Episode 105: Thanksgiving Part One
Featured Recipe 1: Brining & Pan Sauce
Even seasoned cooks can be intimidated on how to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey--it doesn't seem like any two recipes give the same process! Chef Josh breaks down how to make a savory brine; how to truss the bird for roasting, how long to cook it for and how to use the drippings to make an incredibly satisfying pan sauce. Watch the episode for a visual on the trussing here.
Featured Recipe 2: Stuffing
For the vegetarians at your feast, Chef makes fabulous stuffing using two types of Rosemont Bakery breads that is turkey-free. He uses the herb stock that he teaches in the Pantry Tip.
Leftover Tip: Turkey Noodle Soup
The leftover bones & turkey carcass can be turned into a soul warming soup that will make the colder days easier to withstand.
Chef’s Tip: Dressed-Up Cranberry Sauce
Maggie is still a six-year old at heart and loves jellied cranberry sauce. Chef taught her how to add some "grown-up" flavors to this side-dish and we are pretty certain guests of all ages will love it.
Pantry Tip: Herb Stock
Save all your herb stems and veggie peelings! Chef uses these to create a flavorful stock that is featured in the vegetarian stuffing and can be stored to use in recipes for weeks to come.
Featured Recipe 1: Brining & Pan Sauce
Brining is an ancient tradition in which people across the globe used salt, water, and spices to conserve meat long before the advent of refrigeration. Chicken, pork and turkey would be the best proteins to be brined because they are lean, and mild in flavor. This provides an opportunity for the brine to seep into the protein and enhance the flavor and the juiciness. Many types of seafood, like shrimp, are also excellent for brining. Beef and lamb aren't recommended because they contain more fat, and don't lose as much moisture as poultry or pork during cooking. The process of brining sounds complicated, but believe me, the proof is in the perfectly cooked roast turkey or chicken that you pull from the oven.
Brining works due to the dual processes of diffusion and osmosis. When meat, such as chicken or turkey is placed in a brine, the salt and sugar concentration of the brine solution is greater than the concentration inside the muscle cells. Diffusion allows the salt and sugar to flow into the muscle cells of the meat. As the concentration of salt and sugar increases inside the cell, osmosis will draw the water into the muscle cell. Once the salt and sugar get inside of the muscle cells of the turkey, the proteins will begin to denature, or "unravel", and create a matrix that captures and holds the water. This is why the ratio of salt, sugar and water are important when brining.
During cooking, the salt and protein matrix forms a gel that traps the water inside the cell. The water stays in the meat during cooking, resulting in a more juicy and flavorful piece of meat, and also prevents the likelihood of overcooking.
Letting the meat "rest" for 10 to 20 minutes after removing it from the oven will allow the extra moisture to redistribute before carving the turkey.
One of the tough situations that you may run into when brining is having a container that will fit your chosen protein and the amount of brine needed. I recommend the container holding the brining protein be held below 40f. I always brine my turkey for Thanksgiving, and thanks to the Maine weather, I can keep my brining turkey in a 5-gallon container outside overnight.
Ingredients:
Yield 1 turkey, 10-12 pounds
Brine
1 each 10-12 pound turkey, gizzards removed
1 gallon water
2 Teaspoons fennel seed
2 Teaspoons coriander seed
2 Teaspoons mustard seed
5 each bay leaves
1 Teaspoon chilli flakes
1 cup honey
1 cup salt
4 each cloves garlic sliced
1 each yellow onion, sliced
2 each lemon, sliced
Roasting
3 each medium white onions, large diced
2 each large carrots, washed, large diced
4 each stalks celery, large diced
4 each cloves garlic, sliced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Season salt and pepper
Pan Sauce (Gravy)
Reserved turkey roasting vegetables, fat and jus
1 quart turkey, chicken or vegetable stock
As needed flour
1 Teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 Teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
Season with salt and pepper
Method:
Truss turkey and set aside.
Mix all of the Brine ingredients together and in a large pot, bring to a boil. Cool completely.
Place the turkey in a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Pour the brine over the turkey. Add enough fresh cold water to completely cover the turkey. Chill at 40f or cooler for 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 325f
Remove Turkey from brine, rinse in fresh water, pat dry.
Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to a roasting pan.
Place turkey on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Brush with olive oil, salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Bake turkey in a 325f oven. for about 2.5 to 3 hours or until juices run clear. Remove turkey from roasting pan and place on a dish with high sides (more jus will escape, we will add this to the pan sauce later).
Pour and scrape out the jus, fat and vegetables from the turkey roasting pan to a medium sauce pot. Bring to a simmer.
Dust the flour over the fat that will rise to the surface. Using a whisk, gently incorporate the flour into the turkey fat.
Once you have formed a loose roux, add the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add any of the reserved turkey “resting jus”. Reduce the pan sauce until it is as thick as you would like.
Strain the sauce from all of the chunky vegetables or blend them into the sauce for a different flavor. Add the chopped thyme and sage. Season with salt and pepper.
Carve the bird, enjoy with the pan sauce.
Featured Recipe 2: Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 each large white onion, diced
½ bunch celery, diced, save leaves
½ loaf sourdough bread, large diced and toasted
½ loaf rye bread, large diced and toasted
½ bunch parsley, fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon thyme, fresh, chopped
1 Tablespoon oregano, fresh, chopped
Reserved celery leaves, fresh, chopped
1 ½ quarts vegetable, chicken, or turkey stock, hot
Season with salt and pepper
Method:
Heat oven to 350f.
Heat a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the butter and swirl until melted. Add the onion and celery. Sweat the vegetables until they are tender.
Add the toasted bread and fold until the bread has absorbed all the butter.
Add the chopped herbs and stir.
Add the hot stock and cook until the bread is starting to break down. Do not over mix, keep some of the bread in medium large chunks.
Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a casserole dish. Bake in the oven uncovered, until a nice crust forms on the stuffing. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Chef’s Tip: Dressed-Up Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
Yield 1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 can cranberry sauce
¼ cup white onion, small diced
1 Tablespoon candied ginger, small diced
1 each orange zested and segmented
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tablespoon sugar
Season salt and pepper
Season olive oil
Method:
Combine all ingredients, mix well.
Cover and refrigerate overnight. 2 days is better.
Leftovers: Turkey Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
1 each turkey carcass, leg bones and wings
To cover water
12 ounce butter
¼ cup garlic, chopped
½ bunch celery, small dice
2 each white onions. small dice
2 each carrots, small dice
1 each can peeled tomatoes,30 ounce
½ cup chopped herbs (a mixture of herbs like thyme, sage, oregano, basil, rosemary or parsley)
1 pound pasta, cooked and chilled
Season salt and pepper
Season grated parmesan cheese
Season olive oil
Method:
Place turkey carcass and bones in a large pot and cover with water. Stew the carcass at a gentle simmer for 1 hour. Enjoy the aroma!
Remove the carcass from the pot and place in a large bowl. Strain the stock and reserve.
When the carcass is cool enough to handle, pick off all of the meat and reserve.
In a large pot, sauté all of the vegetables except the tomatoes. in the butter. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
Add the reserved picked meat, peeled tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the pasta and chopped herbs and return to a simmer.
Adjust seasonings as needed.
Add the cheese and olive oil.
Enjoy
Pantry Tip: Herb Stock
Ingredients:
Keep vegetable scraps and trimmings.
Method:
Using a large pot, add onion skins, vegetable trim, herb stems, and other aromatics. This stock is a great way to utilize the trimmings used from preparing the rest of Thanksgiving meal. When ready to make the pan sauce use this herbaceous and aromatic broth to give the sauce as much flavor as possible.
Wine Pairings
Pairing wine with a table that can include 12-dishes can be super stressful! We are so grateful to Cat from So Po Wine Co for her wisdom in this task. She always has a white and red available for her guests. Cat considers Forge Cellars Dry Classique Riesling (approx $18) "one of the best food wines in the world." This bottle showcases the fruit, acidity and texture of Riesling without the sweetness some people don't like. For the red, she recommends Domaine Michele Tete Julienas "Cuvee Tradition" (approx $25). This Cru Beaujolais is just made for food. It is bright, earthy and spicy with a light texture that won't overpower the array of dishes on your holiday table.
So Po Wine Co wines can be found in independent wine stores throughout Maine.