Stumbled upon a turtle soup recipe that's now a moral gray area

I was cleaning out the attic and found a card for turtle soup. It was a hit at family events, but we stopped making it years back. Turtles are protected species now, so using them feels bad. Should I try a substitute or leave the recipe as history?

3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

3 Comments

anderson.cora6mo ago

What's wrong with updating an old recipe? Turtles are protected now. That's a good thing. But the food tradition doesn't have to end. Use a different meat, like chicken or even beef. Cook it the same way. You keep the family part without the bad choice.

2

grayw326mo ago

My friend's grandpa always made turtle stew for holidays. After the protections came in, they swapped turtle for pork shoulder cooked low and slow. Everyone was worried it wouldn't taste right, but the rich broth and family recipe kept the spirit alive. His grandpa admitted he liked not having to clean a turtle anymore. The meal still feels like home, just with a kinder choice.

1

henry3126mo ago

Sounds like a win-win for both tradition and the turtles.

4