JUMP TO RECIPE

Thanksgiving during World War II had its challenges. Aside from rationing and food shortages, families were separated, often by oceans. Even in the same country travel restrictions, rationed tires and gasoline, and war duties made it impossible for millions to be home with family. In spite of all this, Americans kept the spirit of the holiday, gathering wherever they could with the best meal they could put together and sharing thankful hearts.

Celebrations in Wartime

Even with meat and sugar shortages most Americans apparently were able to have a recognizable Thanksgiving meal. An enormous quantity of resources went toward a special meal for service personnel, who were often far from home and away from all family. Some of their menus were lavish and meant to boost morale.

In European countries, a meal with the same significance would be wanted a few weeks later at Christmas. Rationing would typically be stricter than in the US, with even less sugar, meat and cooking fat—although folks living in the countryside generally had more meat and fat.

Versatile Vegetables

Vegetables, prepared in ways we could scarcely imagine today, filled whatever gaps there were. Green beans took the place of meat in sausage rolls and of marzipan in desserts. Potatoes were used to replace flour in pastries. Beets and carrots provided missing sweetness from sugar.

Besides being used as substitutes, vegetables would also have been served as side dishes, making the lion’s share of a meal. Among the most plentiful and popular were carrots and potatoes. Jacket potatoes (aka crispy baked potatoes) and glazed carrots would have been welcome additions to a holiday meal.

Other winter vegetables—cabbage, winter squashes and brussels sprouts—might have made an appearance along with whatever summer vegetables had been canned by homemakers. Soups were popular. Dessert might have featured fresh, dried or canned fruits, steamed puddings, compotes and cakes without icing.

Making Up for a Lack of Meat

One of the biggest challenges was how to make up for the lack of meat—especially when it was a traditional centerpiece of the holiday meal. With typical wartime pluck, industrious homemakers found a way around this problem with Mock Turkey.

Mock Turkey, nicknamed murkey, was basically a dense stuffing mixture cleverly disguised to look like fowl. Wartime Farm—one of my favorite World War II books—explains how to make it.

To put this unusual recipe in perspective, we have to remember there was a shortage of poultry feed so great that many birds were slaughtered at the beginning of the war. Next to food shortages, fuel was in short supply. Homemakers in Britain often cooked various foods in stacked pots to use only one burner, or wrapped one ingredient in cheesecloth and tied it to the pot lid to cook along with whatever was in the pot. This little poem from Victory Cookbook gives some idea of everyday life in the kitchen:

Bedtime Story

Once upon a time there
were five housewives.
Their names were Lady
Peel-potatoes, the Hon.
Mrs. Waste-fuel, Miss
Pour-the-vegetable-water-
down-the-sink, Mrs.
Don’t-like-uncooked-
Vegetables, and Mrs.
Won’t-eat-carrots. Don’t
let one of them put a nose
in your kitchen.

Making Mock Turkey

I tried mock turkey using my homemade beef sausage recipe that is included here in case you would like to try it. Two heirloom white carrots stood in for the parsnips that were unavailable in my grocery store, and I used uncured turkey bacon. The recipe calls for a full pound of bacon but four strips were enough to cover our murkey.

If you prefer a meatless stuffing—ahem, murkey—you could use vegan sausages or firm tofu instead of the sausage, and either omit the bacon topping or use wide strips of carrot or parsnip to simulate the look of the bacon.

Our mock turkey was much smaller than any turkey I have ever seen. It was more the size of a turkey breast. Surprisingly, the topping flavored the entire murkey with a lovely meat flavor and the stuffing had all the flavor and aroma that accompanies most turkey. The recipe was tasty but not the same as turkey. Gravy would have helped but would have called for precious poultry or meat broth that would have been hard for many people to get during the war.

If I were unable to get meat, however, I would definitely consider Mock Turkey. Its appearance alone is cheerful—though in the same way as a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. It was hearty and tasty. Using a food processor, it was much quicker to prep than a real turkey. And, it has the fringe benefit of being entertainment as everyone tries to identify the murkey part they would enjoy most. 😉

References

Peter Ginn, Ruth Goodman and Alex Langlands. Wartime Farm: Rediscovering the Skills and Spirit of World War II. London: Mitchell Beazley, 2012.

Marguerite Patten OBE. Victory Cookbook: Nostalgic Food and Facts 1940-1954. London: Chancellor Press, 2014

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23