Text: Yuan Yi said
Edit|Yuan Yi said
Turkey is a large breed of chicken that is very famous all over the world, especially in Western countries, and turkey is not only one of the traditional dishes for important holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, but also an important part of family dinners.
But the same source of chicken, why has turkey not been developed and popularized on a large scale in the continent where the livestock breeding industry is developed?
The reason why Chinese don't like to eat turkey
The texture of turkey meat is really not suitable for the taste of the Chinese. The turkey is a muscular bird with a hard and dry meat, which is very different from the taste of chicken commonly eaten in China. Chinese prefer tender and juicy meat, and the turkey eating experience does not satisfy them. Although some foreign chefs use sauces and cooking techniques to enhance the taste of turkey, this still cannot change Chinese's perception of turkey quality.
The breeding and rearing of turkeys is also a technical challenge for producers. Compared with ordinary birds, turkeys have relatively complex breeding conditions, requiring suitable feed, temperature and humidity to ensure their growth and health.
The high input cost and technical threshold make the turkey relatively less competitive in the Chinese market. In addition, turkeys require long rearing times and have low egg production capacity, which further increases the cost and difficulty of production.
In addition, the Chinese also have a certain influence on the acceptance of turkey food culture. Traditional Chinese dishes include roast duck, steamed fish, stewed soup, and more, which have become part of Chinese food culture.
Compared to these traditional dishes, turkey appears to have a relatively low position in the Chinese market. It's easier for people to choose dishes they know and love, and few people are willing to try and embrace new bird meat.
As a relatively unfamiliar ingredient, turkey may need more publicity and promotion in China to gain wider recognition. By creating attractive recipes for turkey dishes, cooperating with the catering industry to launch innovative turkey menus, and conducting some cooking competitions and food activities, etc., people can increase people's interest and understanding of turkey, and subtly increase its popularity and recognition in the Chinese market.
Problems with the texture and taste of turkey meat
Compared with ordinary chicken, turkey meat is coarser and grainy, so it is easy to give people the feeling of firewood. At the same time, turkey meat contains less fat, making the taste less tender and juicy.
This coincides with the tendency of Chinese catering culture to make meat delicate and delicious. Chinese pay attention to enhancing the taste experience of ingredients in cooking, and often use a variety of sauces to add texture and layering. Whereas, turkey meat itself has a relatively light flavor and is not easily absorbed and highlighted.
In addition, price is also a factor that limits the popularity of turkey meat in the Chinese market. Due to the inadequate growing conditions on the mainland, turkeys are in less supply, resulting in higher prices. Compared with common meats such as beef and pork, the uncertainty of turkey meat prices has brought consumers choice concerns.
Not only that, turkeys are relatively large in size, which is difficult to process and store, especially for some small catering businesses and individuals, and the processing of turkey meat often requires additional time and space costs. In contrast, common meats such as beef, pork, and mutton are more suitable for the needs of the Chinese market.
The biological difference between a domestic chicken and a turkey
As a unique livestock and poultry resource, the biological characteristics of turkey determine its difference from local chickens. Firstly, turkeys are extremely fertile and hardy and can survive in extreme environments, secondly, turkeys usually forage in groups, which can effectively improve feed conversion efficiency, and finally, turkeys have high nutritional value, full muscle tissue and moderate fat content.
Domestic chickens, on the other hand, are adapted to milder living conditions and feeding methods, relying on individual foraging ability and excellent disease resistance to reproduce. At the same time, domestic chicken has become the main meat food on people's daily tables due to its delicious and nutritious characteristics.
Although turkey has been widely used abroad, it is limited by a variety of natural and socio-economic factors in China, and the development progress is relatively slow, and turkey has high requirements for temperature and humidity, which is suitable for temperate grassland and mountain climate. The continent is vast, and the meteorological environment varies greatly, so turkeys cannot be cultivated on a large scale like abroad.
The consumption Xi of mainland residents is biased towards small poultry such as chickens, ducks and geese, rather than large wild boars, deer and other edible wild animals. In addition, most consumers tend to buy freshly slaughtered live poultry products, while turkeys are not easily transported and stored over long distances.
Compared with local poultry, turkey has the advantages of high yield, low cost and unique taste, but due to the lack of brand influence and people's limited acceptance of new poultry products, the pressure of competition in the international market is still greater.
With the continuous improvement of living standards and the increasing trend of diversification of consumer demand, the traditional poultry market in mainland China has been saturated, and it is difficult to continue to expand the space. Against this backdrop, a large number of agribusinesses and farmers are looking for a transformation path, and turning to the turkey farming industry is an option.
The national chicken of the United States – the turkey
Turkey is loved and consumed by Western countries, in addition to its unique flavor and nutritional value, and another important reason is because turkey has a special symbolic meaning in Western culture.
In countries such as the United States and Canada, the turkey is seen as a symbolic animal that represents a good harvest and abundance. As a result, on important holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, turkey becomes the protagonist of family dinners.
Family members would gather around the large table and happily eat turkey, blessing each other and expressing gratitude to each other. This traditional Xi has lasted for hundreds of years and has largely shaped the image of turkeys in Western culture.
The turkey is also the national bird of the United States and is widely used as a national symbol and in various ceremonial occasions. The image of the turkey appears in the coat of arms of the U.S. government and has also become a symbol of trophies and memorabilia for the competition. Not only that, but every year on Thanksgiving, the President of the United States holds a turkey pardon ceremony to forgive a turkey destined to be cooked in the courtyard of the White House, symbolizing the nation's thirst for peace.
In Europe, turkey is also rich in symbolism. For example, at the famous St. Stephen's Turkey Silver Exhibition in England, exquisite turkey silverware is displayed to celebrate St. Stephen's Day, which is traditionally enjoyed on this day.
Through the skillful use and transmission of these symbolic meanings, the turkey has acquired a unique status and meaning in Western culture. This particular cultural imagery laid a solid foundation for the promotion of turkey in the Western market.
Although the turkey market in China has not performed as expected, it does not mean that there is no possibility of change. With the continuous increase of international exchanges and the diversified development of catering culture, the tastes of Chinese consumers are also constantly changing. This presents an opportunity for turkeys in the Chinese market. For example, some of the unique turkey dishes and creative dishes can be found in some high-end Western restaurants, especially in large international cities.
In addition to innovation in the F&B industry, driving turkey adoption in the Chinese market also requires cultivating and educating consumers about their appreciation and understanding of turkey. In some international exhibitions and food festivals, special display and promotion activities of turkey dishes are launched, which can let more people understand the characteristics and cooking skills of turkey.
epilogue
Although turkey meat is not popular in the domestic market, with the improvement of people's health awareness and the deepening of market development, there is still potential to increase the promotion and consumption of turkey meat in the future. It is believed that turkey meat is expected to gain better recognition and acceptance in the Chinese market through innovative cooking methods, enhancing the texture and taste of turkey meat, and developing turkey dishes that are suitable for Chinese catering culture.