Thanksgiving Turkey

I can't believe it's here already; the Culinary Olympics if you will, otherwise known as Thanksgiving.  I've been thinking of my menu since October when the November issue of Bon Appetit arrived in my mailbox with a turkey on the cover.  It always shocks me when it first comes and then before I know it I still haven't figured out my menu.  Not to sound like the over 30 year old that I am, but seriously, where does the time go?  This is the first year that we are officially hosting.  Last year Johnny and I did most of the cooking at his parents house, but this year we will officially host the 'meal of the year' in our own kitchen.  It was a great practice run last year and little did I know that the pictures taken from last year would end up being a blog post this year.  (You'll forgive me if I don't actually make an entire additional turkey just for your sake because seriously once in two weeks is plenty, in fact once a year is plenty.  Although you might not think that when you make this one.)

I wish I had a family recipe to pass on, but my mom actually didn't host Thanksgiving while we were growing up.  Christmas Eve was always her big holiday meal and we usually spent Thanksgiving at my Mimi and Grandpa Winn's.  I'm sure my mom brought something to contribute to the meal, my guess would be pie, although I was young enough and cared too little about cooking at the time to remember.  There were a couple of years when my mom did host after it was a bit too much for my grandparents to handle.  I'm not sure that we ever had a crowd less than 15 so it was always an enormous bird and I remember my mom getting up in the wee hours (okay wee hours for a teenager/college student, but that could mean 9 am) to put the turkey in.  For me the turkey was never the star of the show, just a very elaborate means to make gravy.  I mostly cared about the stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and sides... until last year that is.  You see it's not that everyone else doesn't make a turkey as good as the one we had last year (if I do say so myself) it's just that this one is that good.  First of all, I think it's pretty difficult to get a moist bird that is 20 lbs or so.  By the time the inside is cooked the outside is dry.  Second of all I was introduced to brining a couple of years ago at a cooking class and will never NEVER go back on brining a bird, or any white meat for that matter, I first started with pork tenderloin and now am brine addicted.

This recipe comes from my foodie friend/culinary inspiration and one of my best friends, Patty.  She found it in Cooks Illustrated and said the first time she made it everyone at the table said it was the best turkey they had ever had.  I told her she need not say more and to send me the recipe.  Last year when we made it, Johnny removed it from the oven and we each tried a little nibble.  I had a piece of a carmelized vegetable at the bottom of the pan and thought if it was any indication of how good the turkey itself would be then we would all be quite pleased.  It was and and we were and it's what I am making a week from tomorrow (eek!  a week from tomorrow?!?)... now, just what to have with it is in question...

Trish's Tips:  This is clearly an involved recipe, but like I wrote above, this is the culinary olympics, and the turkey is the star of the show... go for it!  Here are some things to keep in mind.

1.  You will need to start Wednesday afternoon to allow time for brining, drying and cooking.  The brining makes for a moist bird.  The drying makes for crisp skin.  (That doesn't include thawing time if you are starting with a frozen bird.)
2.  If you've never trussed meat (and seriously, who has?) then it may seem confusing.  Basically the reason to do so is that everything is held tight and so that the legs and wings aren't burnt by the time the breasts and the rest of the turkey is done.  Need help on trussing the turkey?  Check out this link.
3.  If this is your first time making a turkey then you might want to held really tight to every step here, but like with most recipes you have a lot to take into consideration like the size of your bird, etc when determining cooking time.  Be flexible and buy a good thermometer.
4.  The flipping seemed a bit cumbersome in light of the millions of other things that the chef has to do the day of, but it again adds to a moist bird.
5.  It is so important to let any meat rest after taking it out of the oven and before carving.  If you cut into it right away all of those precious juices that you worked so hard to attain will just rush right out.  Give it 30-45 minutes at to rest.  This will give you time to finish the gravy.
6.  What?  Carving?  Check this out...
7.  If using giblets weirds you out then just omit that step and start with the onions.  I went for it last year but can see how people have a hard time with it.
8.  Don't forget to thaw your turkey completely!  It also doesn't hurt to take it out of the fridge a half hour or so before you cook it, give it time to take the chill off.
9.  Buy the best turkey you can afford.  We ordered a hormone free organic one from the farmers market.  At first it seemed expensive, but anything compared to 99 cents a pound at the grocery store will seem expensive.  The price of a good one is what you would pay for a decent meal out for two people but meanwhile it will feed many more... with leftovers.  The flavor is unmatched.  Don't cheap out here....
10.  My anal tendencies came out when I made a spreadsheet last year to plot everything out; when to put what in, flip what, start potatoes, etc.  Of course keep in mind I do make a spreadsheet for just about everything.  Don't worry, it's not required but it doesn't hurt to work backwards from when you want to eat, just a piece of scratch paper will work!   The cooking time here for us for the same size bird was basically spot on.  I initially added a half hour to my timeline thinking with all of the opening of the oven, etc it would be off but it wasn't.
11.  I've had salmonella before and you don't want to be known for giving it to your guests and definitely not on Thanksgiving.  As with all poultry practice precautions.  Wash your hands after you touch it every time and give everything the raw turkey touches a good spray down.
12.  Have more of just about everything here.  Your turkey may need more stuffing, or your roasting pan may need less depending on it's size.  I always find I need more stock and can you ever have enough butter?
13.  Lastly, roll with it.  Mistakes are bound to happen and imagine them as future stories to tell around the Thanksgiving table.  Delicious gravy can cure an overdone/dry and/or burnt bird.

p.s.  As the photos may suggest I wasn't alone in cooking the turkey.  Okay, truth be told it was truly Johnny's responsibility under the very close watch of yours truly.  Okay, I will give credit where credit is due.  I found the recipe, wrote the instructions, created the timeline and supervised, but it was really Johnny who made it.  And he's not even a foodie!  See, now don't you feel even more empowered to conquer the task!  Oh and one more thing... Happy Thanksgiving!  May we all be grateful for everything we have been blessed with.  Hope you have a blessed holiday.

Roast Thanksgiving Turkey

Equipment needed:
Large bucket, cooler or brining bag that will hold turkey with brine
Aluminum foil
Roasting pan with v-rack
String to tie turkey
Meat Thermometer

Ingredients:
4 cups kosher salt
1 turkey (12 to 14 lb gross weight), rinsed thoroughly; giblets, neck and tailpiece removed.  (reserve for gravy if you wish)
3 medium onions, chopped coarse
2 small carrots, chopped coarse
2 celery ribs, chopped coarse
several sprigs fresh thyme
several leaves fresh sage
1 TBL whole peppercorns
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. Dissolve salt in 2 gallons cold water in large stockpot or clean bucket.  Add a few sage leaves and peppercorns.  Add turkey and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.  (Alternatively you can halve the salt and brine for 12 hours or overnight.  If you don't half the salt it will be overly salty.)
2.  Remove turkey from salt water and rinse well under cool running water.  Pat dry inside and out with paper towels.  Place turkey breast-side up on flat wire rack over rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate, uncovered, 8 to 24 hours.
3.  Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss one-third of onions, carrots and celery with 2 sprigs of thyme and 3 sage leaves and 1 TBL butter in medium bowl,  fill cavity with mixture.  Tuck wings behind back.  Truss Turkey.
4.  Scatter remaining vegetables (use less or more depending on the size of your pan/turkey), a few sage leaves and sprigs of thyme in shallow roasting pan:  pour 1 cup of water over vegetables.  Set v-rack in pan and line with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Spray foil with cooking spray;  then pierce 20 to 30 small holes in the foil with a pairing knife.  Spread turkey breast with butter then set breast side down on foil lined v-rack.  Brush back of turkey with butter.  Roast 45 minutes.
5.  Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven; brush back with butter.  Using thick wads of paper towels or potholders, rotate turkey leg/wing-side up.  If liquid in bottom of roasting pan has evaporated, add 1/2 cup of water.  Roast 15 minutes longer.
6.  Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven, brush exposed surfaces with butter and using thick wads of paper towels or potholders, rotate turkey on second leg/wing-side up; roast for 15 minutes longer.
7.  Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven, brush exposed surfaces with butter and using thick wads of paper towels or potholders, rotate turkey breast-side up.  Roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 30 to 45 minutes longer.  Move turkey from rack to carving board and let rest about 20 to 45 minutes.  Carve and serve with gravy if desired.

Pan Gravy:

Steps 1 & 2 can be completed while the turkey is brining.  While the bird is roasting proceed with step three then complete step 4 while the bird is resting.

Ingredients:
1 TBL canola oil
reserved turkey giblets, neck and tailpiece
1 onion,  chopped
6 cups turkey stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
8 parsley stems
3 sage leaves
3 TBL unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
salt and ground black pepper

1.  Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium high heat until shimmering but not smoking:  add giblets, neck and tail and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened about 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to low: cover and cook until turkey parts and onion release their juices about 20 minutes.  Add stock and herbs, increase heat to Medium-high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, skimming any scum that may rise to the surface until broth is rich and flavorful about 30 minutes longer.
2.  Strain broth (you should have about 5 cups).  Discard solids.
3.  While turkey is roasting, bring reserved turkey broth to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.  When foam subsides, vigorously whisk in flour to make a roux.  Cook slowly, stirring constantly until nutty brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes.  Vigorously whisk all but 1 cup of hot broth into roux.  Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened and flavorful, about 30 minutes longer.  Set aside until turkey is done.
4.  While turkey is resting spoon out and discard some fat from roasting pan.  Leave behind carmelized herbs and vegetables.  Place roasting pan over two burners at medium-high heat.  Return gravy in saucepan to simmer over medium heat.  Add wine to roasting pan and scrape up browned bits clinging to pan bottom:  boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.  Add remaining 1 cup broth to roasting pan, then strain mixture into gravy, pressing on solids in strainer to extract as much liquid as possible.  Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper:  serve with turkey.