Thanksgiving Dinner in Our Home!
After much research, we found a new place to buy our Turkey from this year: Bob's Butcher Block here in West Michigan. We have never had a fresh, never frozen turkey, so this should be quite special.
You can do this with a frozen turkey, just make sure you take it out a week or so in advance to make sure it is fully thawed!!!!
With frozen turkeys, you are never supposed to wet brine, supposedly, because they are already injected with water and "flavor" and can't absorb anymore. However, with fresh, it is possible to do a wet brine. However, with even more research, finding the container to do a wet brine in, and then a fridge big enough for a 5+ gallon size container to store the bird in overnight was just NOT an option for our space constraints.
So-- we decided to do a dry brine-- or a dry rub.
The day before, we carefully took the turkey out of the bag. We were careful to save the juice in the bag so that we can utilize that for gravy.
1.) Assemble all of your seasonings for your dry rub. For our turkey, I did the following:
2.) Clean out turkey from both ends; pull the neck out of the bottom end (ironic, isn't it?) and then lift the neck and pull out the baggie in the neck area.
3.) DO NOT WASH YOUR RAW POULTRY. That is old information and can cause more illness by spreading raw meat germs around your kitchen. Do not rinse.
4.) Take your dry rub and apply liberally to your turkey, inside and out. Lift up the skin on the breast and rub seasoning underneath the skin, directly onto the breast meat itself. Dry brining, or dry rubbing, is just rubbing seasoning on your meat. Be liberal with it, regardless of your political views... ;-) Use all the flavoring.
5.) After finished seasoning, place the entire turkey, in the pan, into the fridge. DO NOT COVER. It is science. Weird, but science. If you want crispy skin, you need to leave it uncovered.
6.) Bake your pies the night before, so that you don't have to stress about fitting them in the oven.
In the morning, I will be adding unsalted butter between the skin and the breast meat of the turkey, and will also be cooking the turkey upside down for an hour or more, to encourage the drippings and juice to stay in the meat. Then, I will be flipping and cooking breast side up for the rest of the time.
You can do this with a frozen turkey, just make sure you take it out a week or so in advance to make sure it is fully thawed!!!!
With frozen turkeys, you are never supposed to wet brine, supposedly, because they are already injected with water and "flavor" and can't absorb anymore. However, with fresh, it is possible to do a wet brine. However, with even more research, finding the container to do a wet brine in, and then a fridge big enough for a 5+ gallon size container to store the bird in overnight was just NOT an option for our space constraints.
So-- we decided to do a dry brine-- or a dry rub.
The day before, we carefully took the turkey out of the bag. We were careful to save the juice in the bag so that we can utilize that for gravy.
1.) Assemble all of your seasonings for your dry rub. For our turkey, I did the following:
- 1 TBSP Light Brown Sugar
- 1/3 cup salt; kosher, larger grain salt is best. The finer the salt, the less you use. I used regular ioduzed salt 1/3 cup and it was fine for us...
- 1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- Optional: 1 TBSP organic, non-salt seasoning from Costco, Kirkland brand. You can use many types of poultry flavoring foot this step, or skip it. The salt is the most important.
3.) DO NOT WASH YOUR RAW POULTRY. That is old information and can cause more illness by spreading raw meat germs around your kitchen. Do not rinse.
4.) Take your dry rub and apply liberally to your turkey, inside and out. Lift up the skin on the breast and rub seasoning underneath the skin, directly onto the breast meat itself. Dry brining, or dry rubbing, is just rubbing seasoning on your meat. Be liberal with it, regardless of your political views... ;-) Use all the flavoring.
5.) After finished seasoning, place the entire turkey, in the pan, into the fridge. DO NOT COVER. It is science. Weird, but science. If you want crispy skin, you need to leave it uncovered.
6.) Bake your pies the night before, so that you don't have to stress about fitting them in the oven.
In the morning, I will be adding unsalted butter between the skin and the breast meat of the turkey, and will also be cooking the turkey upside down for an hour or more, to encourage the drippings and juice to stay in the meat. Then, I will be flipping and cooking breast side up for the rest of the time.
Photo is of the turkey hanging out in the fridge over night after being dry rubbed!
THANKSGIVING DAY:
We calculated that for our 13 pound turkey, we needed to bake it at 350 degrees for 4 1/2 hours... with about 20 minutes resting time BEFORE carving. So, about 5 hours before we needed to eat, we threw it in around noon to eat at 5pm.
1.) Pull out turkey from fridge.
2.) We did NOT rinse off dry rub/ dry brine, but some do... I think it is better left on.
3.) Take one stick of softened, unsalted butter and rub inside the turkey, in between the skin and the breast meat.
5.) Pre-heat oven to 350.
6.) We placed the turkey upside down on the roasting pan for the first 2 hours. Use a pan with a rack inside of it. Place rack in pan, and place turkey on rack (upside down, or breast side down). This prevents the turkey from burning to the bottom of a pan, and cooking upside down help the juices to stay in the meat.
7.) Add about 1/2 to 1" of water or chicken stock inside the bottom of the pan. This prevents the delicious drippings from burning to the bottom of the pan. (We did a little less than 1" of water).
8.) Place your turkey in the oven! Prepare for delicious smells.
You can sit and have a drink or relax for a few. We happened to take a nap with baby just after putting in the turkey... good times!
You can also set the table at this time... Fork and napkin on the left of the plate; knife and then spoon on the right side of the plate. :-) I always refer to Emily Post when I have the energy to do so: http://emilypost.com/advice/table-setting-guides/
9.) After about half the time of being in the oven, since we started it upside down, we chose to flip it right side up. This also helps prevent the skin from burning too much!
10.) Get a large pot half filled with cold water on the stove, heat set to high. Start the water boiling.
11.) Now, it was time for potatoes! We did about 5 pounds of Idaho potatoes. We chose to peel them. After peeling, rinse in cold water to make sure all the dirt is off of them.
12.) After peeling, cut each potato in half to help them cook faster.
13). After all the potatoes are cut and halved, carefully place in water.
14.) After the potatoes are in the water and it is boiling, then you can salt the water (about 1-2 tsp of salt). You do not want to add salt to a cold pan as that will cause the bottom of your pan to pit. Only add salt to water after it is boiling, so it can dissolve fast. Boiling time on the potatoes can vary greatly. You want to boil them long enough that you can easily pierce them with a fork. 30-45 minutes usually.
15.) Get your veggie around. Today, I went easy and I did 2 cans of corn. :-) There is no problem with easy.
16.) This is also when I grabbed a cookie sheet and line with non-stick foil and got out the Pillsbury crescent rolls (refrigerated dough version). After the turkey is done, it has to sit at least 20 minutes before serving. I will adjust the temp of the oven, and throw these in after removing turkey.
17.) Gather what you need for your potatoes; Milk, butter, salt, pepper, sour cream.
18.) When your turkey time is up, pull it out and check the temp of the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer. It should ready 165 F degrees... Set turkey aside.
19.) GRAVY: a staple in our family! Pull your turkey off the pan grate and put on plate. You need to get all the juices from the bottom of the pan! I used a silicone spatula and carefully combed the bottom of the juice to make sure non was stuck to the bottom of the pan. I used the below Ekco Gravy Separator. Pour as much juice from the bottom of the pan in here as you can. What will happen is that the fat will immediately float to the top. Don't use most of that. Use the gravy separator and pour all but the fat into a sauce pan. You need a thickener for the gravy. I use my health drink shaker with a lid. I take about 4-6 TBSP of corn starch and add just enough water to it so that you can dissolve it by shaking, or stirring. Add to the gravy and stir immediately. Medium to medium-high heat. Continue stirring and watch for it to thicken. If it thickens too much, add a touch of water, a teaspoon at a time. Once it has thickened appropriately, check flavor. You might need to add more salt or more pepper. Turn down heat to low once it has thickened.
20.) Adjust oven temp and throw the rolls/bread in and follow cooking directions.
21.) Start your mashed potatoes! Drain most of the water, but leave about a cup or so in the pan. Add some milk (start with about 1/4 cup or so depending on how much you made), between 1/2 to 1 full stick of butter, and about 1/4 cup of sour cream, also add salt and pepper to taste. If you are mashing in a non-stick pan, make sure you use a plastic masher to prevent the pan from scratching. You can also throw them in a nice rounded bowl and then use a metal masher. You want to mash them, but not too much as you can actually make them gluey and gross in texture. If they are too dry, add a smidge of milk. Set aside.
22.) Pull out rolls when done.
23.) Carve your turkey! I watched this video: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/carve-turkey I don't know what I would do without the internet. I thought my family would teach me, but they didn't know how! Yay, Google!
24.) Get everything onto the table. Smell it. Eat it. Enjoy it.
Remember: as a human being, what you need to remember is that you are making memories. This is super important for us parents, too, but also those of us as grown children. You aren't just cooking food; meals are making blessings for others, memories, a moment to nourish and respect and love those who mean the most to us-- even if it is "just" for one person and you cook for yourself.
Cooking is love.
THANKSGIVING DAY:
We calculated that for our 13 pound turkey, we needed to bake it at 350 degrees for 4 1/2 hours... with about 20 minutes resting time BEFORE carving. So, about 5 hours before we needed to eat, we threw it in around noon to eat at 5pm.
1.) Pull out turkey from fridge.
2.) We did NOT rinse off dry rub/ dry brine, but some do... I think it is better left on.
3.) Take one stick of softened, unsalted butter and rub inside the turkey, in between the skin and the breast meat.
5.) Pre-heat oven to 350.
6.) We placed the turkey upside down on the roasting pan for the first 2 hours. Use a pan with a rack inside of it. Place rack in pan, and place turkey on rack (upside down, or breast side down). This prevents the turkey from burning to the bottom of a pan, and cooking upside down help the juices to stay in the meat.
7.) Add about 1/2 to 1" of water or chicken stock inside the bottom of the pan. This prevents the delicious drippings from burning to the bottom of the pan. (We did a little less than 1" of water).
8.) Place your turkey in the oven! Prepare for delicious smells.
You can sit and have a drink or relax for a few. We happened to take a nap with baby just after putting in the turkey... good times!
You can also set the table at this time... Fork and napkin on the left of the plate; knife and then spoon on the right side of the plate. :-) I always refer to Emily Post when I have the energy to do so: http://emilypost.com/advice/table-setting-guides/
This is my Mom's china. It somehow survived our house fire. Growing up, we never were allowed to touch or use the china. It sat in a cabinet and was something to occasionally dust. After the house burned down, my mom talked about how all her dishes were gone. I looked at her and smiled, "no Mom, you still have all your china." Life is so very short, and each day is a gift. Even if you have children, I encourage you to use the china. Now, my Mom uses it every day.
9.) After about half the time of being in the oven, since we started it upside down, we chose to flip it right side up. This also helps prevent the skin from burning too much!
10.) Get a large pot half filled with cold water on the stove, heat set to high. Start the water boiling.
11.) Now, it was time for potatoes! We did about 5 pounds of Idaho potatoes. We chose to peel them. After peeling, rinse in cold water to make sure all the dirt is off of them.
12.) After peeling, cut each potato in half to help them cook faster.
13). After all the potatoes are cut and halved, carefully place in water.
14.) After the potatoes are in the water and it is boiling, then you can salt the water (about 1-2 tsp of salt). You do not want to add salt to a cold pan as that will cause the bottom of your pan to pit. Only add salt to water after it is boiling, so it can dissolve fast. Boiling time on the potatoes can vary greatly. You want to boil them long enough that you can easily pierce them with a fork. 30-45 minutes usually.
15.) Get your veggie around. Today, I went easy and I did 2 cans of corn. :-) There is no problem with easy.
16.) This is also when I grabbed a cookie sheet and line with non-stick foil and got out the Pillsbury crescent rolls (refrigerated dough version). After the turkey is done, it has to sit at least 20 minutes before serving. I will adjust the temp of the oven, and throw these in after removing turkey.
17.) Gather what you need for your potatoes; Milk, butter, salt, pepper, sour cream.
18.) When your turkey time is up, pull it out and check the temp of the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer. It should ready 165 F degrees... Set turkey aside.
19.) GRAVY: a staple in our family! Pull your turkey off the pan grate and put on plate. You need to get all the juices from the bottom of the pan! I used a silicone spatula and carefully combed the bottom of the juice to make sure non was stuck to the bottom of the pan. I used the below Ekco Gravy Separator. Pour as much juice from the bottom of the pan in here as you can. What will happen is that the fat will immediately float to the top. Don't use most of that. Use the gravy separator and pour all but the fat into a sauce pan. You need a thickener for the gravy. I use my health drink shaker with a lid. I take about 4-6 TBSP of corn starch and add just enough water to it so that you can dissolve it by shaking, or stirring. Add to the gravy and stir immediately. Medium to medium-high heat. Continue stirring and watch for it to thicken. If it thickens too much, add a touch of water, a teaspoon at a time. Once it has thickened appropriately, check flavor. You might need to add more salt or more pepper. Turn down heat to low once it has thickened.20.) Adjust oven temp and throw the rolls/bread in and follow cooking directions.
21.) Start your mashed potatoes! Drain most of the water, but leave about a cup or so in the pan. Add some milk (start with about 1/4 cup or so depending on how much you made), between 1/2 to 1 full stick of butter, and about 1/4 cup of sour cream, also add salt and pepper to taste. If you are mashing in a non-stick pan, make sure you use a plastic masher to prevent the pan from scratching. You can also throw them in a nice rounded bowl and then use a metal masher. You want to mash them, but not too much as you can actually make them gluey and gross in texture. If they are too dry, add a smidge of milk. Set aside.
22.) Pull out rolls when done.
23.) Carve your turkey! I watched this video: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/carve-turkey I don't know what I would do without the internet. I thought my family would teach me, but they didn't know how! Yay, Google!
24.) Get everything onto the table. Smell it. Eat it. Enjoy it.
Remember: as a human being, what you need to remember is that you are making memories. This is super important for us parents, too, but also those of us as grown children. You aren't just cooking food; meals are making blessings for others, memories, a moment to nourish and respect and love those who mean the most to us-- even if it is "just" for one person and you cook for yourself.
Cooking is love.
We had a surprise visitor stop by for dinner! A dear family member we haven't seen for years!!!! She brought the gift of wine! I added a peach to mine, because I am a heathen and love peaches... Of course, the Sonic Screwdriver is just for fun... If you get the Doctor Who reference, you get 100 bonus points.
The finished gravy!!!!!!! Tonight's gravy was probably the best I have ever had.
After carving the turkey, this was what we brought out to the table.
I started to get a little worried when I saw how dark it was, but it was not bad! I also didn't have twine to do the legs. Guess what?! That is just fine!
Uhm. Delicious. Missing the greens in this shot.
The meat was delicious...
The amazing potatoes. Fluffy. Happy. Yummy.
This was the raw turkey in the dry rub/ dry brine. You can do this 1-3 days in advance. Leave uncovered so the skin and dry out. This helps it crisp up.
How wonderful! I will be trying a dry rub with a chicken in the future!
ReplyDeleteI am so very glad! It turned out really well for us, and was so easy to do! If you don't like the feel of the raw meat, you can always wear food-grade gloves to apply the rub! :-)
DeleteI am so very glad! It turned out really well for us, and was so easy to do! If you don't like the feel of the raw meat, you can always wear food-grade gloves to apply the rub! :-)
DeleteBump!
ReplyDelete