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The Perfect Thanksgiving Bird: "Turkey In A Sac" Recipe With Bread Stuffing
posted Tuesday, 11 October 2005
The Perfect Thanksgiving Bird: Turkey In A Sac Recipe
With Bread Stuffing
Turkey In A Sac With Bread Stuffing - The Recipe, Part II
Ingredients
Turkey: 14-16 pounds (if larger, increase brine and spiced peanut oil; cooking time based on weight of bird)
1- Turkey Brine:
Good Eats
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats Episode: Romancing the Bird (A Good Eats Thanksgiving)
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable broth (not salt-free type) – I prefer College Inn Chicken broth
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
…………………………………
1 gallon iced water
2- Turkey Spices & Peanut Oil:
1-1/4 cups peanut oil (NO SUBSTITUTIONS)
3 Tablespoons paprika
salt & pepper to taste
cayenne
poultry seasoning (optional)
3- Accessories:
bread stuffing (your recipe)
2 large paper shopping bags (double bagged)
thick twine or rope, not string
large roasting pan with wire rack insert
large, preferably serrated bread knife
Complete Procedure
1- Brining the Turkey:
Early on Wednesday evening, combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. (Peppercorns, allspice berries and candied ginger will never dissolve - I know, I've tried).
Remember to let the brine cool about 3-4 hours before adding ice water and immersing the turkey in the brine. Combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6-8 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining. (Weight down turkey if necessary!)
After 6-8 hours, remove bird from brine and rinse it inside and out with cold water, then pat dry. Discard brine. (I usually start brining around midnight on Thanksgiving eve, then turn the turkey over in the brine early on Thanksgiving morning).
2- Turkey Spices & Peanut Oil Preparation:
Place peanut oil and spices in measuring cup, stir to combine, and let stand 15 minutes.
(I haven’t tried this yet, but I will this year: heat oil and spices, to 200º Fahrenheit only, to release oil-soluble spice flavors into the peanut oil) Source: America’s Test Kitchen on TV
Double bag the shopping bags and pour off most of peanut oil into bags. Note that spices settle to bottom of measuring cup. Set aside remaining peanut oil and spices for rubbing turkey. (Twenty years ago I used one shopping bag - but they don't make brown paper shopping bags like they used to. If you tried one bag today, you would have one mess and an undercooked turkey.)
Swirl oil around inside of bags and, with hands, spread peanut oil over every inch of the doubled bags, inside and out. (This is the messy part; let the kids do it – they love making a mess.)
3- Turkey Preparation & Roasting:
Wash turkey thoroughly and pat dry after removing giblets & neck for your stuffing broth.
With hands, place small amount of remaining spiced oil in turkey cavities.
Stuff the turkey. (I don't care what they say, stuffing inside the turkey tastes best. There is no danger if you follow this recipe. I never use eggs in my stuffing, but that is not meant to discourage you. I highly recommend challah bread loaf for your stuffing. If you haven't tried it, you're in for a real treat. For the lazy, there's always seasoned croutons.)
Spread remaining oil and spices all over the turkey with your hands; paprika gives the bird a pleasing red color, which translates to a crisp, brown crust when done.
Secure legs and neck skin, after stuffing, with skewers etc.
Place stuffed turkey inside oiled double bags.
Place long piece of twine in measuring cup and add more peanut oil to saturate twine, for a couple of minutes, to prevent twine from burning during the roasting process.
Close bag(s) opening by twisting, and tie with oiled twine to seal opening tight.
Place bagged turkey on the rack, inside roasting pan, and cook @350º Fahrenheit according to the following formula:
10 minutes per lb of turkey + 30 minutes for the stuffing.
A stuffed 15 lb turkey then cooks
150 minutes + 30 minutes = 3 hours (that’s right, 3 hours, this is not a typo!)
A stuffed 20 lb turkey then cooks
200 minutes + 30 minutes = 3 hours and 50 minutes (that’s right, 3 hours and 50 minutes, this is not a typo!)
Have faith! I guarantee that your turkey will be superb, juicy and crispy on the outside with the formula above. And there's no basting E-V-E-R!
After roasting time complete, use that serrated knife to cut the bags. Be careful, there is a lot of steam inside, just like a pressure cooker. Be careful removing bag pieces from wings and drumsticks; they will fall off if you’re careless - they will be that tender. Discard bag pieces (doubled shopping bags and twine will turn dark, but not burn). Remove turkey to serving platter. Tilt roaster pan to pour liquids into a gravy separator. Pour off the extra oil and reserve the juices. I never make gravy anymore; just serve the juices in a gravy boat or make gravy if you must.
Presentation for family Thanksgiving to make an impression:
Open a large can of pear halves. Place a few drops of green food coloring into the pear liquid and shake the can gently to even the pale green color. Place pear halves around the turkey, cut side up. Insert a maraschino cherry in each pear half. – The awe factor. (Let the kids drink the pear juice - a little green food coloring won't hurt them)
I highly recommend making your own cranberry sauce. The instructions are on the 12 ounce bag of cranberries, found in the produce section of your supermarket. Don't add sugar until you strain the cranberry sauce (why waste sugar). It is extremely easy to make, especially if you have a food mill. Some people will still prefer that horrible, dark, dank canned mess. So keep a can of Ocean Spray on hand for those, who cling to tradition over good taste.
Comments and questions are welcome. Happy Thanksgiving!
T.A.B.A.C.C.O. (Truth About Business And Congressional Crimes Organization)
With Bread Stuffing
Turkey In A Sac With Bread Stuffing - The Recipe, Part II
Ingredients
Turkey: 14-16 pounds (if larger, increase brine and spiced peanut oil; cooking time based on weight of bird)
1- Turkey Brine:
Good EatsRecipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats Episode: Romancing the Bird (A Good Eats Thanksgiving)
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable broth (not salt-free type) – I prefer College Inn Chicken broth
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
…………………………………
1 gallon iced water
2- Turkey Spices & Peanut Oil:
1-1/4 cups peanut oil (NO SUBSTITUTIONS)
3 Tablespoons paprika
salt & pepper to taste
cayenne
poultry seasoning (optional)
3- Accessories:
bread stuffing (your recipe)
2 large paper shopping bags (double bagged)
thick twine or rope, not string
large roasting pan with wire rack insert
large, preferably serrated bread knife
Complete Procedure
1- Brining the Turkey:
Early on Wednesday evening, combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. (Peppercorns, allspice berries and candied ginger will never dissolve - I know, I've tried).
Remember to let the brine cool about 3-4 hours before adding ice water and immersing the turkey in the brine. Combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6-8 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining. (Weight down turkey if necessary!)
After 6-8 hours, remove bird from brine and rinse it inside and out with cold water, then pat dry. Discard brine. (I usually start brining around midnight on Thanksgiving eve, then turn the turkey over in the brine early on Thanksgiving morning).
2- Turkey Spices & Peanut Oil Preparation:
Place peanut oil and spices in measuring cup, stir to combine, and let stand 15 minutes.
(I haven’t tried this yet, but I will this year: heat oil and spices, to 200º Fahrenheit only, to release oil-soluble spice flavors into the peanut oil) Source: America’s Test Kitchen on TV
Double bag the shopping bags and pour off most of peanut oil into bags. Note that spices settle to bottom of measuring cup. Set aside remaining peanut oil and spices for rubbing turkey. (Twenty years ago I used one shopping bag - but they don't make brown paper shopping bags like they used to. If you tried one bag today, you would have one mess and an undercooked turkey.)
Swirl oil around inside of bags and, with hands, spread peanut oil over every inch of the doubled bags, inside and out. (This is the messy part; let the kids do it – they love making a mess.)
3- Turkey Preparation & Roasting:
Wash turkey thoroughly and pat dry after removing giblets & neck for your stuffing broth.
With hands, place small amount of remaining spiced oil in turkey cavities.
Stuff the turkey. (I don't care what they say, stuffing inside the turkey tastes best. There is no danger if you follow this recipe. I never use eggs in my stuffing, but that is not meant to discourage you. I highly recommend challah bread loaf for your stuffing. If you haven't tried it, you're in for a real treat. For the lazy, there's always seasoned croutons.)
Spread remaining oil and spices all over the turkey with your hands; paprika gives the bird a pleasing red color, which translates to a crisp, brown crust when done.
Secure legs and neck skin, after stuffing, with skewers etc.
Place stuffed turkey inside oiled double bags.
Place long piece of twine in measuring cup and add more peanut oil to saturate twine, for a couple of minutes, to prevent twine from burning during the roasting process.
Close bag(s) opening by twisting, and tie with oiled twine to seal opening tight.
Place bagged turkey on the rack, inside roasting pan, and cook @350º Fahrenheit according to the following formula:
10 minutes per lb of turkey + 30 minutes for the stuffing.
A stuffed 15 lb turkey then cooks
150 minutes + 30 minutes = 3 hours (that’s right, 3 hours, this is not a typo!)
A stuffed 20 lb turkey then cooks
200 minutes + 30 minutes = 3 hours and 50 minutes (that’s right, 3 hours and 50 minutes, this is not a typo!)
Have faith! I guarantee that your turkey will be superb, juicy and crispy on the outside with the formula above. And there's no basting E-V-E-R!
After roasting time complete, use that serrated knife to cut the bags. Be careful, there is a lot of steam inside, just like a pressure cooker. Be careful removing bag pieces from wings and drumsticks; they will fall off if you’re careless - they will be that tender. Discard bag pieces (doubled shopping bags and twine will turn dark, but not burn). Remove turkey to serving platter. Tilt roaster pan to pour liquids into a gravy separator. Pour off the extra oil and reserve the juices. I never make gravy anymore; just serve the juices in a gravy boat or make gravy if you must.
Presentation for family Thanksgiving to make an impression:
Open a large can of pear halves. Place a few drops of green food coloring into the pear liquid and shake the can gently to even the pale green color. Place pear halves around the turkey, cut side up. Insert a maraschino cherry in each pear half. – The awe factor. (Let the kids drink the pear juice - a little green food coloring won't hurt them)
I highly recommend making your own cranberry sauce. The instructions are on the 12 ounce bag of cranberries, found in the produce section of your supermarket. Don't add sugar until you strain the cranberry sauce (why waste sugar). It is extremely easy to make, especially if you have a food mill. Some people will still prefer that horrible, dark, dank canned mess. So keep a can of Ocean Spray on hand for those, who cling to tradition over good taste.
Comments and questions are welcome. Happy Thanksgiving!
T.A.B.A.C.C.O. (Truth About Business And Congressional Crimes Organization)
comments (1)
1. Tabacco left...
Thursday, 22 December 2005 10:51 am :: http://tabacco.blog-city.com/
If you get the urge to roast, deep-fry or smoke turkey in the summer, you
will discover that it's hard to buy one in July or August.