Every Thanksgiving, we’re met with that ticking time bomb of having to stare our favorite people in the eye as the poultry plate finds its way around to us, and we’re forced to decide — white meat or dark.
Every Friendsgiving can be divisive in myriad ways. Your best friend brought your ex to the dinner you’re hosting. Bold move. And the only friend without kids lets a couple of casual expletives fly before the cheese board even hits the table. But the question, old as time but rarely spoken of, separates the men from the boys, the diet fascists from the socialists. That plate may be an innocent bystander in all of us, but the question of just how much dark meat matters is at the heart of every Thanksgiving table this year and forever.
When the turkey lands in front of you, will you only take white or dark, or maybe a unified gobble of both? It might seem a simple quandary, but dig a little deeper and you’ll see this is no argument to squawk at. Welcome to the biggest debate of Thanksgiving.
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White Meat Versus Dark Meat
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Body Part
Anyone who regularly eats chicken or turkey knows where white meat and dark meat come from. The breast and wings are white meat while the dark meat is found in the legs and thighs. That’s right, that giant turkey leg you ate at the renaissance fair was dark meat. Since we’d rather have a thick-sliced piece of turkey breast than turkey thigh, we’re giving this one to white meat.
Winner: White Meat
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Quantity
Depending on how big your turkey is, the breast section can be massive. This chesty bird can have a lot of white meat from the area. While regardless of its size, the thigs and legs aren’t going to produce remotely as much meat. This battle once again goes to white meat.
Winner: White Meat
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Juiciness
Dark meat is richer and fattier, juicier, and doesn’t need gravy because it’s not going to dry out in the oven. White meat can be dryer and, in some cases, requires a healthy pour of gravy to mask how dry it is.
Winner: Dark Meat
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Food Pairings
The juicier, fattier, richer dark meat pairs well with sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and sausage stuffing. Drier white meat pairs better with gravy, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. We think it’s pretty obvious who won this round.
Winner: Dark Meat
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Taste
It’s no secret that white meat and dark meat taste differently. There’s a reason some eaters simply refuse to eat dark meat. White meat tastes like, well turkey. It’s flavorful and classic. Dark meat is a little richer, oilier, and slightly gamey. This is why it’s not for everyone.
Winner: White Meat.
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Leftover Appeal
If you’re anything like us, you’re going to have a lot of leftovers. Reheating turkey in the microwave can be iffy. Even if you made the juiciest turkey of all time on Thanksgiving, the longer the meat sits in the fridge, the drier it will get. Dark meat, on the other hand, will stay juicy due to its fat and consistency.
Winner: Dark Meat
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Overall Winner
This was harder than we anticipated. We assume white meat would win in a landslide. But it was actually closer than anyone expected. Due to its sheer popularity and the fact that, if prepared right, it can be extremely juicy, we’re going to give it to white meat. The forever champion.
Winner: White Meat
