the same meal for Thanksgiving and Christmas just replacing the turkey with ham for Christmas. Hindsight being 2020, I did look forward more to Christmas dinner than Thanksgiving dinner. Must have been that a nice honey ham appeals to me more if you're pairing it with mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet potato casserole.
Would love to see you talk about the differences between wild and raised game. I know a few but i bet theres loads i don't
Thanks Food Theory team! I love these festive videos lol
No turkey this year? Definitely fowl play.
When I was growing up it was turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas...usually because you got that free ham with the turkey! Now though we don't really do traditional western Christmas dinner. We do either tamales or vodka penne.
I happen to love cranberry sauce! So long as it's jellied, of course. Turkey ain't so bad(if cooked right of course). I also love ham and pretty much all other foods that come with Thanksgiving
I love the can cranberry
My family makes Cornish Hens for Thanksgiving every year. They are small enough for everyone to have their own and really juicy as well. I love it! ^^
1:26 I *_LOVE_* green bean casserole, when it's made well. *SO FIGHT ME, MATPAT.*
...
No turkey, no ham, no feast; I live alone, after all, and have no one to spend time with. 🤷🏻♀
I was totally expecting a full chicken at the end but ostrich? That’s a new one 😂
I think this was a really fun different Food Theory episode, really enjoyed it
I actually cook my stuffing outside the turkey first cuz I add some veggies I like with it to make it more crunchy and some milk then I put it inside when I FINALLY get the turkey ready. I take a long time getting the turkey ready even with my siblings
My family has turkey for Thanksgiving with all the classic sides and then Ham for Christmas... with all the Thanksgiving sides. Christmas is just Thanksgiving pt 2 really.
Personally, I love ham way better. My grandmother makes the turkey to dry, but the ham has this honey glaze that just hits the spot
You should try actual good turkey sometime haha, it shouldnt be dry
@@Camazotz-kz9wr Even good turkey is gonna be drier than ham. I like both personally.
@@Mad-Lad-Chad I've had dried ham than the average turkey before, so I disagree haha. I was just suggesting they try actually well cooked turkey before comparing it to ham and saying ham is better, because dry turkey vs good ham is an unfair comparison. Personally I really dont like pork outside of bacon, so for me turkey is WAY better. But at least compare good turkey against good ham before making a conclusion and saying one is better than the other.
@@Camazotz-kz9wrthey didnt just generally say one is better than the other tho. Just what their personal opinion is on it and what they personally like
@@macallaire4528 After stating that they've only ever had bad turkey. Which isnt a fair comparison lol.
When I was a kid, we always did ham because only my mom liked turkey. Since my husband and I got married, we've always done duck, because while neither of us are super fond of turkey, he also doesn't like ham that much. We both like duck, and for a special once or twice a year meal for a family of three, it works out really well for us.
I've never been more disappointed in you, MatPat. Two consecutive years of Thanksgiving turkey videos and you still haven't learned that frying your turkey is the objectively correct option.
So the answer to this Food Theory episode was "eat the chocobo from one of our Game Theory episodes?" Can we make a whole Final Fantasy menu?
aa🥺🥺noo noo🥺
My family actually would keep the turkey for some time and would use it to make congee.
Has Matpat done a theory on girl scout cookies and how the quality of flavor gets worse as the prices go up?
Or, instead of turkey, how about something completely different? This year, I made myself some pink nachos. (salsa + sour cream)
We've eaten ham for as long as I can remember. It goes great with asparagus and holindays suace. Than the lrftovers can be used on a sandwich with mayo.
Me and my family always swapped between turkey and ham. But typically we will have the other one on Easter/Some Christmas'. But we started to smoke the turkey which definitely helps with all of the possible issues you can get when cooking a turkey.
My family has had smoked turkeys from Hutterites near us, it tastes like ham due to the smoke they use.
Even as a child I hoped I'd never have to cook the turkey because it seems like so much work and a lot of pressure 😂
Green bean casserole is good depending on how it is made and what is in it, my family makes it a certain way and it's amazing, any other way and I'm throwing it out
I love my grandma's green bean casserole. I honestly just love green beans overall.
I'm Irish we don't do Thanksgiving but have a similar Christmas feast instead
I am from Australia and we don't celebrate thanksgiving, also have never tried Turkey however Ham is a traditional Christmas food
As far as I’m concerned, Turkey for Thanksgiving, Ham for Christmas.
Seeing how my family tends tk buy a ham and a turkey, this was neat albeit not terribly helpful. Still, pretty interested in trying ostrich.
Next year around October, I think MatPat should make a theory on why candy corn is good.😄
Honestly cranberry sauce is my favorite thanksgiving food.
It's one of my favorites, but it really depends on which type and how it's made. I love the canned, jellied kind so much (yes, because it's full of sugar, but Thanksgiving isn't about health! 😅); but my sister's homemade cranberry sauce, with whole cranberries, I find pretty gross.
@@IceMetalPunk 100% to everything in your comment. Canned jellied is the best! My family also makes homemade cranberry relish, and they add a little orange in it too. All I taste is orange rind, and its the worst lol.
Reading the title makes me want to go back in time to the first thanksgiving to get turkey off the menu. That's right, reading this title makes me want to go back in time to the first thanksgiving to get turkey off the menu.
we have a rotisserie oven for our turkey. If you have that option, I highly recommend it! Leaves your oven free for other sides.
Everyone knows rotisserie chicken is the best but no one’s picking that over turkey on thanksgiving
@@Chineseisntalanguageapparently But, like, dude literally said rotisserie turkey.
@@JetstreamGW we’re both wrong cuz he said oven for the turkey they eat
@@Chineseisntalanguageapparently "we have a *rotisserie oven* for our turkey."
It's right there.
@@JetstreamGW I know, I’m the one that told you he said oven
Hey! Green bean casserole is my favorite part of the meal! My wife makes an amazing dish!
We ate fried chicken for Thanksgiving...
Ostrich tastes too gamey. I don't think it would make a particularly great meal
1:25 green bean casserole in *this* household is literally heaven.
If u have someone in ur house that can make a TRULY great green bean casserole, u have a god and u must never let them go
@@SilkieSqueaks amen 🙏
I've never had green bean casserole. What is it's ingredients and flavor profile?
@@FelicityUwU it depends on what region your from. For me it’s primarily green beans (string beans), a sauce that has cream of mushroom soup as its base, and fried crunchy onions as a topping
who else is binging matpat before he leaves
Can we appreciate the time matpat spends for us ❤
Yes absolutely. And the rest of the team as well
Almost thought this was a bot comment
I don’t know if this theory has already been done, but I almost want a video analysis of turkey trots and how much they actually impact your Thanksgiving meal. Like, based on the average distance (ex 5k), how much food would you actually get to eat? Or, conversely, if you wanted to eat the “average” American meal, how much would you have to run to fit within an appropriate calorie window?
Next year can you please explore the idea of cooking a whole thanksgiving dinner in a dryer?
FINALLY!! Someone who actually acknowledges Thanksgiving's existence!
Hi Matpat hope you read this! I was wondering about a theory idea, I hope we all know the saying " A dish is best severed cold " Or something along those lines, I was wondering is a dish actually best severed cold? I know you did this with pasta I believe but I would see what other foods are like maybe, Bread a burger or maybe some drinks too!
Shame MattPatt didn't compare the other "historic" meats as possibilities for the table. Vension is particular has started to get popular outside of the hunting community just generally and depending on where you are you can get it as cheap or cheaper than beef steak. Also, works out great for small gathers of 1-4 people.
I think it’s because people think of it being tough. But certain cuts slow cooked can be awesome. I’m watching my cholesterol, so my husband got a deer this year. We’re getting s grinder so we can make burgers and spaghetti and meatballs in meat sauce. But just slow cooking it, a little barbecue sauce, it’s lovely.
as someone who grew up on venison. this...this all day!
My favorite a marinating the steaks even some of the pre-bottled ones work. I have a great garlic and onion one - leave thawed steaks in over night in the fridge and cook using the broiler for 10 minutes each side. Love version hamburger as well - the only thing I've found it doesn't replace well is beef taco meat.@@AmaraJordanMusic