THE BIRD IS THE WORD! THANKSGIVING 2011

       

Peter Sheppard’s Turkey Tips for the best Thanksgiving, Ever!

  Every year I do this and every year I get more and more crazy methods for getting the most moist and succulent white meat possible. I have now decided it is time to branch out and experiment with newer methods such as brining the bird and even faster methods like smoking turkey breasts. One thing is for sure my main message is this doesn’t have to be a difficult, stress-filled meal! Let me assure you that when you plan your meal ahead of time there is very little to worry about and people will be singing your praises until next year. The only real worry is you will be the “go to” chef for the meal, next year! So, do what I do: pass this information on to friends and family and maybe next time you’ll be the one invited to dinner and not the one who cooks it!
 

First a list of must-do’s and must-buys for a successful Turkey Day:

 

The Great Frozen North! Practice a little reverse engineering and start by getting your refrigerator and freezer cleaned out, first. About a couple weeks before the big meal we like to clean out the old pickle jars and get those Tupperware containers of soup from the Pleistocene epoch out if the back of the freezer. On average you will have about five or six pounds, or more, of leftover turkey and sides after the meal and will need somewhere to keep it! Starting by clearing out the freezer early in November will ensure success in storing all those pesky leftovers.

Get Your Spices Out! Everybody has that jar or two, (or twelve,) of spices in their cupboard that should be tossed out. We like to go through the spice rack about twice a year and get rid of the old ones and renew the stuff we tend to use infrequently. Nothing is worse than cooking on the big day and you go to the shelf to get the poultry seasoning and… oops! You either don’t have any or it is so old it smells like musty gym socks! (Take a look at my recipe for “DIY Poultry Seasoning” below.) Also, use some common sense when buying spices in the first place. See my Spice Buying Guide for helpful tips later on in this primer. Here’s a good rule on shelf life for spices: dried spices and spice blends: 6 months, whole spices: 1 year.

The Grind: Get yourself a “burr mill” coffee grinder and designate it just for spices only. Why this special kind of grinder? Simple: the standard blade coffee grinder works great for roosted coffee beans. You don’t need to grind most drip coffee into a powder. However, they are lousy for grinding spices! Melita makes a great coffee grinder that used a burr mill that I use exclusively for spices. Okay, so what’s a burr mill grinder, anyway? It actually goes back to the original coffee grinder – you know the one with the wooden box and the big handle like they had on every chuck wagon on the range? A burr mill system doesn’t cut the bean, or whole spice, like in the blade-type grinder. It crushes the spice between two knurled surfaces. The less distance between the surfaces, the finer the grind. Okay, so let’s say you’ve got an old coffee grinder up in storage and want to convert it to grinding spices. But who wants coffee-flavored turkey? Not me, dude! Run a little dry white rice through the mill to clean off the grinding surface before running your spices through it.

Morty Pestle: Also no kitchen is complete without a good, heavy-duty mortar and pestle to grind hard whole spices and seeds into powdered form. Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money for either of these two vital kitchen tools. Not only will they come in handy for this Thanksgiving dinner, but for countless family dinners in the future. And, the added bonus is you can save a boatload of money on therapy payments taking out all of your aggression on pounding on spices! Ross, Tuesday Morning and Marshall’s stores usually have inexpensive but quality items in their cook wear departments.

Spice Buying Guide:
Why pay all that money for something you’re going to use once or twice a month, then after six months throw it away? I can’t understand why supermarkets don’t get it – charging so much for so little a container of product. Probably it’s because they can since they take the attitude that shoppers have nowhere else to turn. But, all is not lost! On one recent trip to the Top Valu store I conducted a little experiment. I was looking for ground cumin and new how much to pay for it. I first stopped at the baking goods isle and spied the Shilling and McCormick and Spice Island selections: a 1.75-ounce jar of ground spice? $3.99… $3.49… $3.39… respectively. Then, I perused the Mexican spice rack: the same amount of spice in a cellophane bag? $1.69… Finally, I rounded the corner and checked out the Middle Eastern spice rack with the same plastic bags hung on a hook: .69 cents! Okay, so what gives? Does the stuff from the .69-cent bag contain filler? Paint chips? Free dirt? NO! The last time I checked it’s all the same spice! You’ve got to just do due diligence when shopping for spices and watch for the great sales and just buy what you’ll need. That’s it!

So, why should I buy whole spices? Need ground cumin? Take some whole cumin seeds and grind ‘em up, and PRESTO! Not only is it dead fresh but also it keeps a whole lot longer in your spice rack. Recently, to make poultry seasoning for roasting some chicken I discovered none pre-ground in the jar in my spice rack! Not to worry, I just got out the old Melita coffee grinder I converted into a spice grinder and measured out dried thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary and whole peppercorns into the hopper on top. I set the grind to very fine and flipped the switch. Viola! Not only was it ground to a fine powder it was mixed in the same motion. I just grated some whole nutmeg into the mix and had enough poultry seasoning for the recipe on hand and more for the jar. Just remember: if you use an old coffee grinder to grind spice in you can’t really go back to grinding coffee in it, again. And, so that your old coffee grinder doesn’t make your new batch of poultry seasoning taste like Starbucks dark roast simply process a couple of tablespoons of uncooked rice through the grinder, first. That will create a neutral surface to introduce the whole spices to!

Homemade Poultry Seasoning… and why?

Okay, so why should I make my own poultry seasoning, anyway? Well, for one thing, it’s cheaper. Go into your local supermarket any other month of the year and you will find not-so-reasonably-priced spices. However, go into that same supermarket a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving and you would swear these same spices have been dipped in gold! The poultry seasoning is the worst offender, some stores charging as much as $5 or $6 for a puny 1.75 ounce plastic container! The same is true for the pumpkin pie spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice! So, how do I get around this? Well, the answer is simple – make it at home. Most people don’t know that all of the ingredients that go into the average poultry seasoning are residing in your spice cabinet as you are reading this! Follow the recipe below and you will not only save money but also save a trip to the store, and best of all… do it yourself!

D.I.Y. Poultry Seasoning

1½ Tbl ground thyme
1 Tbl ground sage
2 tsp ground marjoram
2 tsp ground rosemary
2 tsp finely ground black pepper
½ tsp ground nutmeg

Place all the ingredients into a screw top glass container and shake vigorously to combine. Keep unused spice blend in the same container. This recipe makes enough for seasoning two 16-pound turkeys. Use this blend to season the stuffing/dressing, too! Makes approximately four tablespoons of seasoning.

Rethink Your Roasting Pan: The biggest mistake most people make in their Thanksgiving kitchen is using too small a bowl or pan when they are preparing a dish for the meal. The same could be said of your roasting pan; that is if you even own one! Some home cooks simply buy one of those ugly, aluminum roasting pans you see showing up in the supermarkets in early November. Resist the temptation of buying one of these badly designed pans. Instead, look for a sale at your local Macy’s or other department store and get yourself a great roasting pan. Preferably, one that has a heavy bottom and a tight-fitting lid. Why? Because when you go to make your gravy, (and you know you’re going to make gravy,) having a pan with a heavy bottom where the drippings have collected makes heating those drippings less likely to burn! Those thin aluminum cheapo pans don’t have this luxury.   

The second best pan to use is the same one home cooks have used for the last 100 years – the speckle-finished enamel-coated roasters. But be careful not to scrub them too hard after a roasting session! Once you get a chip or crack in the bottom, in other words once the enamel wears off in an area on the bottom of the roaster, you will be introducing rust and metallic taste into your gravy!

Okay, so am I saying you need to go out and rob a bank to buy this pan? NO! I picked up a stainless-steel, heavy-bottomed roasting pan big enough to hold a 16-pound bird for about $40 at Macy’s. The nice thing about getting a roaster like this is it can be used for roasting and poaching other birds like chicken throughout the year. Recently, my Mom used the roasting pan to poach five bone-in chicken breasts in, using the pan as a great double-burner device and making lots of broth in the process!

Put Your Bird On The Rack!

You got your new roasting pan, now don’t forget the rack! Most quality roasters will come with their own rack, but sometimes these may be inadequate for the job of roasting a 16+ pound bird! You can pick-up a “v-rack” from a cooking supply shop to use with your new roaster. This adjustable rack allows the bird to sit up out of the veggies and liquid at the bottom of the pan and lets hot air in the oven to circulate all around the bird. The “v-rack” looks like a wire cooling rack with hinges and “wings” that lock in to a bracket at the bottom forming a v-shape. Because it can adjust from narrow to wide it can hold small and large birds, or other pieces of meat like pork roasts and lamb. Once again, you may be buying this for one special meal and use it all year long. 

Give Your Oven The White Glove Treatment: It is known as the “most important meal of the year.” So, why are you roasting the bird in such a filthy oven? Sorry, I don’t mean to gripe but what’s that black blob lurking at the back of your oven that’s been there since the failed experiment with “Baked Dutch Pancakes” last year? Get out the newspaper and the can of Easy-Off and break out the elbow grease and clean that oven really good! Hey, don’t complain – you only have to do it once a year, right?

Stick Me With A Meat Thermometer – I’m Done!

Okay, here’s a great tip – get yourself a really good quick-reading thermometer. Go out to your favorite foodie store and spend some money on this puppy – don’t scrimp on this essential kitchen tool! Those pop-up timers – that cheap white plastic doo-hickey they stick into the bird that pops up when the bird is ready? I usually don’t buy a bird that has this stupid device in it, and if you do find one in your bird yank this puppy out and throw it away! There is nothing more important to home cooks than to know what the internal temperature of your meat is while you are roasting it. Get this, get it NOW! (Okay, Pete, remember your salt pills!)

          So, which thermometer should I get? For one thing get one with a big dial and is easy to read. But remember not all thermometers are the same. Stay away from the cheap ones you find hanging from a hook next to the gravy mixes in the supermarket, they’re no good. You need something that shows exact temperature and the cheap ones that simply say, “Rare… Medium… Well” are a joke! I have invested in a Polder digital thermometer with a braided cable probe. It was $15 at Ross and it is my go-to thermo for Turkey Day. I insert the metal probe into the thickest part of the thigh and have the alarm go off when the temperature reaches the target heat. Okay, so do you need this fancy device? Not really, but you will have to open up the oven to check the temperature of the bird with a simpler thermometer. Not a big deal since this only happens at the end of roasting time.

          There are two different types of standard meat thermometers: quick-reading and oven safe. Quick-reading usually have a plastic “crystal” over the dial and should always be used outside of the oven. Oven safe thermo’s are intended to be left in the bird while roasting in the oven and you peer through the oven window to see what the temperature is. I prefer the quick-reading thermo for a reason: the oven safe ones have way to big a probe that leaves a ¼” hole in the thigh! Yikes!

          So, let’s say you already have a quick-reading thermometer but you don’t trust it. Get some water boiling and pour it out into a Pyrex measuring cup and stick the thermometer into the water. If it doesn’t read 212°F at sea level then it either needs to be calibrated or replaced! Now you know why having a good meat thermometer is crucial to a successful Thanksgiving dinner, or any other successful roasted meat. On the back of the round dial is a red lever that will allow you to fine tune where the maximum and minimum levels on the dial starts and stops. That is how you calibrate the thermometer.

          Okay, so where do you stick the dang thing? Well, you want to measure the temperature of the white meat and you want to stick the pointy end of the thing into the thickest part of the breast or thigh. The target temperature you are looking for is 165° to 170°F in the breast, or 170° to 175°F in the thigh. If you are roasting the bird breast-side-up it can be a little difficult to find the thigh, (yet another reason to roast the turkey breast-side-down – see recipe below). Remember to check the bird at about ¾ of the cooking time based on the chart I have included below in the section marked, “Alma’s Thanksgiving Turkey”. Always remove the entire roasting pan from the oven and check the temperature, never try and do this with the oven door open – it lets too much heat out and lowers the oven temperature too much. That’s another reason why I like the digital thermometer with the probe on a braided cable. It has a real Ron Popiel feel, you just set-it and forget it. And, when the meat gets up to the temperature the alarm goes off.

You Gotta Keep ‘Em Separated:

I really can’t stress this enough but if you want really great gravy you are going to have to invest in a really great fat separator. So, okay, what the %$#& is a fat separator? It looks like a regular measuring cup with a pour spout, kind of like a watering bucket. There’s just one thing different about this cup: the spout is attached at the bottom of the vessel. “Okay, so what gives?” I can hear you cry… Well, the way a fat separator works is very simple: after removing the roasted turkey to a carving board you pour all of the drippings, liquid and fat from the bottom of the roasting pan through a strainer placed into the top of the cup. This will capture all of the crispy bits from the pan and keep them from getting into the juices and fat to be separated. The process is now even simpler. The fat, which is lighter than the liquid in the meat juices, floats to the top of the measuring cup. After about 5 minutes you carefully pour the meat juices from the bottom of the cup back into the roasting pan to make the gravy and discard the fat. That’s why the pour spout is attached to the bottom of the cup. Just stop pouring when the fat begins to come out – a little fat is a good thing for gravy. But be careful – too much fat and you will have the gravy separate as it cools - yuck!
 
The Great Stuffing/Dressing Debate:
This is one of my favorite bugaboos about the Thanksgiving Dinner, and there needs to be some myths exploded… I’m getting out the blasting caps! My basic rule is simple: “stuffing” is what goes into the bird; “dressing” is cooked outside of the bird. Both recipes contain bread, veggies, aromatics and other flavorings, and… raw egg! Okay, according to the so-called “experts” if you stuff your bird you run the risk of poisoning your family with undercooked food – how dare you! Most of the time the stuffing is packed into the cavity of the turkey making it almost impossible for the center of the mixture to reach 165 degrees, thus ensuring any bacteria will be killed. Most of the basic stuffing recipes just simply call for too much stuffing and home cooks just pack it all into the bird’s cavity instead of putting the excess into a casserole dish and baking it outside of the bird. Here are a few simple rules…
 

Rule #1: Never overstuff the bird! If you plan to throw caution to the wind and risk poisoning your family, (you never really did like your smarmy Uncle Ray, after all,) do not overstuff the bird’s cavity. Instead, the idea is to leave a little space for the bread and other ingredients in the stuffing to expand while it heats in the oven. One thing is for sure there is nothing quite like the flavor of bread stuffing from the bird with all of those great turkey juices running all over it - yummy! 

Rule #2: Never, on pain of death should you try to save time and stuff the bird the night before! This is really where most mistakes in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day start! It will be tough enough to get the turkey up to the proper temperature straight out of the refer – forget about the stuffing getting there, it’s too cold! Also, even if the bird is in the fridge there’s no guarantee of avoiding nasty bacteria forming that roasting in the oven cannot kill.The idea here is to prep your bird and stuff it just before inserting it into a pre-heated oven.

Now, the main reason why these experts say this method of stuffing the bird is dangerous is because most stuffing/dressing recipes call for raw egg. If you stuff the bird with bread soaked in raw egg and don’t cook it well enough you can possibly deliver uncooked egg to your family. One thing for sure is you have to use eggs to help bind the bread mixture together. But, even if you skip the eggs there are so many other things you put into the stuffing that can cause tummy problems after the meal is digested, (or indigested!) I even have a vegetarian dressing recipe that uses no eggs or chicken broth, at all and that can still be dangerous if undercooked! That’s because the main bugs you will pick up from the undercooked stuffing is Salmonella and Campylobacter jejuni, nasty little buggers! So, how do we solve this problem?

Well, one thing is you can use better eggs. Organic eggs are safer or you can get pasteurized eggs. Another suggestion by the folks at America’s Test Kitchen is where you heat the stuffing in the microwave for 6 minutes on HIGH before you stuff the bird! While that will get the internal temperature of the stuffing higher it is a kind of pain in the rear stuffing a turkey with hot stuffing! Another group suggests stuffing the bird with aromatics: onions, celery, lemons, garlic cloves and cooking your “stuffing” as “dressing” outside of the bird. Or, as my Mom does every year…

Rule #3: Take the stuffing out of the bird when the turkey is done and put it into a casserole dish sprayed with no-stick. Then, put it into the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees to finish cooking the stuffing. Hey, the oven is already on, right? So, bump up the temperature and stick that stuffing in and bake it. You’re going to rest the bird for that much time before carving, anyway, right? So, while you’re heating the stuffing throw the rest of your sides in to reheat, too.

This trick works with a standard stuffing recipe, one that has onions and celery in it. However, the fancier dressing recipes – ones that have a lot of unusual ingredients in them like artichoke hearts and sausages - are usually too “wet” and are best cooked outside of the bird over a longer period of time. One thing is for sure: if you do stuff the bird use your quick-reading thermometer to find out how warm the stuffing is before removing it from the bird.

Rule #4: A stuffed bird is more dense than an empty bird and while it takes longer to roast, it roasts more evenly. Instead of having a huge empty cavity in the center of the bird you have stuffing. The cooking times below in the recipe “represent a stuffed bird, so check the bird early for “doneness” if you skip the stuffing.

Now, here’s a classic stuffing/dressing recipe from the family cookbook…

Alma’s Minnesota Bread Stuffing

         1½ lb loaf white bread           3 C chopped celery

                        2 Tbl poultry seasoning         3 C chopped onion
                        2 extra large eggs                  3 Tbl bacon fat
                        5 C chicken broth (about)      1 Tbl poultry seasoning
 

Buy white sandwich bread, not thin sliced, but day old if possible.  Cut into ¾” cubes, and spread out on trays.  Sprinkle uniformly with 2 Tblsp poultry seasoning.  Bake in a 300ºF oven until crispy dry, about 10 to 12 minutes.  You should have about 18 C of bread cubes.  Place in a huge mixing bowl, or divide evenly between two large mixing bowls. 

Coarse chop the celery, starting at the top of the stalk using leaves and all, until you have 3 C. Peel, and coarse chop the onions to yield 3 C.  Heat 3 Tblsp bacon fat in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté the celery and onions, stirring, until they are limp and the onion is transparent, but there is no trace of browning.  Remove from heat, sprinkle on 1 Tblsp of poultry seasoning, and stir to combine.  Add to the bread cubes, and toss to thoroughly mix.

Slightly beat the 2 eggs, add to the stuffing, and toss well.  Add chicken broth, tossing between additions, to just moisten, but not sticky enough to hold together (about 4 C). 

Stuff the turkey.  This recipe assumes you have about a 15 lb turkey.

Add broth to the remaining stuffing to make it moist enough to barely stick together, but not squishy (about 1 C).  Place in a casserole dish, and bake in a preheated 350ºF oven until a slight crust forms on top (about 30 to 35 minutes).  Time the baking to be through about the same time as the turkey is ready to serve.

Divide the cooked casserole dressing into 2 dishes.  Remove the stuffing from the turkey, and divide it between the two dishes.  Toss the baked dressing and bird stuffing to combine, and serve hot. 

The Bird Is The Word:

Okay, now we turn to the star attraction! The reason why we showed up in the first place! But, before I lay on you the ultimate turkey-roasting guide I have to once again shatter another myth…

 

“Why spend a lot of money on a turkey? All turkeys are the same…”

Nope! They’re not, really! But then again you don’t need to break the bank buying the turkey. Some turkeys are better than others, here’s a quick buying guide from the American Turkey Council to help you make the right decision…

 

Turkey, as well as all other poultry, is described and classified using a number of different criteria:

Kind: describes if the poultry is turkeys, chickens, ducks, etc.

Class: describes how the poultry is categorized, such as a fryer or roaster.

Grade: describes the quality of the bird based on USDA guidelines. Common grades for poultry are A, B, and C, with A being the best quality.

Style: describes the bird as being whole, cut into sections, (halves, quarters, etc.), or cut into individual parts, (breast, leg, thigh, etc.).

Size or Weight: turkeys are specified by individual weight.

Type: describes a turkey as being fresh, frozen, hard-chilled, etc.

Packaging: specifies how the turkey is packaged at the processing company. Most turkeys are individually wrapped and may be shipped several to a container.

Temperature: describes the ideal temperature for fresh, frozen, or hard-chilled turkeys for processing, shipping, and storing.

Breed: quality, flavor, size, and the ratio of meat to bone can be affected by the breed of the turkey. White Holland is the breed that is most often raised for commercial purposes.

FRESH: Any turkey labeled "fresh" in a food store has never been cooled to a temperature lower than 26°F, which is the point that turkey meat begins to freeze. A fresh turkey should be cooked no later than 2 days after it is purchased or by the "use by date" on the label, otherwise it must be frozen until it is ready to use. Some turkey processors label their fresh turkeys as "refrigerated" rather than fresh in order to prevent confusion with the consumer. Fresh turkeys that are chilled to 26°F may seem a bit stiff on the surface, as though they have been frozen when they actually have not. The cost of a fresh turkey may be a bit higher than a frozen turkey because of special handling requirements. The processor must ensure that the turkey remains at a temperature of 26°F from the factory to the market and the market must ensure that their refrigerated case does not climb above 38°F to 40°F.

FROZEN: Although turkey meat begins to freeze at 26°F, in order to be considered "frozen", a turkey must be cooled to a temperature of 0°F or below. Commercial processing companies use a flash freezing process that quickly cools turkeys to 0°F or below. This ensures that when the turkey is defrosted, the meat will be at the same level of freshness as the day it was originally frozen. There is no difference in the quality of turkey that is fresh or commercially frozen, but fresh turkey that is placed in a home freezer may deteriorate more quickly than turkey that has been flash frozen in commercial equipment. This is because home freezers are not able to cool the meat as quickly as commercial freezers.

Listed below are several other important points to consider when using a frozen turkey.

A frozen turkey may be safely prepared up to a year after it was originally frozen.

A frozen turkey that has been thawed should not be refrozen until after it is cooked.

A turkey that has been defrosted before it is sold must be labeled "previously frozen".

Listed below are additional types of frozen turkeys that are available in most food stores:

Prestuffed: Prestuffed frozen turkeys can be purchased with a variety of stuffing flavors and in a large selection of sizes. Prestuffing and freezing a turkey at home can be dangerous. Home freezers cannot freeze as quickly as commercial freezing processes. The stuffing increases the growth rate of harmful bacteria, which may multiply rapidly before the turkey has a chance to freeze properly.

Self-Basting: A self-basting turkey is injected with various ingredients, such as oil, juices, and seasonings, before it is frozen. When the turkey is roasted, the added ingredients keep the meat moist and tender as well as provide extra flavor.

Boneless Turkey Roast: Whole turkeys are available that have been deboned and packaged. The preparation, cooking, and carving are much more convenient. Another type of turkey roast consists of pieces of white or dark meat or both, that are removed from the bones, placed in a foil pan, and frozen to be cooked when needed.

Hard Chilled: Turkeys that are hard-chilled are cooled to temperatures between 0°F and 26°F. They are not considered fresh or frozen and so they are not labeled as such. Since they are not considered frozen, the turkeys must be handled as though they are fresh to ensure proper food safety.

SPECIALTY TURKEYS:

Smoked: Smoked turkeys are ready to eat because the smoking process cures and cooks the meat with indirect heat. They are available in a wide range of flavors depending on the type of fuel used for the smoking process.

Free-Range: A turkey known as "free-range" indicates that the bird was allowed to roam outdoors, which may have a positive affect on the flavor of the meat, especially if the roaming area was not too crowded. The amount of space that a turkey is given to roam, regardless if it is indoors or out, actually affects the quality to a greater degree than if the bird is simply allowed to be outdoors.

Organic: An organic turkey refers to a bird that is allowed to eat only organic feed and is allowed to roam outdoors (free-range). In order to be classified as organic, the turkey can never receive any antibiotics. Growth hormones are also prohibited, which is the case for all commercially raised poultry.

Natural: This refers to turkeys that have limited processing with no artificial ingredients or coloring added. The term "natural" does indicate that a turkey is free-range. The meat is also be a bit drier than other types of turkeys that have had additional processing.

Kosher: A kosher turkey must be raised and processed with strict guidelines under rabbinical supervision. The turkeys are free-range birds that are fed only grain, are never given any antibiotics, and are individually inspected. When they are processed, the turkeys are soaked in a salty brine solution to provide maximum tenderness and to give the meat a unique flavor.

Heritage Turkeys: Before turkeys were raised in large commercial sites and mass marketed, most people ate a variety of breeds raised on small farms. Today these various breeds are known collectively as "Heritage Turkeys", which are making a comeback. Heritage turkeys are free-range birds and include breeds such as Jersey Buff, Bourbon Red, Black Spanish, and Narragansett. The various breeds generally have a longer body, smaller breast muscles, and are bit leaner than commercially raised birds. Heritage turkeys require an additional 2 to 3 months to grow to the proper size for processing. This makes the turkeys more expensive than commercially raised birds, but most people feel the extra expense is justified because of the excellent flavor and the texture and tenderness of the meat. Most heritage turkeys are raised on small farms where they can be directly purchased or they can be conveniently purchased from a number of online sites and shipped directly to the consumer. (The following passage was reprinted from the American Turkey Council)

Okay, so which ones do we buy? Well, last year we splurged and got a kosher bird from Trader Joe’s. Since it is pre-brined and not exorbitantly expensive it makes for one of the best choices! Moist white meat, succulent dark meat and no added fillers or water, broth or oils it is more than worth the extra money. Fresh is better, but more expensive than frozen and you should plan on thawing the bird in the fridge for up to 3 days before the day of the Thanksgiving dinner. Currently, Sprouts has fresh free-range turkeys for $1.49 per pound available today through Thanksgiving! Though I have not had a lot of Heritage turkeys I am told they are special, with a “gamy” flavor and stringy dry white meat and slightly more greasy than their larger commercial turkeys! Unfortunately, every American citizen has grown up with the Franken-birds the commercial poultry farmers raise. The turkeys are so pumped-up on hormones their breasts get to be so huge the turkey can barely walk upright!

I tend to stay away from the pre-stuffed birds and look to avoid any bird that claims to be “Pre-Basted” since these are pumped up with all kinds of ingredients designed to keep the white meat moist. Oils, broths and other liquids are injected into the meat to keep it from drying out during roasting, and it just strikes me as weird science!

“Pre-Stuffed” is another concept I don’t care for and can lead to some food borne illness issues during the Big Thaw. Most experts agree that you should have some control on what goes into, and onto your bird before it gets roasted. Letting someone else decide what to stuff into the bird seems a little too lazy!

“Natural” and “Free-Range” tend to be terms that go hand-in-hand and some explanation is in order. Natural means just that, only natural feed is given to the bird and no artificial ingredients are fed to the bird to increase breast growth or make for a moist bird. And free range? Well, that just means the birds are not kept locked up in the coop for their entire lives. However, certain states have basic rules governing the labeling of a piece of poultry as free range. In some states just letting the birds out of their cage for one hour a day is enough! I don’t go in for these birds and tend to avoid them, completely.

          There seems to be a new emphasis every year on “organic” everything and turkeys are no exception. Food purists say you will get a better tasting turkey by shelling out three times the price for one of these birds. Mostly, as the information states above, organic refers to what kind of grain the bird is fed and in my mind that may not be enough of a reason to pay the difference. Other people swear by the rule, “Organic/Free Range” and claim the added expense is worth it. The jury is still out on this one for me, I’m afraid!

          There is much to be said about getting the bird frozen or fresh. Last year we got a frozen Kosher bird and left it in the refer for 3 days. Still, it wasn’t enough time to completely thaw and the bird was soaked in cold water for a few hours to completely thaw before being put into the oven. There is much to be said getting the bird out of the fridge and up to room temperature before stuffing it, trussing and sticking it into the oven. Any roast or hunk of meat benefits from this essential trick – and frozen turkeys need extra care. 

 

The Big Thaw: Inspect the plastic around the bird and make sure there are no breaks or tears. Get out a plastic cooler that has been sanitized with bleach and rinsed well. Place the bird inside and cover with room temperature water. Place it out in the garage or away from heavy traffic areas in the house. This will help bring up the temperature of the thawed bird and start the roasting process with the best results. One thing is for sure: DO NOT USE HOT WATER! Remember, we just want the meat to get up to room temperature, not be pre-cooked. Remember to change the water about every hour until the bird is completely thawed. Pour the water out and get the turkey out of its plastic wrapper.

Submit your bird to the Briney Deep:

If you chose to buy a non-kosher turkey you might want to consider brining the bird before roasting it. Why brine your bird? I used to think this was an extra step that did nothing to the flavor of the bird – then I tried it! Amazing juiciness, the brining rendered a truly succulent turkey breast. That’s because the process of brining is so simple. Using a saline solution and the process of osmosis you can naturally “inject” extra flavor and water into the meat without the use of a syringe! You would have to get started about a day or two earlier thawing the bird since the brining process is an overnight affair and should be preformed with a completely thawed bird for the process to really work. Perform the thawing steps above at go get yourself a big white plastic bucket or a couple of food grade plastic bags, (a garbage bag is not a food grade bag!). Mix up the recipe at the end of this primer and get the bird into the brining solution and into the fridge and just let nature take its course. I promise you it will be an effort that pays dividends at the dinner table simply because the white meat will be moist and succulent!

“So, how do you cook your turkey?”

It’s my favorite question this time of year, and the answers are vast and sundry! Breast-side-up, bacon strips, cheesecloth soaked in butter, breast-side-down then flip it for the last hour, stuffed with lemons and onions, open the oven door every 15 minutes to squirt chicken broth all over the bird, stick it into a big plastic bag or grocery bag, deep fry it in 40 gallons of peanut oil, cut out the backbone and roast it spatchcocked-style under a big brick or roast it “beer can” style in a Bundt pan! I am shocked at how strange the process gets and I attempt to inform them of the simple way our family has done it since 1972… Breast-side-down, stuffed loosely with bread dressing, rubbed with butter and seasoned with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning then placed on a wire rack into a heavy bottomed roasting pan with white wine and water in it, stick the roasting pan into the pre-heated 275° F oven, (yes, that’s right! 275° F,) and close the door – 23 minutes per pound. Now, just walk away… don’t breathe too much! Don’t open the door, don’t baste or flip the bird, don’t work up that much of a sweat. That’s how we roll, that’s how we do it in the Sheppard’s household! The cookbook my Mom and Dad wrote goes on to state that this will not a “presentation” turkey and I feel I should explain what this means.

Most turkeys at the Thanksgiving table try to live up to a Rockwellian standard: perfectly browned on top, served whole at the dinner table and carved by Dad at the table! Firstly, no home cook in their right, left or other mind would want the turkey carved at the dinner table. There’s never enough room and you get turkey drippings all over the tablecloth, which Mom just loves! Instead, we roast our turkey for the maximum juiciness, carve the bird in the kitchen and serve the meat on big platters at the table.

 

A Plea For A Return To Sanity On Thanksgiving Day!

You can blame the current state of the Thanksgiving turkey on one image painted by Norman Rockwell back in 1943 during the height of World War II. The series was called, “The Four Freedoms” and one of those freedoms was, “Freedom From Want”. It depicts a family at the Thanksgiving table licking their chops, forks and knives in hand eyeing the perfectly roasted turkey being delivered by Grandma and Grandpa, smiling sheepishly!

 

Never mind that the white meat has been roasted to a state of cardboard dryness! This is the vision we Americans have accepted as the “perfect Thanksgiving turkey” and has been the stress-inducing image home cooks have been forced to achieve every year! I am sorry if I do not accept this image as perfect, but perfection is more a state of mind than it ever will be a state of being! I have been told that presentation is the most important part of the meal and that we taste our food first with our eyes. But what good does saying this do when we have to stand on our heads, face East, stick pins into dolls in the image of Betty Crocker, perform the strangest “turkey tricks” like the laying on of bacon or butter soaked cheesecloth and defy the laws of physics just to get moist white turkey meat? I think not!

        

          Blame it on Jackie Olden, a radio food host who inspired my Mom to try something new. Way back in 1974 my Mom was listening to her radio cooking show on the AM dial and the radical idea of roasting a turkey breast-side-down was put forward. Jackie went on to say you didn’t even need to turn the bird half way through, as some so-called experts suggest. Instead, if you want to roast a turkey and have the breast meat come out moist and tender, and you don’t care about the “presentation” then do it B-S-D! We have been roasting our Thanksgiving bird this way ever since and don’t intend to change it anytime soon!

I hope these past few pages have been a help. Now, I give to a list of other recipes and sides we serve traditionally, and not-so-traditionally, on Thanksgiving - one of our favorite feast days!

Alma’s Thanksgiving Turkey

         14 to 16 lb turkey                   6 to 8 C Alma’s Minnesota Stuffing

                       2 Tbl melted butter

Note the weight of the turkey.  If the turkey has been frozen, it must be completely thawed.  Remove from the freezer 2 days before cooking, and allow to thaw in the refrigerator.

The easiest place to work with the turkey is in the kitchen sink.  Remove any wrapping, and discard all liquid.  Remove the giblet bag and neck from the cavities, and reserve them for the Corn Bread Dressing.  Thoroughly wash the turkey, inside and out, under running water in the sink. Pat dry with paper towels.

Stand the turkey rear-side up, and remove the legs from their clasp.  Stuff the main cavity, using your hands, with the Bread Stuffing.  Fill  the cavity completely full, but do not press the stuffing in.  Return the legs to their clasp to close the cavity.  Don’t worry if the cavity is not completely closed, and a little stuffing shows or falls out. 

Turn the turkey neck-side up, and fill the neck cavity with stuffing.  Fold the skin flap over to close the cavity, and secure with 1 or 2 skewers, as required.

Place a V-shaped rack in a large roaster pan, and open the rack to the maximum notch possible.  Place the turkey breast side down in the rack, folding the wings naturally against the bird.  Rub 2 Tblsp melted butter over the top and sides of the turkey (the butter will solidify immediately). 

Put the oven rack to its lowest position, and preheat oven to 275ºF.  Roast the turkey for 25 minutes per pound, or until an inside thigh temperature of no more than 175ºF is reached.  Do not cover, turn, or baste turkey while it is roasting, and do not open the oven door!  If you must see the turkey while it is roasting, turn the oven light on and look through the window. (For un-stuffed birds roast them for 22 minutes per pound.)

Set your oven to 275ºF and plan ahead on the following roasting times. Check the thickest part of the thigh with a quick read thermometer. The turkey is ready when the internal temperature is between 165° to 170°F. Use the two sets of numbers to ensure the turkey is roasted to perfection!

         12 lbs:  4 hrs 35 min              16 lbs:  6 hrs 10 min

                        13 lbs:  5 hrs  0 min               17 lbs:  6 hrs 35 min
                       14 lbs:  5 hrs 25 min              18 lbs:  7 hrs   0 min
                        15 lbs:  5 hrs 45 min              19 lbs:  7 hrs 25 min
 

You can interpolate the above table for weights in between. Remove the turkey from the oven, tent with a piece of aluminum foil, and allow to stand about 20 minutes.

Place the turkey on a carving board, and slice to a serving tray in the kitchen.  If you have two cooks, one slices the turkey while the other makes the gravy.  If only one cook, make the gravy first, then slice the turkey.

A brief note on food safety: Most experts suggest that you do not roast your turkey in an oven “slower” than 350°F because of the danger of undercooked meat and food borne illness. Practically everyone I know says I am taking a big chance of poisoning my guests with undercooked turkey, but if you follow the steps above you will have nothing to worry about. However, there is another reason for doing the bird this way and it is the crux of the “breast-side-down” method. The thing to remember is the best way to keep the breast meat moist is to have all of the juices from the dark meat pass through the white meat on the way to the bottom of the roasting pan. Also, if your roasting pan has high sides to it the sides of the pan protects the delicate breast meat from the direct heat of the oven. So, as long as you use the roasting times above and check the inner core of the bird for the right temperature you will have nothing to worry about food borne illness and guests will be singing your praises until next year!

          Okay, so if you don’t want to take a chance and prefer to roast the bird at a higher temperature you will risk getting a drier white meat, but I still won’t call you a bad person!

 

Now, let’s make some killer gravy! Okay, you will find the following recipe has two packages of “turkey gravy mix” in it… (hmmm, I thought you said you were a foodie, Pete?) My Mom tells me that this stuff is crucial to making rich, thick awesome gravy, and she’s right. You can use a gravy flour like Wondra, or potato starch, and add salt and seasoning to the gravy, but the main reason I am writing this missive is to save you time and hassle! Just remember, if you do use the turkey gravy mix don’t add any salt…

Pete’s Killer Gravy

  pan drippings, with approx. 4 Tbl fat added

  1 c dry white wine
  enough water to make 2 cups of liquid
  2 packages turkey gravy mix, (approx 2 ounces)
  2 tsp poultry seasoning
  ½ tsp ground white pepper
  1 Tbl Wondra flour or potato starch, (optional)
 
Separate the fat from the pan drippings and pour them back into the roasting pan. Add the white wine and stir to combine. Place the pan over two burners and heat over medium high flame until starting to bubble. Sprinkle the gravy mix over the hot liquid and whisk well until smooth. If gravy needs thickening add the Wonrda gravy flour and whisk it in briskly. If the gravy is a little too thick add a little more wine. The gravy will thicken as it bubbles so get it good and hot. Pour the finished gravy up into a gravy boat with a ladle. Just like mashed potatoes and stuffing you can’t make enough of this stuff! Store the gravy for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. This stuff freezes well, too. Makes scads of gravy. Ladle liberally over the turkey, taters and dressing!    
  
When the going gets weird…

Okay, so now comes the time when I give you one new strange way to prepare your Thanksgiving turkey as handed down by the “experts”! This one comes from a cookbook writer who has put forth the notion of speed-roasting a smaller turkey by “spatchcoking” the bird, first. Originally an Irish culinary practice called “dispatch cock” it is also known as butterflying the bird before placing into the oven. This process has been used for chicken to speed up the cooking time when grilling and is actually a great idea! To spatchcock a bird you essentially remove the backbone and flatten the bird out before placing into the roaster. This will ensure even roasting since the overall solid mass of the bird has been reduced. The one thing to remember: this is not going to be a “presentation” bird! If you deliver this to the family at the Thanksgiving dinner table their reaction will probably be, “Who ran the turkey over in the driveway?” Cut the bird up in the kitchen as you would roasting it breast side down but in about half the time, or quicker! The other thing to remember is when doing the turkey this way: no stuffing! All of the dressing is cooked outside of the bird. This next recipe came from a cookbook called, “The New Thanksgiving Table” by Diane Morgan…

Pete’s “Spatchcocked” Turkey with Giblet Gravy  

12 – 14 lb fresh or thawed frozen Kosher “Natural” turkey

 4 Tbl unsalted butter, melted
 2 Tbl fresh sage leaves, chiffonade
 2 tsp poultry seasoning
 freshly cracked pepper
 

Approximately 1 hour before roasting remove the turkey from the refer to bring up to room temperature. Move the oven rack to the bottom third position and pre-heat to 350F degrees. Place the turkey still in its plastic wrapper in a clean kitchen sink and carefully cut open. Remove the giblets package and neck and place into the refer in a covered plastic container for later when making the gravy. Pull or cut out any excess fat from around the neck area and remove any remaining neck bone and place into the container in the fridge. Remove the plastic or metal clip holding the legs together. Rinse the turkey in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

To butterfly the turkey place it breast side down on a large cutting board. Using poultry shears or a very sharp boning knife cut along one side of the backbone along the entire length of the bird, then repeat on the other side. Gently remove the backbone and cut in half, reserving it in the container in the refer for the giblet gravy. Turn the turkey over and open the bird up. Using the heels of your hands press the turkey down flat, cracking the rib bones until the turkey lies flat. This may take considerably pressure or a couple of slits with a sharp knife to the breastbone to get the turkey to lie flat.

Brush the melted butter over the top and bottom of the flattened bird and season with poultry seasoning, cracked pepper and fresh sage. Insert a “V” rack into a large roasting pan and lay the “spatchcocked” turkey over the rack. Pour about 1 ½ cups water into the bottom of the roasting pan and inset the turkey into the oven. If you have a digital thermometer with a probe attached with a braided cable you might want to insert it into the thickest part of the thigh. Set the alarm to go off at 165F degrees. While the turkey is roasting make the giblet gravy, (see recipe below.)

Transfer the roasted turkey to a large clean cutting board and tent loosely with foil and rest for 20 minutes before carving. Strain the pan juices, fat and burned bits through the top of a large fat strainer and allow to rest for 5 minutes, or until the fat separates to the top. Pour the pan juices into the pan with the gravy. Carve the turkey, separating the white and dark meat to two heated platters and serve at once.

White Wine Giblet Gravy

  3 Tbl veggie oil

  reserved backbone, neck, gizzard and heart (discard the liver)
  1 white onion, peeled and chopped
  1 large carrot, scrubbed and cut into ½” rounds
  1 large rib celery, chopped with tops
  1 Tbl freshly chopped thyme
  2 Tbl freshly chopped parsley
  1 bay leaf
  6 whole black pepper corns
  2 c weak chicken broth, (from paste)
  reserved defatted juices from turkey roasting pan
  2 c dry white wine
  3 c cold water
  ¼ c Wondra flour or potato starch
  1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning
  sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
 

Begin the gravy by first making the turkey stock from the reserved turkey parts. In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat add the oil. Add the turkey parts and brown on all sides – about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, carrot, celery, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns – toss well to coat and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, water and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame and simmer for 1 hour or until reduced by half skimming any brown foam from the top. Strain the finished stock through a colander into a large glass or Pyrex bowl. Shred the meat from the neck and back and mince the gizzard and heart. In a separate measuring cup whisk together ½ cup reserved pan juices and the Wondra flour or potato starch until smooth. Stir the reserved meat juices into the turkey stock and stir. Measure out 3 cups of the stock mixture into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium high flame. Whisk in the flour/stock mixture and bring to a boil until thickened. Stir in the chopped meat, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Keep warm until ready to serve. Makes 4 cups gravy.

More Recipes from, “The Casa Alma Cookbook”

We eat Corn Bread with a lot of dishes at Casa Alma.  It’s a must with Alma’s Corned Beef & Cabbage, and with Joe’s New Year’s Black-eyed Peas.  We usually make a double batch of the following recipe in a 14-inch cast iron skillet, since many family members like a slice, slathered with butter and swimming in syrup, for dessert.  And Joe likes it crumbled into a tall glass, then filled with “sweet milk”, as a cold breakfast cereal.  A double batch is necessary for Joe’s Corn Bread Dressing recipe.

Joe’s Texas Corn Bread

 

          1 c corn meal                         ½ tsp salt

                        1 c flour                                  2 extra large eggs
                       2 tsp baking powder              3/4 c milk
                                                                     1/3 c shortening
 
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
In a mixing bowl, blend all dry ingredients together with a fork.  Beat the eggs lightly in a separate bowl, add the milk, then beat to combine.  Add to the dry ingredients, and stir until all dry ingredients are moistened. 

Melt the shortening in a 10-inch heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Pour all but about 1 Tblsp of the melted shortening into the batter, and stir to combine.  Return skillet to medium high heat, and when fat is hot, sprinkle in a little corn meal over the bottom of the skillet.  Pour in the batter, pouring in the center of the skillet.  Place in the preheated oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until top is golden brown. 

The corn bread should slide out of the skillet onto a serving plate.  If not, cut it in quarters and lift out with a spatula.  Cut in pie-shaped wedges, and serve hot if possible, or at least warm. 

Buttermilk Corn Bread:  Add 1/8 tsp baking soda to the dry ingredients, and replace the 3/4 cup sweet milk with 1 cup buttermilk. 

While we’re emphasizing the versatility of Corn Bread, we might as well move to Thanksgiving, and Joe’s recipe for Texas Corn Bread Dressing.  This is a dressing, i.e., a casserole side dish, and not a stuffing for the turkey.  Alma stuffs the turkey with her version of Minnesota Bread Stuffing, while Joe makes the Corn Bread Dressing on the side, using the bag of giblets from the turkey.  Alma always makes more stuffing than we can get into the bird, and cooks the balance in a casserole, as a Bread Dressing.  We mix it with the super moist stuffing from the turkey when it comes out of the oven, and thus have a side dish of the traditional American wheat bread dressing and a side dish of corn bread dressing on the table.  People take a portion of each, and smother both with turkey gravy. 

 

Joe’s Corn Bread Dressing

            Turkey giblets                        ½ c pecans, chopped
            3 c water                                2 tsp poultry seasoning
            1 tsp chicken stock base       2 tsp sage
            2 recipes of corn bread         ½ tsp cayenne
            2 Tbl sausage drippings        ½ tsp black pepper
            ½ medium onion, chopped    2 extra large eggs
            ½ c chopped celery               2 hard boiled eggs
 
Rinse the giblets, reserve the liver, and place the neck, heart, and gizzard in a pot with the 3 C water and 1 tsp chicken stock base.  Cover, and bring to a good simmer over medium high heat, reduce heat, and simmer until meat on the neck is done.  Add the liver, and simmer 5 minutes longer.  Set aside to cool.

Bake the double batch of Corn Bread, and turn out on a rack to cool.

When giblets are cool, reserve the broth, and cut the meat off the neck with a boning knife.  Trim the gristle off the gizzard.  Fine chop the neck meat, heart, gizzard, and liver, and reserve.

Crumble the corn bread in a large mixing bowl.  Heat the sausage drippings in a small skillet, and sauté the onion and celery, stirring, until the onion is transparent and limp.  Add to the cornbread.  Add the chopped giblets and pecans, with enough broth to barely moisten.  Sprinkle the poultry seasoning, sage, cayenne, and black pepper evenly over all.  Stir to distribute the ingredients uniformly in the corn bread. 

Slightly beat the 2 eggs, and add to the dressing with more broth, stirring, until dressing is moist and sticks together well.  Coarse chop the 2 boiled eggs, and lightly fold into the dressing.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Bake in a greased casserole dish until a light brown crust forms on the edges, about 40 to 45 minutes.  Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.

Foolproof Mashed Potatoes

Probably one of the easiest of side dishes, and unfortunately the easiest to mess up! Here's how we avoid some of the standard pitfalls to make the smoothest of mashed potatoes, ever. And, I have included some variations, as well.

           4 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into uniform chunks

            6 quarts cold water
            1 tsp salt
             4 Tbl unsalted butter, melted
            1/3 c heavy cream, more or less, heated
            ground white pepper and salt, to taste
 
Place the peeled potatoes into a large enough stockpot to hold all of the potatoes and still leave about 3 inches of space from the top of the pot when covered with water. Bring to a boil over a medium/high flame, uncovered, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork. Carefully drain all of the water from the pot and return the pot to a low flame. Shake the pot vigorously to help dry the potatoes - about 5 minutes - but do not burn. Remove the pot from the flame and mash the potatoes lightly. Heavy mashing could make for stiff potatoes. Add the melted butter and heated cream and stir them into the potatoes. Continue to mash gently, while seasoning with ground white pepper and salt. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Serve immediately!

Sour Cream Variation:

After mashing the potatoes lightly when they come fresh off the burner stir in 1/3 cup sour cream, then season with salt and ground white pepper, and continue to mash until creamy.

 

Garlic Mashed Variation:

While bringing the potatoes up to a boil add 4 to 5 whole, peeled garlic cloves directly into the pot. As the water boils the garlic will infuse into the potatoes. Then, after draining the water, and drying the potatoes on the burner you can choose to remove the garlic cloves from the potatoes before you mash, for a light garlic flavor. Or, you may choose to leave the garlic in the potatoes while you mash for a more intense garlic flavor.

 

Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows and Pecans

Another Sheppard Family classic, yet never written down until now!

4 to 5 sweet potatoes, (about 4 lbs.)

2 Tbl unsweetened butter, melted
¼ c brown sugar or maple syrup
1 c mini marshmallows
½ c raw pecans, chopped
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
 

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F and move the rack to the center position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with no-stick. Make several slits in the skin and place them on the sheet and into the oven. Roast the potatoes for 1 to 1½ or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop them out into a large bowl. Add the butter, sugar, (or syrup,) nutmeg and cloves – stir well to combine. Spray the bottom and sides of a 2-quart round casserole and scrape the sweet potato mixture into the prepared casserole. At this point you can cover the dish and refrigerate it until ready to reheat the day of the meal. To finish the dish, preheat the oven to 350°F and move the rack to the center position. Sprinkle the top with chopped nuts and marshmallows and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated and nicely browned on top. Cool for 10 minutes and serve. Makes 8, ½ cup servings. ENJOY!

Braised Parsnips & Carrots in Cider

I based this recipe on one that appears in my Mom and Dad's family cookbook, "The Casa Alma Cookbook". I substituted the ½ cup orange juice with ½ cup hard cider. I think they can forgive me!

6 carrots   

6 parsnips 
2 Tbl honey
1½ Tbl butter, melted
½ c hard cider
1 orange, zest and juice

Butter or non-stick spray a 2-qt covered casserole.  Peel the carrots and parsnips with a potato peeler, and cut off the ends.  Cut into 1½” long pieces on the diagonal.  If the tops are much larger in diameter than the bottoms cut them in half lengthwise.  Put carrots and parsnips in casserole, and add all other ingredients. Cover casserole and place in a 350ºF oven.  Remove after 10 minutes and toss vegetables to evenly coat with the sauce.  Return to oven, covered, and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, or until carrots and parsnips are tender but not mushy.  Toss again in sauce before serving.

Cook's Note: The 350ºF temperature is not critical for braising these vegetables, so if you are cooking them in the same oven with something else at a different temperature, just watch the vegetables for doneness.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

For those of you, like me, who cannot stand the cranberry sauce from a can - in all of its metallic wonder - here is another Sheppard classic that would not be missing from the Thanksgiving table!

  

1 bag fresh cranberries

water, to cover

1/4 c sugar, or honey

3 Tbl fresh squeezed orange juice
2 tsp grated orange peel
pinch of salt

Rinse the berries in a colander and pick over the berries, removing any bad ones and stems. Place them into a medium saucepan and cover with water. Add the sugar, or honey, orange juice and salt and stir to dissolve. Bring the berries slowly to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the berries just start to break their skins. There is plenty of natural pectin in cranberries so don't worry if the sauce is a little thin when hot. It will naturally thicken as it cools. Cool the sauce and pour up into a non-reactive glass, or ceramic bowl. Cover and place into the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. Serve on the side with roasted turkey. Makes about 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Grandma Irene’s Rutabagas and Apples

There are few dishes that are absolute must haves on the Thanksgiving dinner than rutabagas! A long time past my Grandma Irene was visiting from Minnesota and saw rutabagas in the super market and brought some home to make for the dinner. An instant convert, I championed rutabagas for the next few Thanksgivings. It stuck! Here is a recipe for Rutabagas and Apples that comes straight from my Grandmother to you!

  

3 cups rutabagas, peeled and cut into 2” chunks

1 cups Granny Smith’s apples, peeled and cut into chunks
4 Tbl unsalted butter
¼ tsp cracked pepper
1/2 tsp salt
 several grinds fresh nutmeg

In the basket of a steamer pot place the rutabaga chunks and steam for 30 to 35 minutes, or until nearly tender. Add the apple chunks and steam for 15 minutes more. Place cooked rutabagas and apples into a large flat bowl Add the butter and mash until nearly smooth. Stir in the pepper, salt and nutmeg and scrape into a serving bowl. This dish can be made a day ahead and reheated just before serving the turkey. 

 

Pete’s Special Corn Soufflé

This is my standard go-to recipe for all backyard gatherings and is perfect for fall parties, no just Thanksgiving! The amazing this is its simplicity, a real easy dish that everyone just raves about!

  

2 – 10 oz cans cream-style corn

1 “tube” soda crackers, crushed
2 eggs, beaten lightly
½ c milk
4 oz grated cheddar cheese
4 oz can diced green chiles
4 Tbl melted unsalted butter
2 Tbl flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
paprika, as garnish

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and move the rack to the center of the oven. In a large bowl combine the corn, soda crackers, eggs, milk, cheese, green chiles, butter, flour, baking powder, salt & pepper. Mix together well. Spray a 2-quart casserole with no-stick and scrape the batter into the dish. Sprinkle the top with paprika and bake for 50 minutes, or until nicely browned and the sides are pulled away from the dish. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. More like a corn “pudding” this dish is best made ahead and reheated just before serving the turkey.

  

Pete's Chunky Apple Pecan Dressing for Turkey or Pork

This is the dressing I served at the Bobby Flay Shop Brew shoot and it was such a big hit I had to include it here. The main difference between "dressing" and "stuffing" is simple. Dressing is served as a side dish, separate from the bird; stuffing is actually cooked inside the bird, then put on the side. It is my humble opinion that you can never have enough of either of them at the Thanksgiving table!

 

2 loaves fresh, or day old, French bread, cut into 1/2" chunks

2 Tbl rubbed sage
1 Tbl dried basil
2 c low sodium turkey broth, (from paste avail. at Smart & Final)
1 c white wine or hard cider, (Riesling or Blackthorn cider)
2 Tbl unsalted butter
2 Tbl oil
2 c peeled Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2" chunks
2 c celery, strings removed and cut into 1/2" chunks
2 c white onions, peeled and chopped into 1/2" chunks
1 c flat leaf, or Italian parsley, chopped or torn-up
juice and zest of 2 sweet lemons
3/4 c chopped raw pecans
salt & pepper, to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 300°F. Arrange the cubed bread on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and toast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until very dry - but not burnt! Set aside in a very large bowl to cool. Raise the oven temperature to 325°F.  In a large skillet over a medium/high flame melt the butter and add the oil. Add the onions and celery and toss to coat, sweating the veggies for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the apples and toss to coat, sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions and celery are almost limp. Add the cooked apples and veggies to the dried bread and season with sage, basil, salt, pepper and fresh parsley. Toss the mixture with your fingers to incorporate well. In the same pan you fried the veggies in mix up the turkey broth and heat along with the white wine, or cider, until it just barely simmers. Pour the liquid into the bread/veggie mixture and toss with two wooden spoons. Scrape the dressing into one large, or two smaller flat casserole dishes, (9" x 13" x 2"), that have been sprayed with no-stick. Season each casserole with a little more salt & pepper. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over both casseroles and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes to brown the top. Serve with mashed potatoes and sliced turkey. Makes 8 cups of dressing.

Country Pies and Other Sweets

As you might expect, Joe’s favorite pie is Texas Pecan Pie.  It was also his father’s favorite, and the one pie that his mother served most.  It was also about the cheapest pie she could make.  Every fall, Joe’s family picked up pecans that had fallen to the ground under the many pecan trees in Central Texas where he grew up.  The pecans were shared with the owner of the property.  Such activity was called “picking on quarters”, or “picking on halves”, depending on what fraction you had to give to the property owner and what fraction you got to keep.  The family filled a 50-gallon milk can with unshelled pecans, which lasted until the next fall.  They had their own chickens, so eggs were plentiful, and Joe’s mother, Freddie Barham Sheppard, used lots of eggs in her pecan pie.  The result was more like a custard than the thin, syrupy pecan pies you typically find served. 

Joe’s mother didn’t have a written recipe (we’re not sure she ever wrote a recipe down), but Alma evidently got the right inspiration, because Joe considers Alma’s Texas Pecan Pie as the best he has ever eaten.  Her recipe below makes two pie crusts, but only one pecan pie.  To preserve our Minn-Tex heritage, Alma usually makes a pumpkin pie at the same time with the second crust.  If you want to go this route, take a can of pumpkin pie mix, and follow the directions on the can.  If you want to make two pecan pies, make two batches of the filling below (and that means two separate batches; don’t try to divide one double-batch between two pies).  And don’t try to cut the crust recipe in half; it just doesn’t work out.

Alma’s Texas Pecan Pie

            
             Crust:                                    Filling:
            3 c flour                                  4 eggs
            1¼ c shortening                     ¾ c dark corn syrup
            1 egg                                      ¾ c dark brown sugar
            5 Tbl cold water                     ¼ c melted butter
            1 tsp vinegar                          1 tsp vanilla extract
                                                           1¼ c pecan halves

To make the crust, cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender to a crumb stage.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg well, then beat in the water and vinegar.  Add to the flour, and blend with a fork to just form a dough ball.  Divide in half, and roll each half out on a well-floured board to generously fit a 9” pie plate.  Crimp the edges of the dough around the pie plate with your thumb and finger.  Line the bottom of the crust with baking marbles to keep it from loosing its shape.  Bake in a preheated 400ºF oven for 8 minutes. 

This recipe makes 2 pie crusts.  If you are making 2 pecan pies, make two separate batches of the filling recipe.  Otherwise, use the second pie crust for another pie. 

While the crusts are baking, make the filling.  In a bowl, beat the eggs well, then beat in the syrup and sugar.  Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and pecans, and stir to blend.  Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. 

Bake the pie in a preheated 400ºF oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350ºF and bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer, until the pie is set.  Check it by pressing down on the pecans, which will float on the top. 

Pecan pie is best at, or just above, room temperature.  Do not put in the refrigerator.  Top with whipped cream or ice cream, if you must. 

Old fashion dishes seem more appropriate in Battle Lake than in SoCal.  To make pie crusts with lard doesn’t raise an eyebrow.  Of course, as noted earlier in this cookbook, the health nut gurus have actually determined that lard is the most healthful of the saturated fats, i.e., makes the healthiest pie crust.  Alma’s lard pie crust recipe is given below along with her favorite recipes for apple pie and pecan pie. 

            Alma’s Lard Pie Crust

            3 c flour     

            1 large egg
            1 c cold lard
            5 Tbl cold water
            1 tsp salt   
            1 tsp vinegar
            1 Tbl sugar
  
  Using a food processor with the metal blade, pulse the flour, lard, salt

  and sugar until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  In separate bowl
  beat the egg, water and vinegar with a whisk, then add to the processor.
  Pulse until the mixture begins to form a ball of dough.  Turn out onto a
  lightly floured board and form into two rounds.
 
  Dough may be rolled out immediately for use, or can be wrapped in
  plastic and stored up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or indefinitely in
  the freezer.  Allow to return to room temperature before rolling out.
  This recipe makes enough for a 9” two-crust pie or 2 single crust pies.
 
                   Alma’s Apple Pie

          6 Granny Smith apples         1 tsp cinnamon

          1 c sugar*                              ¼ tsp nutmeg
          2 Tbl flour                              2 Tbl butter
 

Peel and core apples and slice thinly.  Blend sugar, flour and spices,

add to apples and toss to coat.  Put into a 9” pastry-lined pan, and
dot with the butter.  Arrange top crust and crimp edges.  Cut several
slits in top crust for steam to escape.

Bake in 400ºF oven for 50 minutes. 

*Note: If less tart apples are used, decrease sugar to ¾ C.

This recipe makes a very good pie indeed, and Alma says it is the neatest to make.  Use a single lard pie crust from above.

Alma’s Pecan Pie

          3 large eggs        ½ c butter, melted

          ¼ tsp salt            1 c dark corn syrup
          ¾ c sugar            1½ c pecan halves

Preheat oven to 450ºF.  Roll out and adjust pastry in a 9” pie pan. 

Cook in the 450ºF oven for 5 minutes, and set aside to cool.  Lower
the oven to 425ºF.

Add salt to eggs and beat until very light.  Beat in sugar a little at a

time.  Stir in the melted butter, then the syrup.  Pour into the partially
baked pie crust and arrange the pecan halves evenly on top.
 
Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated 425ºF oven, reduce the
heat to 325ºF, and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Peter’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

I came up with the following recipe by accident one day when I went to make the standard cheesecake recipe and was short on cream cheese. The answer? Add a can of mashed pumpkin! 

Crust:

1 c flour                                    
2 egg yolks
1 c gingersnaps, pulverized     
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ c powdered sugar
¼ lb cold butter
 
Grind the gingersnaps in a food processor until very fine crumbs form. Sift the flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and combine with gingersnap crumbs.  Separate the two eggs, reserving the remaining whites for the filling. Make a well in the middle, and add the egg yolks and vanilla.  Cut the stick of butter into chunks, and add to the mixture.  Mix the ingredients together with your fingers to form a dough. Press evenly over the bottom and halfway up the sides of a spring form pan.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese               
5 eggs, separated (plus 2 egg whites from crust rx)
8 oz can pumpkin puree       
1½ c sugar                            
1 3/4  c sour cream
3 Tbl flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice       

In a large bowl, blend together the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugar, and flour. Beat in the 5 egg yolks, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Add the sour cream and blend well. Pour the cream cheese/pumpkin mixture into a very large bowl and clean the mixer bowl. Beat the 7 egg whites until just stiff, and carefully fold into the cream cheese/pumpkin mixture with a large spatula. Tap the side of the bowl to break up as many bubbles that form as possible.  Pour into the prepared crust in the spring form pan smoothing the top. Garnish with a little ground cinnamon.

Bake in a preheated 350ºF oven for 1½ hours with a large, high-sided cookie sheet filled with hot water on the rack underneath the cheesecake. The cake is done when it springs back to the touch in the center. In the last 15 minutes of baking time turn off the heat and prop the door of the oven open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the oven, about 30 to 40 minutes more.  Continue to cool in the pan, on a wire rack, then refrigerate overnight. Serve with whipped cream.

Here is a copy of my favorite beer bread recipe – I have made tons of these loaves for the Maltose Falcons Home Brewing Society over the years!

The Best Pumpkin Stout Bread Recipe On The Planet!

3 c plus 2 Tbl sugar

1 c vegetable oil
3 eggs, beaten
2 c mashed pumpkin
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbl pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp ground ginger
2/3 c stout beer

Spray baker's "no-stick" into two 9"x5" loaf pans and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream sugar and oil. Add eggs and mashed pumpkin and beat well. Sift together flour, soda, salt, baking powder, and spices into a bowl. Alternate flour mixture and stout into the sugar and egg mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour into loaf pans and bake for 1 ½ hours, or until tops are golden brown and spring back lightly to the touch. A skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Allow loaves to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Serve with lemon curd – YUM! ENJOY!

"What do we do with all this leftover turkey?"

Here’s a new addition to the Thanksgiving line-up: The Morning After! Below I have a recipe for Turkey Enchiladas made with fresh tomatillo salsa for when there’s nothing but turkey meat left in the freezer and you’ve all gotten sick of Hot Turkey sammiches!

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

  

2 lb. fresh tomatillos, approx 2” dia.*

2 white onion, peeled and quartered
3 fresh pasilla chiles
2 Anaheim chiles
2 yellow wax chiles
2 jalapeno chiles
3 limes, juiced
1 bunch fresh cilantro
2 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbl corn oil
salt, to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F and move the rack to the upper-third position. Line a large heavy-duty 11”x17” roasting pan with heavy-duty foil. Peel the husks off the tomatillos and rinse well in cold water. Using a pairing knife cut around the stem ends and removing the white pithy part at the top of the tomatillos. Cut the really big fruit in half and drop into a bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the tomatillos and dust lightly with salt. Toss with your hands and arrange, cut side down on the roasting pan. Rinse the chiles and cut the stems off the tops of each and split them in half – do not remove the seeds! Place them into the bowl along with the onions. Pour the remaining oil over the veggies and dust lightly with salt and toss well with your fingers. Arrange the chiles and onions on the roasting pan. Place the pan into the oven and roast the veggies for 25 minutes at 375°F. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the veggies over. Place the pan back into the oven and continue to roast an additional 20 minutes or until the tomatillos have burst and the chiles and onions are nicely charred. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Rinse the cilantro and spin dry in a salad spinner. Chop the cilantro with some stems for flavor. Place half of the roasted veggies into the bowl of a Cuisinart with the metal blade attached. Add half of the cilantro, juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon cumin and salt to taste. Pulse on and off several times until slightly broken up. Turn on for a full minute to pulverize until coarsely chopped but not a puree. Pour up into a large glass bowl and repeat the process with the remaining veggies, cilantro, spices and limejuice. Cool slightly and cover with plastic wrap, store in the fridge to cool until ready to use.

This makes a great dipping sauce, stir it into sour cream, cream cheese and cooked chicken for an Enchilada Suisas con Pavo recipe. Use it as a flavoring agent in Arroz Verde, (Green Rice,) or as the main ingredient in Chile Verde Pork.

*Notes on picking the best tomatillos: The best tomatillos are the ones that are deep green and without blemishes. Since you buy them with the hush attached the best way to check this is to peel back the husks at the store. Also, try to get them all the same size, about 2” in diameter, or smaller.

Enchiladas Suisas con Pavo

2 lbs roasted turkey, white and dark meat, chopped

1 c chicken broth, from paste                 
8 oz cream cheese
2 c fresh tomatilla salsa (rx above)
½ c whipping cream
2 bunches green onions, chopped with tops  
12 corn tortillas
4 oz Jack cheese
½ C chopped cilantro

In a large bowl, whip the cream cheese with a wooden spoon until smooth, then beat in the cream, a little at a time.  Add the chopped turkey, onions and half of the cilantro to the cream cheese and stir until evenly mixed into the cheese.  This is the stuffing for the enchiladas.

Combine the chicken broth and tomatillo salsa in a bowl large enough to hold a tortilla. Heat a cast iron comal or fry pan over a medium/high flame and flip the corn tortillas over a dry pan a few times until soft.  Dip a tortilla in the salsa, coating both sides, then place on a plate.  Fill with one-twelfth of the stuffing, roll up into an enchilada, and place in a rectangular baking dish just wide enough to hold the enchilada and sprayed with no-stick.  When all enchiladas are made, pour the remaining salsa and remaining cilantro evenly over all, and sprinkle with the shredded cheese. The enchiladas may be made in advance and held at this point, refrigerated if necessary, until just before ready to serve.

Bake in a 350ºF preheated oven for 20 minutes. Rest for 10 to 15 minutes then serve with Arroz Verde and a tossed greens salad. Enjoy!

 

You’ve Got Questions… We’ve Got Stupid Looks!

Finally, in an ongoing effort to list as much information possible in one place I have taken the liberty of including the Turkey Tip hotlines as well as other manufacturer’s hotlines and websites for those pesky last-minute questions you may have on Turkey Day! Don’t call me, call the experts…

Turkey Talk-Lines:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat & Poultry Hotline:

(888)-674-6854)

Butterball Turkey Talk:                    PHONE: 1(800)-288-8372
                                                        ONLINE: talkline@butterball.com

Empire Kosher – Poultry Customer Hotline: (717)-436-7055

Reynolds Turkey Tips Hotline: (800)-745-4000

Baking Talk-Lines:

Fleischmann’s Yeast Baker’s Hotline: (800)-777-4959

King Arthur Flour Baker’s Hotline: (802)-649-3717

General Mills: (800)-248-7310

Nestle Toll House Baking Information Line: (800)-637-8537

General Info Talk-Lines:

Ocean Spray Consumer Helpline: (800)-662-3263

And, finally which wine to serve with what dish?

“facebook.com/LoewsHotels” Contact these guys up to 24 hours before your meal and get wine pairing suggestions from your submitted menu!

In closing…

However you decide to roast/smoke/barbecue or fry your turkey I’m sure it will be tasty and everyone will be thankful they didn’t have to cook, this year!

And, as always…

Peace, Love… Smoke! (always smoke!)

 

Thanksgiving, 2011

Peter Sheppard

Palms, CA