In the United States, the image of a roast turkey on the table has become an unmistakable symbol of Thanksgiving, a celebration with deep historical and cultural roots.
The popularisation of the turkey as the quintessential symbol of Thanksgiving was driven, in part, by the consolidation of the holiday as a national event. In 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln officially proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national Thanksgiving Day, thereby uniting the nation under this celebration.
This culinary choice is not only rooted in practical reasons, but is also steeped in national symbolism, having been established over the centuries as a true American icon. As the celebration began to gain popularity across the country, families needed a meal that could feed a large group, and the turkey, owing to its size and relatively affordable meat, became the ideal option.
The first Thanksgiving celebration took place in 1621 in Plymouth, when English colonists known as Pilgrims decided to hold a feast to give thanks for the harvest obtained after a difficult first year on the American continent. They invited the Wampanoag, a Native American tribe that had helped them survive by teaching them to grow maize and hunt in the region. And while the presence of turkey at that first celebration is not documented, the bird was native to the region and a common food source in the colonies. Inhabiting the forests of North America in large numbers, the turkey was a relatively accessible resource.
Other animals, such as cattle and chickens, were kept for their milk or eggs, whereas the turkey, having no other productive uses, proved a convenient choice. The custom gradually spread, and the turkey earned its place as the centrepiece of the Thanksgiving dinner.
The preparation of the Thanksgiving turkey has evolved in every American household, becoming a tradition with family and regional variations. The turkey is typically the centrepiece of the meal and is generally oven-roasted, allowing the bird to retain its juiciness while achieving a golden, crispy skin.