AITA? Sister’s Boyfriend Peels the Skin Off the Thanksgiving Turkey
Hold onto your gravy boats, folks. This Thanksgiving, the turkey drama got so hot that even the cranberry sauce was trembling. The star of the show? A perfectly good bird that got a weird makeover by a guy who clearly thinks “skin‑on” is a personal challenge.
The Turkey Saga
Long story short: my sister has been hosting holidays with her boyfriend since 2012. I love cooking, so I’ve offered to bring the turkey every year—only to get politely turned down. The result? A turkey that’s more “dry, white meat” than “flavorful, juicy.” It’s a tradition, and I’ve grown to dread the first bite of that sad, crumbly bird.
This past Thanksgiving, I asked for a piece of dark meat—the part that’s usually the star of the show. My sister got flustered. “My boyfriend likes the dark meat,” she said, and then tried to hand me a shriveled, gonad‑looking piece of turkey. I said, “I just want a piece of dark meat with some skin on it,” and then I literally went into the kitchen to grab it myself.
Turns out, the boyfriend had peeled the turkey and kept all the skin and dark meat for himself. The rest of us got the bare, dried out white meat that had been left on the back of the carcass. I flipped the carcass over, because everyone forgets there’s skin on the bottom. But the whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth.
So the question is: am I the asshole (TA) for wanting a decent slice of turkey, or is my sister’s boyfriend a culinary psychopath? And should I just stay home and make my own turkey for Christmas?
The Comment Section
Below is the Reddit comment section, stripped of usernames and sprinkled with a bit of extra seasoning for flavor:
NTA that man is a psycho
This. My whole and immediate reaction was “That is psychopath behavior what the hell?” 😡
NTA
I think it must be a cultural issue (individual vs. collective?). In my culture, just the idea of taking the best part of a meal and keeping it for yourself is absolutely unthinkable.
I think it would be considered rude in many cultures to keep the best part of a meal for yourself and serve your guests the less desirable portions.
Even in an individualistic culture, this specific situation is ridiculous. If you invite guests over for a nice meal, then you wouldn't do this kind of thing.
It’d be one thing if it was a more casual meal that had like premade sandwiches with slices of light meat in them, but if it's a holiday dinner with a full turkey being made for the occasion, then this would be considered wild to do.
TL;DR
Sister’s boyfriend thinks “skin‑on” is a personal challenge, leaves the turkey looking like a paper‑mache bird, and the only thing left for us is a dry, white meat that could double as a paperweight. I’m not the TA—just a turkey‑suffering sibling. If you’re hosting, remember: keep the skin and dark meat for everyone, not just the boyfriend. 🍗✌️