Only 5 percent of meat sold in the U.S. is raised without antibiotics, but that number is growing quickly. Big companies like Tyson Foods and Perdue are now offering lines of antibiotic-free poultry and meats.
Late last year, the Food and Drug Administration asked drug and meat companies to refrain from using antibiotics to animal speed growth, due to concerns about the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But that was a voluntary move, rather than a ban.
The company D’Artagnan has been working with small farms and selling antibiotic-free poultry and meat for almost 30 years. Ariane Daguin, founder and CEO of D’Artagnan, tells Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson why antibiotic-free meats are on the rise, and what it takes to raise a healthy animal without antibiotics. She also shares her secret for how to cook a Thanksgiving turkey.
Ariane Daguin’s secret to cooking a Thanksgiving turkey:
- The night before, butter a very big pot and poach the bird in a bouillon — a very rich broth — for 30 to 45 minutes. Let it cool in the bouillon, which will later become a “magnificent” base for butternut squash or chestnuts to make a first course.
- When the bird comes out the next day, it will be very moist inside. “It’s like brining and simmering, poaching at the same time.”
- Put the turkey in the oven at very high heat — don’t hesitate to turn the oven up to 400 or 450 degrees — to crisp the skin on the outside. “No matter what, even if you leave it there too long, even if you overcook your turkey, everything is going to be super moist inside. It is a foolproof recipe.”
Guest
- Ariane Daguin, founder and CEO of D’Artagnan.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDIwNjQ2MTYzMDE0NDM1NTQ0OThlYjEzMg001))
