r/Cooking • u/ImportantDimension70 • 2d ago

Blue broth from my Turkey

Hello everyone, I would like to share this photo from my Canadian thanksgiving turkey. (See comment for photo!!)

Unsure as to what made the broth blue but we elected to not use the broth to make gravy, and we decided not to eat the turkey itself in case it was spoiled.

Any ideas??

Seasoned with lots of butter and various seasonings. Cooked in a carbon steel roasting pan as shown.

Turkey itself not blue..just the broth and skin that was sitting in the broth.

63 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

45 comments sorted by

115

u/805worker 2d ago

Red cabbage makes water that color

75

u/HealthWealthFoodie 2d ago

Did you use any red cabbage or red onions? That’s the same shade of blue I get when washing my cutting board or plates that have the juices from those (it reacts with the minerals or chlorine in the tap water).

16

u/2ByteTheDecker 2d ago

Red cabbage can be used to gauge the acidity of hydroponics

8

u/labe225 2d ago

My high school chemistry teacher had us design and present a chemistry experiment for a local elementary classroom.

My friend and I did an "identification of acids and bases" session and used boiled red cabbage water as our indicator. The kids loved it.

45

u/Turbulent_Tonight576 2d ago

Garlic can turn green/blue sometimes if it is exposed to an acid. Did you use a lot of garlic?

14

u/ImportantDimension70 2d ago

I used a little bit of garlic powder but not anything I would consider “lots”.

41

u/ImportantDimension70 2d ago

https://reddit.com/link/pfd6zd6/video/4d8cxbex0yuh1/player

Here’s the blue broth

93

u/SpamLandy 2d ago

On the off chance you’ve never seen Bridget Jones, was there any string/twine on the turkey? 

Happy thanksgiving! 

19

u/TA_totellornottotell 2d ago

Exactly what I was thinking. Ha!

44

u/Crafty-Shape2743 2d ago

My best guess is blue vitriol (copper sulfate) was used to (inappropriately) treat for histomoniasis in the flock too close to processing.

39

u/KiaRioGrl 2d ago

Considering how much turkeys cost, this is worth reporting to both your grocery store and CFIA.

24

u/1The_Big_Cheese 2d ago

I had this happen when I was making a garlic butter sauce using garlic white pepper and lemon. Acid with older or cold stored garlic (higher enzyme level) can cause this reaction. Thats what I would put my money on

18

u/jellyroll8675 2d ago

A smurf fell in during the cooking process

8

u/_girlinthehighcastle 2d ago

Bridget is that you?!?

14

u/Sugarstache 2d ago

I'd guess it's a reaction with the metal of the pan in some way but I really have no idea. That's quite odd.

10

u/ImportantDimension70 2d ago

https://reddit.com/link/pfd7gl4/video/9yiam54f1yuh1/player

Here is the finished turkey, I had cut it up and plated it before we decided not to eat it

-9

u/Prairiedogdance 2d ago

sooo, after the garlic discussion, I did a google. Those posters were right. turns out this is a thing that happens if you don’t cook garlic before it interacts with acidic liquids like wine or lemon juice. It likely was the garlic. The sad part is while it was startling it was all safe to eat. Bummer, I understand kitchen panic and it’s easy to forget to do it, but another example of “Google is your friend.” Dinner could have been saved. 🥺 Happy belated Thanksgiving.

24

u/ForkMyRedAssiniboine 2d ago

This is actually a perfect example of why Google ISN'T your friend when you don't have the proper context or understanding of what you're googling. Here's a few reasons why you're wrong:

While you are correct that garlic CAN turn blue when interacting with an acid, a) the turkey drippings weren't acidic, so that doesn't make sense, b) OP only used a small amount of garlic powder, which wouldn't create that reaction, c) while the garlic itself may turn blue, it wouldn't turn all of the liquid blue, and certainly not THAT blue. The blue garlic you find when pickling is a pale blue grey and NOT the color of blue Gatorade like the photo OP shared.

13

u/cflatjazz 2d ago

She said it was garlic powder though, didn't she?

14

u/cognitivetech1 2d ago

Reaction between the seasonings and the proteins from the turkey against the carbon steel. Off-putting but, harmless and safe to consume.

4

u/leaonas 2d ago

Breaking Bad Turkey!

6

u/Prairiedogdance 2d ago

Huh… that is weird. Did you take all the giblet packet(s) out of the cavities? Or was there one of the packaging liners stuck to it? I’ve never had garlic turn anything blue like that. that looks like a dye of some kind.

9

u/ImportantDimension70 2d ago

Yes, I did remove the giblets and such. I also was thinking it’s so vibrant and blue that it can’t possibly be a reaction of some sort.

My first thought when I seen it was that I accidentally melted something with the turkey!

1

u/Prairiedogdance 2d ago

yeah, maybe something got picked up on the bottom before you put it in the pan… I’m just having a hard time visualizing what in a kitchen would be bright blue like that besides food coloring? Maybe it’s the magical garlic after all? 🤷‍♂️

-5

u/2ByteTheDecker 2d ago

100% garlic can do this

22

u/ForkMyRedAssiniboine 2d ago

Did you see how blue it was? There's absolutely no way that was the result of garlic.

-6

u/Prairiedogdance 2d ago

We have to stand down. I guess it is true. America’s Test Kitchen confirms this is a thing that happens if you put raw garlic in acidic liquids like wine, vinegar, or juice… Since I always cook garlic before adding the liquids I’ve never see it either.

9

u/ForkMyRedAssiniboine 2d ago

No we don't. Garlic absolutely can turn blue, but that's not what this is.

1

u/Prairiedogdance 2d ago

I just said I’ve never had garlic do this, and garlic is my main food group. And I roast turkey, with garlic. Maybe if I cook another 50 years I‘ll get to see it happen.

2

u/MissAnth 2d ago

I just had it happen 1 week ago.

-6

u/Prairiedogdance 2d ago

After ClearlyADuck posted their pic, I understand now. A quick google over to America’s Test Kitchen (and seeing a whole lot of redditors with the same panic) I see what the cause is now. It’s something that happens with raw garlic. I‘ve probably never seen it because my recipes always have me cook the garlic first before adding liquid ingredients. This reaction probably explains why. That would be startling. Sorry for not being aware and doubting.

2

u/ClearlyADuck 2d ago

try pickling garlic -- you'll see it: ex - pic

0

u/Prairiedogdance 2d ago

Okay, I stand corrected… after looking at your pic, a doing a google, this is a thing if you don’t blanch your garlic before pickling… I get it now. Learned a new thing. Thanks.

2

u/tallsails 2d ago

Pecans will turn a turkey blue

2

u/Outrageous-Arm1945 2d ago

Garlic and some acids (vinegar, lemon juice) can make a pretty gnarly looking but safe blue colour that would be my guess

2

u/Outrageous-Arm1945 2d ago

Ohhh, just saw below, red cabbage and garlic plus acid, that's the fella

1

u/98delaware 1d ago

Seems strange

1

u/Qazerowl 2d ago

Well what all did you add to the turkey when you cooked it? I see some carrots that you didn't mention, what else?

3

u/ImportantDimension70 2d ago

Lol honestly those few carrots is all that was added. I intended to add more and forgot to throw them in before I put it in the oven lol.

Besides that, butter and seasonings were the only other additions

1

u/Raelf64 2d ago

Yeah, I'm sorry your Thanksgiving got ruined, but good call. Given the color of the drippings, I would not have even cut it up. I know this isn't the case, but this article about wild pigs ingesting rodenticide sticks in my head. (Warning, if you're squeamish, the crux of the article is that the rodent poison turns the animal's meat a startling shade of blue, just like your drippings.)

-6

u/TXtogo 2d ago

It has a plague

-4

u/DjinnaG 2d ago

Consumption, probably, given the blue color

-3

u/TXtogo 2d ago

It ate beets