T-Day and Counting
Saturday, November 06, 2004
I came across a nice blog today from some college kids who are going to cook their own Thanksgiving dinner and wanted ideas. I'm sorry, but I lost their link. However, these were my suggestions:
Gravy
1) well ahead of time: in small fry pan, melt butter & stir in flour; remove from heat when slightly brown and/or mixed well (this blob keeps the gravy from being lumpy. The blob is called a reaux. But I'm not French...so it's a blob.)
2) boil the turkey innards (or just the liver) in a cup or two of H2O. This is your stock base. I always mush the liver into the stock. No...my gravy in NO WAY tastes like liver afterwards (yuck)
3) making the gravy when turk is done: heat up the stock in a fry pan; add the blob. With the sucker (baster thingy) gather some turkey juices from the bottom of the pan (MUST BE bottom to avoid grease). Add one or two sucker-fulls to your gravy pan. Bring to boil (to take away the taste of flour) STIRRING CONSTANTLY. After it boils, enjoy.
Turkey
Give your bird a well deserved massage. After turkeysue is washed and dried, gently work your fingers under the skin and loosen up a couple of pockets separating the skin from the breasts (ouch).
It helps to have 2 people do this next part. Prop up the bird and somehow put in a marinade on one breast, and perhaps a different marinade on the other under the skin (get creative...it's fun!). I like to use a little herbed lemon juice. A favoriate salad dressing works well (NON-creamy). Or maybe a hint of your fave BBQ sauce. Don't overwhelm turkeysue...she's a proud bird. This process helps keep turkeysue moist as well.
Now give her another massage and make her dance. You heard me...this is a family tradition in my house. I started it when the kids were young to make them laugh. Now they are all grown and won't let me put the damned thing in the oven without making her dance. Maybe this year I'll make a video and post it! (no promises since I don't know how yet) Happy Thanksgiving!
I strongly suggest you invest the extra dollars in a free range wholesome healthy bird. Your taste buds will thank me, I promise. There is a world of difference between a healthy bird and the pathetic factory farm raised type.
Gravy
1) well ahead of time: in small fry pan, melt butter & stir in flour; remove from heat when slightly brown and/or mixed well (this blob keeps the gravy from being lumpy. The blob is called a reaux. But I'm not French...so it's a blob.)
2) boil the turkey innards (or just the liver) in a cup or two of H2O. This is your stock base. I always mush the liver into the stock. No...my gravy in NO WAY tastes like liver afterwards (yuck)
3) making the gravy when turk is done: heat up the stock in a fry pan; add the blob. With the sucker (baster thingy) gather some turkey juices from the bottom of the pan (MUST BE bottom to avoid grease). Add one or two sucker-fulls to your gravy pan. Bring to boil (to take away the taste of flour) STIRRING CONSTANTLY. After it boils, enjoy.
Turkey
Give your bird a well deserved massage. After turkeysue is washed and dried, gently work your fingers under the skin and loosen up a couple of pockets separating the skin from the breasts (ouch).
It helps to have 2 people do this next part. Prop up the bird and somehow put in a marinade on one breast, and perhaps a different marinade on the other under the skin (get creative...it's fun!). I like to use a little herbed lemon juice. A favoriate salad dressing works well (NON-creamy). Or maybe a hint of your fave BBQ sauce. Don't overwhelm turkeysue...she's a proud bird. This process helps keep turkeysue moist as well.
Now give her another massage and make her dance. You heard me...this is a family tradition in my house. I started it when the kids were young to make them laugh. Now they are all grown and won't let me put the damned thing in the oven without making her dance. Maybe this year I'll make a video and post it! (no promises since I don't know how yet) Happy Thanksgiving!
I strongly suggest you invest the extra dollars in a free range wholesome healthy bird. Your taste buds will thank me, I promise. There is a world of difference between a healthy bird and the pathetic factory farm raised type.
