Let's talk Turkey- Cooking Fundamentals

How to Cook a Turkey

I'm already starting to get excited about my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving.  I know we're a couple months away, but let's talk about how to make sure the star of the show, the turkey, comes out like a rock star.  Recently, I was discussing how to's with a couple of friends of mine and realized they didn't really know how to cook the bird.  They were saying that they've always been disappointed at how the breast meat came out so dry and flavorless. Also, that they were shifting their meals more towards hams and roasts because turkey was so "bland". You can imagine my chagrin at the thought of friends of mine abandoning this fantastic bird on what I consider the best eating holiday of them all.  I said, "Ladies, let's talk turkey!"

Fundamentally, we are dealing with two very different large muscle groups, light meat and dark meat, which is why the turkey presents such a challenge to the average cook.  Most people cook the bird as a whole in the oven for hours and hours (and hours, and hours).  This is needed to cook that stubborn dark meat. Unfortunately, the white meat is cooked to death by doing this and your guests now have to eat something akin to saw dust or desert sand.  Bring on the gravy, the only way to choke it down.  By the way, I am no fan of stuffing the bird with stuffing.  I think it's either a great way to give everyone food poisoning (undercooking the center) or, since you make sure the center of the dressing reaches 155°F, a charcoal briquet of a bird.  Cook the stuffing (now called dressing) separately outside the bird.  You'll get a much tastier result and no trips to the ER for stomach pumping.  Always something to avoid with the relatives.

The solution, each type of meat needs to be cooked in a different manner and for different lengths of time in order to achieve the best results.  The "secret" to having tremendous results is quite simple: break down the bird into two parts, the breast and wings (white meat) and the thighs and legs (dark meat).  Then cook each with a separate technique to ensure each comes out moist and delicious. The white meat of a turkey (and other birds) is lean, no fat, so introducing a brine to these parts and letting them sit overnight (in the frig) is essential to infusing flavor and allowing the meat to stay moist during the cooking.  Also, because of this leanness, these parts of the bird need to be cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter length of time than the dark meat. The dark meat of a turkey and most other fowl is where the fat is.  Fat equals flavor and lends itself best to long, slow cooking methods.  Braising these parts allow the flavors to develop and more importantly the muscle fibers to breakdown, giving the meat a melt in your mouth delicious result.

I realize this idea may take away from that image of your beautifully browned whole bird coming to the table to the "oohs and ahhs" of your family and guests and the ceremonious slicing of the bird.  But, who are we fooling? Are you looking to be on a set of a TV show or serving the best damn bird they've ever had? And, by preparing the bird this way, you actually have your chance of getting those "oohs and ahhs"!   By the way, cutting the bird up and cooking it using two different methods makes serving a snap.  And, if you wish, you can still have the pomp and circumstance over the breast meat if you really want to.

What follows are two different preparations, one for each part of the bird.  The white meat requires the oven, the dark is braised on the range top.  No need for two ovens, although you can just as easily braise in the oven if you choose.  Also, the dark meat can be made a day or two ahead and just reheated the day of your meal.  I found doing this ahead of time really adds to the flavor, more time to marry, and makes the day of that much easier.

The White Meat:
The key to the brine is to keep the liquid, salt and sugar ratios the same.  Everything else can be switched up, changed, have fun with it.  3 qt. water, 1/2 C. Orange juice, 1/2 C. salt, 1/3 C. sugar, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds,1 onion sliced, 1 carrot, peeled, cut on a diagonal, 1/2 fennel bulb sliced, 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 8 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves.  In a pot put the water, OJ, salt and sugar.  Heat and cook until everything is dissolved.  Remove from heat and add all the other ingredients, put a cup of ice into the mixture and cool in a cold water bath.  Once brine is cool, add breasts and place in the refrigerator, loosely covered, overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 450° F.  Remove breasts from brine and pat dry. Gently loosen skin from turkey breasts and rub butter under skin and all over outside of breasts; season with salt and pepper.  Scatter sliced onion, celery, carrot, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and garlic over a large rimmed baking sheet and arrange turkey breasts, skin side up, on top. Roast turkey breasts for 30 minutes, until skin is crisp and has started to turn golden brown. Reduce oven to 300°F, loosely tent breasts with foil and continue to cook until done. (20 minutes per lb. or internal temp reaches 155°F.) Transfer turkey breasts to a platter and let rest at least 15 minutes before carving.

The Dark Meat:
2 skin-on turkey drumsticks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 skin-on, bone-in turkey thighs (about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large leeks, whites and pale greens, chopped
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/2 cup chopped leaves
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs sage
6 cups chicken stock
8 small carrots, tops trimmed, carrots halved lengthwise
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Season turkey with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Working in batches, cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 15–20 minutes per batch; transfer to a large plate.
Add onion, leeks, celery, and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5–8 minutes. Add wine, parsley, and thyme and sage sprigs; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by half, 8–10 minutes.
Return turkey to pot and add broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer until meat is tender and cooked through and liquid is reduced by half, 2 1/2–3 hours. Add carrots and cook, uncovered, until carrots are soft and meat is falling off the bone, 35–45 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Transfer turkey and carrots to a platter. Strain sauce; serve alongside. Top with chives and 1/2 cup chopped parsley.

So, there you have it.  Two different types of meat on the same bird, two different cooking techniques, reaching one result- everyone comes running back for more and your praises getting sung.

Teriyaki-Glazed Turkey with Shallot Gravy

The holidays are coming and it's never to early to talk turkey.  Here's a great spin on the traditional.  I like to switch things up and not always do the same preparation. While there is something to be said for always having the same menu year in and year out, I like the newness and surprise of a cool spin on the familiar.  This recipe calls for mirin, a sweet rice wine used in Japanese cooking. It doesn't just flavor food, its sweetness also gives luster to sauces and glazes and can help them cling to food.

If you don't have mirin, you can just use dry sherry or sweet marsala. You can also dissolve a small amount of sugar in a little white wine or sherry, perhaps a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar to 1/4 cup wine.


1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sake
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
One 16-pound fresh turkey
1 1/2 pounds large shallots, peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup water
2 cups Rich Turkey Stock
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 500°F.

In a saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, vinegar, brown sugar and ginger. Add the cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring, until glossy and slightly thickened, 3 minutes. Transfer the teriyaki sauce to a bowl.
Set the turkey in a large roasting pan; scatter the shallots around it. Season the turkey cavities and skin with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, blend 4 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil and brush some over the turkey.
Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, or until golden. Baste with the butter mixture and add the water to the roasting pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 325° and roast the turkey for 1 hour, basting twice with the remaining butter mixture; loosely cover the bird with foil if the breast browns too quickly.
Pour half of the teriyaki sauce into a bowl; baste the turkey with some of it. Roast the turkey for 1 1/2 hours longer, basting with the sauce from the bowl every 30 minutes; the turkey is done when the skin is lacquered and an instant-read thermometer inserted in an inner thigh registers 170°F. Transfer to a carving board; let rest for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, strain the pan juices into a bowl, skim off the fat and reserve the shallots. Set the pan over 1 burner. Add the shallots to the pan and cook over high heat, stirring, until browned, about 3 minutes. Add the pan juices, Rich Turkey Stock and the reserved teriyaki sauce. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Strain the pan sauce into a medium saucepan, reserving the shallots. Boil the sauce over high heat until reduced by a third, 30 minutes. In a bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the flour until smooth. Whisk the flour paste into the sauce and boil, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve with the shallot gravy. Enjoy!

Spicy Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup

Serves 6

2 links (about 7½ ounces) lean spicy turkey Italian sausage
1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 large celery rib, finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups packed kale leaves
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove casing from sausage and roll into bite-size meatballs; set aside.

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 seconds. Add the stock, beans and kale. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sausage meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Add meatballs to the soup and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook 5 minutes more to meld the flavors. Stir the cider vinegar into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Brined-Roasted Turkey Breast

How many times have you been excited about Thanksgiving's star, the bird, just to be crushed that the white meat turns out to be as dry as the Mohave desert?!  Here's a sure fire way to insure moist delicious breast meat that will have everyone racing back for more and singing your praises.

2 skin-on, bone-in turkey breasts (3 1/2–4 pounds)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 onion, sliced thickly
2 celery stalks
2 carrots, peeled, cut lengthwise
6 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, crushed

Brine Turkey Breasts overnight.  (3 qt. water, 1/2 C. Orange juice, 1/2 C. salt, 1/3 C. sugar, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds,1 onion sliced, 1 carrot, peeled, cut on a diagonal, 1/2 fennel bulb sliced, 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, 8 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves)

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Remove breasts from brine and pat dry. Gently loosen skin from turkey breasts and rub butter under skin and all over outside of breasts; season with salt and pepper.
Place a roasting rack in a rimmed baking sheet and scatter onion slices, celery, carrots, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and garlic on the rack and arrange turkey breasts, skin side up, on top. Put into oven and roast turkey breasts for 30 minutes, until skin starts to crisp and turn golden brown. Turn down oven to 300°F and loosely tent the breasts with foil.  Continue to cook until done. (20 minutes per lb. or internal temp reaches 155°F.) Transfer turkey breasts to a platter and let rest 20-30 minutes before carving.

Serve turkey breasts with pan drippings alongside.

Braised Turkey Legs and Thighs

I'm starting to get excited about my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving.  I really like to break the bird down into two parts, white meat and dark meat.  Cooking each with a separate technique to insure both come out moist and equally delicious.  Here's a simple braise technique for the legs and thighs.

2 skin-on turkey drumsticks (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 skin-on, bone-in turkey thighs (about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large leeks, whites and pale greens, chopped
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/2 cup chopped leaves
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs sage
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 small carrots, tops trimmed, carrots halved lengthwise
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Season turkey with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Working in batches, cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 15–20 minutes per batch; transfer to a large plate.
Add onion, leeks, celery, and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5–8 minutes. Add wine, parsley, and thyme and sage sprigs; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by half, 8–10 minutes.
Return turkey to pot and add broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer until meat is tender and cooked through and liquid is reduced by half, 2 1/2–3 hours. Add carrots and cook, uncovered, until carrots are soft and meat is falling off the bone, 35–45 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Transfer turkey and carrots to a platter. Strain sauce; serve alongside. Top with chives and 1/2 cup chopped parsley.

Turkey Moussaka

Traditionally this dish is made with potatoes, yogurt, lamb or beef.  I am omitting all of these and substituting turkey.  It makes for a lighter version of this classic and a nice change of pace.


2 large eggplants (about 2 3/4 pounds), unpeeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

MEAT SAUCE
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus to taste
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (with puree), roughly chopped
1 bay leaf

CUSTARD SAUCE
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons Pecorino Romano

Directions
Bake the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with the oil and lay on 2 small or 1 large foil-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the eggplant is soft, about 25 minutes. Set aside covered.

Make the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the turkey, oregano, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. Break the meat up into small pieces and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until just cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 1 minute more. Add the tomato and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook until the sauce is thickened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, salt, and nutmeg. Return to the heat and while whisking constantly, bring to a boil. Simmer 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir to cool. When the sauce is cool, whisk in the egg and yolks.

Lower the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish with the oil. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the bottom of the pan. Lay half of the eggplant in the pan, overlapping the slices if needed. Cover with half of the meat sauce and smooth with a rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and meat sauce. Pour the custard sauce over the layered mixture and smooth with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the Pecorino Romano and bake, uncovered, until lightly browned and the custard is set, about 1 hour.

Remove the moussaka from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to serve on warm plates.  Enjoy!

Turkey Sausage and White Bean Stew

This is so simple to throw together and tastes fantastic.  A great dish for a cold winter's supper.


2 Tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 # fresh Turkey, Chicken or Italian Sweet Sausage links
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 sprig thyme
(2) 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
5 oz. baby spinach (about 10 cups)
Smoked paprika


Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer sausage to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add onion, garlic, and thyme sprig. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5-8 minutes. Add beans and broth and cook, crushing a few beans with the back of a spoon to thicken sauce, until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add spinach by handfuls and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Slice sausage and fold into stew; add chicken stock to thin, if desired. Divide stew among bowls; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with paprika.  Serve and Enjoy.

Chicken Meatloaf

I made this very simple meatloaf yesterday and it's fantastic, absolutely a keeper.  Leftovers are great for sandwiches.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1# ground chicken
1# ground turkey
1 medium onion, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 large rib celery, fine diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, fine diced
1Tbsp. Fresh thyme
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. fine breadcrumbs
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and get hot.  Add all vegetables, season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent, about 3 or 4 minutes.  Add garlic and thyme cook another 30 seconds, mix and then remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl combine chicken and turkey (I use latex gloves for this task).  Once cooled, add all contents of skillet to the meat mixture.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Mix thoroughly, add egg and breadcrumbs, mix well.

I make a small disk of the mixture and pop it into the microwave for around 20 seconds, heat until fully cooked, and taste it prior to forming my loaf.  If seasonings need adjusting, I can do it now.  After cooking it's more difficult to correct.

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick oil.  Pour chicken mixture onto baking sheet and form into a loaf making sure it is of consistent thickness all the way through.  Place loaf into hot oven and cook for 40-45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into it reads 160 degrees.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  Slice, serve and enjoy!

Turkey Cutlets in an Anchovy Butter Sauce

The anchovy paste really "kicks this one up a notch".  It adds a depth and dimension of flavor to the turkey, which let's face it, is not one of the most flavorful birds.  Serve this with a good helping of steamed fresh green beans and you're off to the races.  Enjoy!

1/2 C. all purpose flour
2# turkey breast
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 C. dry white wine
2 tsp. anchovy paste (if you can't find, just finely mince some fillets)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. chopped chives

Cut turkey across the breast into 1" thick sliced.  Between two sheets of plastic wrap pound each piece of turkey with kitchen mallet (bottom of a small saute pan works great too) until 1/3" thickness.  Reserve cutlets to the side.

Stir together flour and 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper.  Pat cutlets dry, dredge in flour and shake off excess.  Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over med-high heat until shimmering.  Saute turkey in batches, turning once until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 4 minutes per batch.   Transfer to a new plate and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.

In the same pan add remaining oil and brown the shallots, stirring often, about 2 minutes.  Add wine and bring to the boil, stirring and scrapping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, reduce liquid to 1/3 cup volume.  Remove from the heat and whisk in anchovy paste, butter, and chives until completely incorporated.  Return cutlets to the pan with any juices from the plate and turn to coat.  Serve on a warm plate and enjoy!

Grilled Turkey Burgers with a Sun-dried tomato Aioli

Burgers:
1# ground turkey
1/2 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Aioli:
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

To make the Aioli, mix all ingredients in a small bowl and reserve.

To make burgers;

If making thick burgers I like to finish in a 400 degree oven so I don't over-char the outsides while leaving the middle under done.   If making thin burgers you can skip the oven.

Place a small pan over med-high heat with a small amount of olive oil in it.  Once hot, quickly saute the onions and garlic.  Put turkey meat in a large bowl, add onion mixture and the rest of the ingredients for the burgers.  Mix thoroughly (I like to use latex gloves and get my hands into it).   Make into patties.  Either grill or sear the burgers until fully cooked.  Serve with Aioli and a fresh salad of baby greens and fresh tomatoes.  Any way you enjoy burgers will work with these.

Chickpea Stew with Smoked Turkey

4 C. cooked chickpeas (canned are fine)
2 C. good quality chicken stock
2 smoked turkey legs, skinned and deboned, meat cut into large dice (if desired, wings are fine)
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small eggplant, skinned and medium diced
1 pint portabella mushrooms, trimmed and medium diced
1 large onion, medium dice
1 celery stalk, medium dice
1 carrot, peeled and medium dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 C. peeled, seeded, & chopped tomato (called concasse - canned will work too)
Chopped flat leaf parsly for garnish

Heat large, deep skillet over med-high heat.  Add 2 Tbsp. oil and heat to shimmering.  Add eggplant and mushrooms, salt (will help remove excess liquid from vegetables).  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 15-20 minutes.  Remove from skillet and reserve warm.  Put skillet back on heat, add remaining oil.  Once hot, add onion, celery, and carrot.  Cook until onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes.  Add ginger, cook for 2 minutes.  Add garlic, cook another minute.  Add turkey and then return eggplant mixture to the skillet.  Stir well and add chickpeas, stock, tomatoes, cumin and coriander.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Garnish with parsley, serve and enjoy.

Roast Turkey

I got this recipe from Alton Brown - Food Network.  It makes a super tender bird, excellent.


1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skinliberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Turkey Sausage, Peppers, and Onions served over Bowtie Pasta

Olive oil
1# turkey sausage
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C. white wine
1 15oz. can San Marzano tomatoes
1 Tbsp. Oregano
2 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, fine chopped
Red chili flakes, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

1# Bowtie pasta
fresh grated parmesan cheese

Preheat Oven to 400°F.

Place saute pan over med-high heat, once hot add 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Once oil shimmers, add sausage and brown.  Remove sausage from pan and reserve warm.  To hot pan add onions and peppers (you may need a little more oil).  Lower heat and cook slowly until onions are translucent.  Add garlic, cook for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, with back side of wooden spoon smash slightly.  Add oregano and red pepper flake.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, add wine, and reduce liquid by half.  Return sausages to the pan, cover and place in oven for 30 minutes.

While sausage mixture is cooking, bring large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente (cooked enough to be firm, but not soft), 8-9 minutes.  Drain pasta well and toss with a little olive oil.  Time it so pasta is done when sausage is ready.

Remove sausage from oven, add parsley and just seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve sausage mixture over pasta, top with a little fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Spinach

1 1/2 # Ground Turkey meat
2 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 Tsp. Oregano
1/2 small Onion, minced
1 small clove Garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Egg, well scrambled
2 Tbsp. Applesauce
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 C. Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 C. chopped fresh Spinach
1/2 C. crumbled Feta cheese
2 Zucchinis, sliced length-wise and grilled (season with salt and pepper)
4 red Onion slices, grilled (season with salt and pepper)
4 slices of Tomato
Tzatziki sauce, (Trader Joe's is excellent)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, salt and pepper.  Reserve.  In a saute pan heat oil to shimmering over med-high heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add oregano and cook a minute more.  Let mixture cool a little and add to turkey.  Add egg, breadcrumbs, mustard, applesauce, spinach and feta, mix well. (I put on latex gloves and use my hands) 
Line a sided baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.  Shape turkey mixture into a loaf with hands.  Using a baking sheet instead of a loaf pan will give your meatloaf a much better crust, while remaining moist inside.  Put loaf in oven and cook for approximately 30-35 minutes.  Meat thermometer should read an internal temperature of 160-165 degrees. 
Remove loaf from oven and reserve warm for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Arrange grilled vegetables on a warm serving tray and place sliced turkey meatloaf in the center.  Serve with Tzatziki sauce on the side. I am serving with Baby Red Bliss potatoes and Rosemary, but it can be served with tabbouleh and hummus with flatbread as well or rice.

Turkey and White Bean Chili

4-6 Tbsp. Olive oil
1# ground Turkey meat
3-4 Turkey tenderloins or 3/4-1# Turkey breast, cut into 1" cubes
2 med. Onions, chopped
1 Green Pepper, small dice
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
6 oz. Beer
1 C. Chicken Stock
1 small can diced Green Chilies
1 15oz can diced Tomatoes
3 cans White beans
1 Bay Leaf
all spices to taste - 2 Tbsp.Chili Powder, 2 Tbsp. Oregano, 1 Tbsp.Cumin, 1 tsp.Thyme, 1 tsp. Paprika
Salt and Pepper, to taste
optional - Jalapeno or Serano Pepper, diced (depending on how hot you like your Chili)

* 2-3 Tbsp. Corn Starch, alittle bit of water

Season all turkey meat with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tbsp. oil in large pot over medium high heat.  Once oil is hot, shimmering and just starting to smoke, add ground turkey and brown.  Once done reserve in a large mixing bowl.  Put pot back on heat, add 2 more tbsp. oil and get hot again.  In batches, add turkey tenderloin cubes and brown, reserve in the same bowl as ground turkey.  Once again, put pot back on heat and add last of the oil, heat to shimmering and add onions, cook until translucent, add green peppers and canned chilies (hot peppers if using).  Cook until peppers are soft, add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.  Add tomato paste and canned tomatoes, using a wooden spoon rub bottom of pot to loosen all brown bits from the meat, lower heat and cook 5-6 minutes.  Increase heat and add beer, reduce liquid by half.  Add stock, beans, all the turkey meat, bay leaf and spices, bring just to the boil and then reduce heat, cover pot, and cook for 30-35 minutes.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper.  Depending on taste, add addtional measures of spices. 

* If you want the chili to be thicker; put corn starch in small bowl and slowly add water while mixing until mixture resembles heavy cream.  At the very end of cooking time, stir corn starch mixture into chili and mix while over heat.  Chili will thicken, cook for 5 more minutes.  If chili gets too thick thin add some additional chicken stock.

Smoked Turkey and Lentil Stew

Olive Oil
1 Smoked Turkey Leg, cubed
1# Turkey tenderloin, 1" cubes
2 medium Onions, diced
3 ribs Celery, large dice
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 medium Carrots, diced
2 small Sweet Potatoes, cubed
1 C. Pearl Onions, skinned and left whole
2 Tbsp. Tomato paste
1/2 cup dry Red Wine
1 C. diced tomatoes
3 C. Chicken Stock
1 C. Green Lentils
2 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme
2 Bay leaves
Salt and Pepper
Water as needed
French Baguette

In heavy stock pot heat olive oil until shimmering.  Sear tenderloin pieces until brown, remove and reserve in bowl.  Add onions, carrots and celery, cook until onions are translucent.  Add garlic, cook 1-2 minutes.  Add tomato paste, reduce heat and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring often.  Add wine and deglaze pot, lifting brown bits at the bottom of pot with a wooden spoon.  Reduce liquid by half.  Add tenderloin and smoked turkey cubes.  Add stock, lentils, thyme, bay leaves, pearl onions, diced tomatoes, & sweet potatoes.   Cook over medium heat until lentils are soft and sweet potatoes are tender (20-25 minutes).  May need to add water if stew gets too thick.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve with french baguette.

Turkey Meatloaf

1 Lb. Ground Turkey
1 small Onion, minced
1 small Green Pepper, minced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/4 C. Bread crumbs
2 Eggs, cracked and beaten
Thyme, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
2 Tbsp. Ketchup


Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a 4 sided baking tray with parchment paper, reserve on the side.
Heat saute pan on med-high, add oil and heat until shimmering.  Add onions and green pepper.  Cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl combine Turkey, beaten eggs, bread crumbs, thyme, paprika, and onion mixture.  Mix well (I use latex gloves and mix by hand, squeezing meat mixture though my fingers to combine well).  Transfer Turkey mixture to lined baking tray and form into a loaf.  Place into the oven and cook for 40 minutes.

While loaf cooks in a separate bowl combine mustard and ketchup, mix well.  Reserve.  Once loaf has cooked 40 minutes remove from oven and cover with ketchup mixture, cook another 10 minutes.  Once done, remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before you slice it.  Enjoy!