Turkey Legs are really Emu Legs

Walt Disney World: I've talked to many people at theme parks and they all say that the turkey legs at Disney, Universal, ect. are really emu legs.

From Helena Polansky
Posted July 11, 2010 at 6:27 PM
I think its true because turkeys do not get that big and the only other thing biger is an emu. I've asked many empolyees and they said it was a rumor but no one said no to my question.

What do you guys think?

From Nick Markham
Posted July 11, 2010 at 6:48 PM
I think it's a rumor. Couldn't imagine Disney using Emu legs, just sounds wrong and sounds like it would taste different anyway.

From James Koehl
Posted July 11, 2010 at 6:56 PM
I've talked to many people at Renaissance Festivals, where turkey legs are nearly as popular as Guinness and soup in a bread bowl, and I have never heard this rumor. I do not think that there is any way it is true. I have seen many turkey farms around here (Ohio), along with alpaca farms, but never an emu farm. Enjoy your turkey legs, and the next time someone tells you that it is really emu, ask them for proof. If they say "Someone told me," ask them who. I'll bet 99.99% of the time they will not be able to tell you. That should tell you how much credit you should give to such rumors.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted July 11, 2010 at 7:23 PM
I am sure its just a rumor

From Helena Polansky
Posted July 11, 2010 at 7:34 PM
But think about it, the turkey legs they sell are huge and turkeys do not get that huge. Also, the emu legs are gressy and taste way different then turkey legs. I really think they are emu legs.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted July 11, 2010 at 7:41 PM
Turkeys are that big. They get them from a particular farm in Alabama I think. Unwrapped on Food Network did a whole story on it.

I highly doubt its Emu because Disney would have to explain.

From Brian Emery
Posted July 12, 2010 at 8:51 AM
Hahahahahaha
Thank for the laugh… Emu legs……. Good one…

From Carrie Hood
Posted July 12, 2010 at 9:58 AM
Aw man, this has been a rumor for years. I've heard everything from Ostrich threw conspiracies of breeding mutant turkeys in the back lots which will over run the US like Raptors in Jurassic Park.

Yes, it's turkey folks. Ever seen a wild turkey? Their huge. Look in your local store for turkey legs, located where other yummy meat type products can be found. Compare those to what your find at your local theme park, renaissance festival or even county fair. Same size, Same Bird: Not a Dinosaur/Emu/Cassowary/Condor.

The reason this has been a rumor for years is the fact most places have cooked these via a rotisserie which causes the meat to keep a reddish color. You can easily do the same thing at home with some season salt, pepper, oil and water with a grill.

Now some renaissance festivals DO offer Emu or Ostrich but in those situations it's clearly listed. Oddly enough, yes you can taste the difference between meats (Unless my mother cooked it, then it's all a hockey puck!).

Mmmm, now I want one! To the grocery store!

From Rob P
Posted July 13, 2010 at 2:00 AM
Anyone who thinks they're eating emu legs at Disney is talking turkey.

It's like saying that Roadrunners are fast food.

I remember my uncle telling me that he once bred 3 legged chickens. When I asked him how they tasted he said he didn't know because he hadn't ever been able to catch one.

Any more ?

From Aurora McBride-Moore
Posted July 13, 2010 at 10:07 AM
LOL@ Emu Legs. I call them that all the time but I know that they are real turkey. The bones are actually plastic! They aren't real turkey "legs" they are a plastic bone with pressed steamed turkey pieces pressed into them and then steamed again. They are REAL Turkey! But its processed and pressed turkey onto a plastic bone! :)

From James Koehl
Posted July 13, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Aurora, I've never had a turkey leg at a Disney park, only at a renaissance festival. Are you serious about the plastic bone? If so, is nothing sacred anymore?!

From Aurora McBride-Moore
Posted July 13, 2010 at 11:46 AM
Its a soft plastic material! I promise you!!

From James Koehl
Posted July 13, 2010 at 12:47 PM
Note to self: never, NEVER, try a turkey, emu or ostrich leg at a Disney or Universal park, or anywhere else other than a renfest. No bone, no buy.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted July 13, 2010 at 3:09 PM
Its not a plastic bone!

Why can't anybody believe that its an honest to goodness Turkey Leg?

People need to stop spreading these rumors!

From Mike Gallagher
Posted July 13, 2010 at 6:27 PM
Anyone know a park where I can get a decent HUMAN leg?

From James Rao
Posted July 13, 2010 at 6:36 PM
^ROFL! Mike, during Halloween Horror Nights at Universal you should be able to find something to fit the bill!

And remember folks, Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!!

From Melissa Donahue
Posted July 13, 2010 at 7:20 PM
I've gotten such a kick out of reading this thread that I don't know what to think anymore!

Anyone care to comment on what's really inside a Shepherd's Pie?

From James Rao
Posted July 13, 2010 at 7:28 PM
Something Disney chefs playfully refer to as "Vomit Drop".

Ugh... have I gone too far?

From Mike Gallagher
Posted July 14, 2010 at 2:57 AM
"Anyone care to comment on what's really inside a Shepherd's Pie?"

Shepherds..what else?

Anyone want to take a stab at 'baby" food?

From James Rao
Posted July 14, 2010 at 3:25 AM
"Mr. Chambers! Mr. Chambers! Don't get on that ship! The rest of the book, To Serve Man, it's... it's a cookbook!"

From James Koehl
Posted July 14, 2010 at 3:51 AM
Mike, at a renaissance festival once I asked the girl at a food booth if their shepherd's pie had actual shepherd in it. She said, "I don't know- I'll ask." And she did! She hollered back- seriously- to the food preparers behind the serving area. When they hollered back at her,"What?! No!" she told me "No, it doesn't. I don't like it anyway." We tried it and it was not bad, not the best, but not bad. Not as good as a real turkey leg, with a real bone, and not a hint of emu. But still not as good as haggis.

From Melissa Donahue
Posted July 14, 2010 at 7:44 AM
I wasn't brave enough to eat the Shepherd's Pie at Three Broomsticks, but I did order the Cornish Pasties once... wouldn't do that again. I'd stick to the ribs instead, although I think they contained plastic bones as well... :)

From Amanda Jenkins
Posted July 14, 2010 at 12:52 PM
Excellent reference James! That is one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes. Along with the "Monsters are due on Maple Street".

As for the Turkey legs, I remember watching either on the Travel Channel or Food Network, how there are special farms somewhere in the Northeast that raise these large turkeys for Disney. I know that they definitely use a lot of turkey in their buffets, holiday meals, etc, so at least we know that none of these poor large birds are going to waste :)

From Mike Gallagher
Posted July 14, 2010 at 3:31 PM
James and Amanda: Fellow Zonies?

Hard for me to pick my favorite episode. I feel fortunate enough to own a VHS copy of the very last episode, which is very rare. It was not shot for the series. In its last season, it was over budget. So to finish the season, the producers purchased a short film based on a story by Ambrose Bierce: An Occurence At Owl Creek Bridge. It's a wonderful piece of television. Twilight Zone is my SECOND favorite TV show of all time. My #1, however, does NOT have an amusement park ride themed after it, but there WAS a truly awful movie version.

Talking THE HONEYMOONERS!

Sorry to go off topic....

From James Rao
Posted July 14, 2010 at 4:52 PM
The Owl Creek Bridge episode was out of circulation for a long time... it is very similar to the movie JACOB'S LADDER (which was brilliant, too).

My favorite TZ episode is still FIVE CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF AN EXIT. I also like A STOP AT WILLOUGHBY quite a bit.

I am also a big fan of OUTER LIMITS, the ZANTI MISFITS being my favorite episode.

If I had to pick a favorite sci-fi show of all time, though, I would have to go with three: LOST, BABYLON 5, and FIREFLY.

But then there are the non-sci-fi classics like FAMILY TIES (MJ Fox is still my hero), SPORTS NIGHT (sadly, Aaron Sorkin was at his best when he was a coke-head), MASH (Colonel Flagg was DA BOMB!), and the greatest of them all: MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!

And for the record, this thread was off topic the minute it was posted.

From Tony Duda
Posted July 14, 2010 at 5:43 PM
Strangely, I rewatched Firefly (show and movie) over 2 days a couple of weeks ago and am now rewatching Babylon 5, just finished year 2. I vcr taped B5 back in 1998 when TNT took over and they reran the first 4 years. The tapes are still clear visually but the sound is a little static-y.

From Aurora McBride-Moore
Posted July 14, 2010 at 6:04 PM
OK. I don't know about Disney but I do know about Sea World and Universal Studios/ Islands of Adventure. I worked for UO for 4 years in Guest Services. MANY times I had to pull out the food info for people due to allergies and things and we had to let people know that if they had a latex allergy that they should stay away from the turkey legs due to the plastic bone. The last turkey leg I ate was back in February at MGM (HOLY HEARTBURN BATMAN) and the bone was indeed plastic....

From Bob Miller
Posted July 14, 2010 at 7:29 PM
James and Mike, do you guys remember the program One Step Beyond? I'm also a TZ and OL fan and have them on DVD. I remember them when they were on in prime time, boy those were the good old days of television, sure do miss them.

From Melissa Donahue
Posted July 14, 2010 at 8:11 PM
Plastic turkey bones and the Twilight Zone... hmmm.

From James Rao
Posted July 14, 2010 at 9:50 PM
Bob, I remember OSB vaguely, but not enough to really comment. Kind of like Night Gallery. I remember being freaked out by NG, but I don't remember many of the particulars (except for the episode with the earwig...ewwwww!).

Tony, if you liked Nathan Fillion in FIREFLY & SERENITY, you have to check out CASTLE on ABC. It is a show that transcends its limitations because the cast is excellent. Also, take a look at Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog...Whedon and Fillion teamed up for this off-beat musical during the Writer's Strike a few years back. It's a hoot!

From Carrie Hood
Posted July 15, 2010 at 3:24 AM
I don't know, I'm told the Reavers say people taste like a Turducken! ;)

Shepard's Pie? Easy, that's got Bambi in it and oH my, is it a tasty little meat creature meal!

"Can I interest you in an 18" Zookeeper special with every known animal as a topping?!"

From Tony Duda
Posted July 15, 2010 at 4:54 PM
James - Buffy, Angel, Titan A.E. etc. I am aware of Castle on ABC and it is the only ABC show I watch. I even watched that stupid road rally show a few years ago for all of it's 5 episodes before it was canceled. I never did see Dr. Horrible, maybe that's next.
Carrie - nice reference (I ate a bug!)

From Bob Miller
Posted July 15, 2010 at 6:15 PM
James, if you want to check out Night Callery and TZ, go to Fancast.com, it's a free website that has over 20,000 episodes of different shows to choose from including NG and TZ and Outer Limits. And One Step Beyond was about true stories of paranormal events.

From Mike Gallagher
Posted July 15, 2010 at 6:46 PM
All this talk of sci-fi TV and no one's mentioned the X-Files....

From Melissa Donahue
Posted July 15, 2010 at 7:36 PM
I'm partial to Battlestar Galactica myself (the newer version)...

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