Hounds In The Kitchen » turkey

Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup {Friday Five}

Rachel — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:48:55 +0000

Is your Thanksgiving menu finalized?

My mother is hosting dinner this year so Alex and I are responsible for very little. We’re bringing a charcuterie platter for the appetizer, brussels sprouts (probably pan roasted with homemade bacon) and Alex’s dressing.

If your menu isn’t full of family traditions, here are five suggestions for seasonal but unique additions to the table:

1)Buffie Wellies – a tasty rich buffalo appetizer
2) Cranbellini – Add one ounce of cranberry liqueur (yes, there’s still time to make it!) to the bottom of a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and serve a fruity ruby red cocktail during appetizers
3) Mushroom Pie – vegetarian entree or earthy side dish
4) Cranberry Bread – an easy way to use cranberries other than sauce
5) Turkey Stock – even though we aren’t cooking the bird this year, I hope we can claim the carcass for stock making.

Are you hosting or contributing to Thanksgiving dinner? If so, what will you make? Feel free to link recipes in the comments.

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Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup {Friday Five} is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

How to Cook a Perfect Whole Bird

Rachel — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:09:08 +0000

Thanksgiving is a little over a week away. This week I’ll share some of my favorite recipes.

Cooking a whole bird is a beautiful thing. The cook has the ability to infuse the meat with distinct flavors and a whole bird can feed a family for many meals. Use these techniques for a perfect Thanksgiving turkey, family style chicken dinner, or delicate individual game hens.

Brine - A sugar/salt brine infuses the bird with flavorful juices. (2-18 hours)

Make one by boiling one half gallon (8 cups) water and adding one cup kosher salt and one half cup sugar, boiled to dissolve and then cool it with one half gallon (8 cups) ice. You can add aromatics such as bay leaf, peppercorns, whole allspice, or orange peels once the brine is made.

Soak the bird in brine for a time appropriate to the thickness of the breast. For a fresh (or thawed frozen) bird, leave the bird in brine for the appropriate length of time:
game hen – 2 hours, fryer chicken – 6 hours, roaster chicken – 8 hours, turkey – 12+ hours. Brine is optional but greatly enhances the flavor and juicy-ness of the bird.

Stuff - Add flavor to a bird by stuffing the cavity and skin with aromatics. Stuffing with bread filling is not recommended by the USDA and extends cooking time, which can dry the meat. (10 minutes)

Fill but do not over-stuff the cavity with quartered onions, fresh herbs, or citrus. Slide a finger between the breast and skin and place butter and/or herbs under the skin for a more delicious and juicy bird. Stuffing is totally optional.

Truss - Tie up the bird’s legs to cook evenly and not dry out. (5 minutes)

Using a 2 foot length of butcher’s twine or plain cotton string, tie the feet together. Push the tail fat under the legs inside the cavity. Then, drive a bamboo skewer between the two wings and through the bird so that they are held closely to the rest of the bird.

Roast Hot and Fast - Low and slow methods work well for fat-marbled meats, which turkey, chicken and the like are not. Instead, roast at a high temperature to brown the skin, reduce temperature and do not over-cook. NB: Fatty water fowl should be steamed before roasting. (1-3 hours)

Thaw your bird to room temperature. Place it atop a few chopped vegetables (carrots, celery, onion) or directly in a roasting pan, breast side up. Optionally, rub with olive oil or butter. Sprinkle skin with salt and pepper.

Put the pan in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15-25 minutes until skin is browned. Drop the temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking until the meat reaches 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the breast. Be sure you are not hitting bone when you measure temperature. Do not rely on pop-up gauges.

Rest - Allowing meat to rest is the most overlooked part of cooking. This step is absolutely necessary for the protein to cool and seize up the juices. (5-20 minutes)

A whole turkey should rest for at least 20 minutes, a chicken 10, and a game hen 5. Rest out of the oven on a cutting board.

Carve - Use a very sharp knife and bold strokes to carve a bird. (10-15 minutes)

First, break shoulder to wing joint. Carve through the wing at the shoulder joint to remove the wing. Split into wing and drum if you wish. Next, cut the breast pieces off, leaving skin in tact. Set aside and slice later. Then, remove the leg and thighs from the hip by breaking and cutting through the joint. If desired cut between leg and thigh at the knee joint.

Savor - The drippings and carcass of a bird can yield several more dishes. (20 minutes – days)

For gravy, skim fat from pan drippings. Heat drippings over medium heat. Add a slurry of water and flour slowly. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens.

Pick bits of meat off the carcass for making into salad, soup, or sandwiches.

To make stock, cover the carcass with water in a wide roasting pan with an onion, halved, celery chunks, and carrots. Cook at 200 degrees F in the oven for 8 hours. Strain the resulting stock, skim fat from top, and use in soup, risotto, or sauce. Stock can be frozen for up to one year.

This tutorial was part of the instruction at a recent cooking class. The participants there had plenty of questions. Do you?

Added to Hearth and Soul.

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How to Cook a Perfect Whole Bird is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Local Thanksgiving Turkeys & CSAs 2011

Rachel — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:00:16 +0000

Are you planning turkey day already? You can bet I am!

I know friends are too because the questions about ‘where can I order a turkey?’ are pouring in. Here are the best local options I am aware of:

Turkey

Bowman and Landes – I grew up visiting my grandmother who worked at Bowman and Landes farm in Springfield, OH. The turkeys have ample room to roam and the meat is free from hormones and antibiotics. There’s even a family legend that my parents fell in love the summer they slaughtered and plucked turkeys at B&L. Locally-owned grocers Hills Market, North Market Poultry and Game, Huffman’s and Weilands offer these toms for pre-order around $3 a pound.

Speckled Hen Farm – Turkeys from Speckled Hen are fed locally grown grains and allowed to free range. Order via the web for $2.79/pound and pick up in Worthington.

Tea Hills Pastured Organic Turkeys – Hills Market carries these top of the line heritage breed birds at $5.19/pound or you can order directly from the farm.

OSU Poultry Science Club – Ohio State University sells free range, antibiotic free turkeys as a fundraiser. Order your bird online for $2.59/pound and pick up on the Columbus campus.

CSAs

Wayward Seed – Need something more than a bird on the table? Wayward Seed organic farm offers a box of vegetables, herbs, and fruit to feed a crowd. With a turkey, the cost is $160; with a winter squash, the cost is $130. Read the details and ordering info on their blog.

OSU Student Farm – Support Ohio State University students in their sustainable farm efforts by purchasing a $35 share of sweet potatoes, herbs, squash, garlic and more. Quantities are limited.

Clintonville and Worthington Farmer’s Markets will host pre-Thanksgiving markets on November 19. Pick up mushrooms from Swainway, root vegetables, greens, herbs, apples eggs, and more to fill your menu with local treats.

Did I miss your local favorites? Let me know in the comments!

PS. Alex’s mom Deb made the apple pie with the turkey. Isn’t it cute? She’ll be sharing fiber artistry at next weekend’s Clintonville Arts Guild Holiday Show & Sale at Whetstone Recreation Center.

PPS. I am closing the Hounds in the Kitchen annual reader’s survey on Sunday. I would really appreciate you sharing your opinion before then if you have a few minutes.

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Local Thanksgiving Turkeys & CSAs 2011 is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Happy Turkey Day!

Rachel — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:48:18 +0000

Here’s the only turkey we cooked this year:

It’s an eggy buttery bread shaped like a turkey, entirely Lil’s idea.

Thinking about thanks, read Teacher Tom’s As Big As That Perfect Everything. He eloquently describes how rote ‘thanks’ is meaningless compared to the childlike understanding that we’re all in this world together, all thankful for all being.

What Food Says About Class In America is another good read for this day of feasting.

May your meals be delicious and fulfilling today!

PS. Don’t forget to save the turkey bones and make stock. You can even offer to take it off the hands of your hosts and share the bone broth with them.

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Happy Turkey Day! is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Be Thankful for the Whole Bird: Make Turkey Stock

Rachel — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:45:28 +0000

We at Hounds in the Kitchen have many things to be thankful for this year: family and friends, a garden that filled our pantry with home canned goods, a dog finally healed, and new projects like cider pressing.

On Thanksgiving, especially, we are thankful for animals that give their life to feed us.

In turn, we use every bit of the nutritious goodness in each animal we cook. When we buy, brine, cook, and carve a turkey, we first enjoy the meal.

Afterward, we consider the gift left in the carcass: turkey stock makings.

To release the final delicious tastes and nutrients from the bones, use a cleaver or kitchen shears to chop the bones into manageable pieces. Break the breastbone, and un-joint all previously joined bones. (If you aren’t ready to make stock, bag all the bones in a ziploc and store in the freezer until you want to proceed.)

Brown them in a large stock pot (or roasting pan or deep skillet) over medium heat with a little olive oil for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Add water to cover, one to two roughly chopped onions, a few bay leaves, and a tablespoon of salt. (If your bird was heavily or lightly salted to begin with, adjust salt here.) Bring to a simmer.

Move the pan to the oven and cover it. Cook at 200 deg F for six to ten hours or overnight. The oven is preferable to the stove top because it keeps the water just at simmering.

Cool and strain the bones, herbs, and onions from the bone broth This stock method releases the gelatin from the bones, creating a stock with creamy smooth mouth feel and rich deep flavor.

Keep broth refrigerated and use within a week or freeze for an indefinite time period. We freeze stock in two to four cup portions to always have a ready source for soup and braising recipes.

Homemade turkey stock is not only useful and delicious, it is the best way to show thanks for the whole bird.

From our family to yours,
Have a very happy Thanksgiving

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Be Thankful for the Whole Bird: Make Turkey Stock is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Thanksgivings

Rachel — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 02:18:50 +0000

I am thankful for so many people who love me.

I am thankful for so many people to love.

This will be my mantra for the next week.

Thanksgiving starts Saturday for us with a daytime meal with Alex’s parents, brother, and brother’s fiancee and family. We are bringing cranberry bread, roasted brussel sprouts with almonds, and buffie wellies, Alex’s buffalo wellington creation (recipe coming soon).

I am thankful for so many people who love me. I am thankful for so many people to love.

Thursday noontime will find us at my great aunt’s house for the lovingly named the ‘short lady lunch’, after my grandfather’s nine vertically challenged sisters. This gathering will have fifty or more people sharing a meal on my great aunt’s pig farm. I will proudly bring our home-pressed cider, replacing the cider that used to be provided by my apple farmer uncle Gene who died a few years ago.

I am thankful for so many people who love me. I am thankful for so many people to love.

On Thursday evening we will travel to Napoleon to eat a soup dinner with my mother’s family. We will bring a soup Lil likes and a loaf of homemade bread. We’ll stay the night with my aunt, two of my sisters, parents, cousins, and several dogs.

I am thankful for so many people who love me. I am thankful for so many people to love.

Finally, on Sunday evening, my sisters, Alex, Lil and I will gather at my parents house for a final family meal.

We are not cooking the turkey for any of these thanksgivings but those of you who are cooking might be interested in turkey the hound way.

I am thankful for so many people who love me.

I am thankful for so many people to love.

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

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Thanksgivings is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Touch the Turkey!

Rachel — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:08:21 +0000

Today and tomorrow many parents have a great teaching moment waiting to happen when they cook a turkey. Involve the kids and you can lead them to explore:

Habitat ~ find out where wild turkeys live
Farming ~ discuss life on historic and modern farms for the farmers and the turkeys
Anatomy ~ ask children what’s the same and different about their bodies compared to a turkey
Temperature ~ talk about how hot the turkey must be to kill any harmful bacteria and let children watch the thermometer rise
Taste ~ allow children to help make a brine or rub and talk about flavors
Safety ~ talk about how to keep your body safe when using a knife and oven
Sensory ~ touch the turkey! Many kids will want to see how it feels when you press, how the bones feel, and the differences between uncooked and cooked meat

May your cooking be fun and food be delicious!

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Touch the Turkey! is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!

Turkey the Hound Way

Rachel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:19:34 +0000

Poultry is a topic of conversation everywhere these days. It even came up at the conversation with Thomas Keller and Michael Ruhlman I attended last week.

While I do not eat meat, I have experience assisting Alex in preparing hundreds of whole birds. Here are our keys to a great turkey:

1) Buy a Quality Bird. Free ranged birds are arguably tastier and healthier. Buying from local producers also keeps money in the local economy and reduces transportation resource waste. We have always been satisfied with birds from Bowman Landes farm in Springfield Ohio that are sold locally at Weiland’s, The Hill’s and the North Market.

2) Brine it. Store your fresh bird in a brine for twenty four hours. Our basic brine is straight out of Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn’s book Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing: 1 gallon water + one cup kosher salt + 1/2 cup sugar, boiled to dissolve then cooled. A brine evenly salts the meat and helps it retain moisture. Aromatics can be added to enhance the flavor. We usually add peppercorns, juniper berries and tarragon for the Thanksgiving bird brine.

3) Temper it. Michael Ruhlman said forcefully at the Thomas Keller conversation, “Don’t cook a cold bird!” Allow the turkey to come near to room temperature before putting it in the oven. A partially frozen or very chilled bird will crisp and burn on the outside when the inside is still under temperature. No one wants partially raw/partially singed turkey.

4) Stuff it. Stuffing turkeys is a great debate. Many food service websites advise against it for worries about food poisoning. However, if you buy quality ingredients (see #1), most cooks agree stuffing is a delightful thing. If you choose to cook dressing separately, try inserting a few cut onions, garlic, herbs, and lemons in the turkey cavity. Both drippings and meat will pick up the flavor.

5) Cook It….But Not Forever. Start your bird in a hot oven to crisp the skin a bit. Lower the temperature and cook just until it reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the bird rest out of the oven for 20 minutes for juices to distribute.

picture from Bowman Landes farms- this year I WILL take one of my own!

6) Transfer Carefully. The only turkey disaster we have experienced was the year we hosted at our tiny house. Sixteen people were there and everyone was watching when Alex and my youngest sister moved the bird from the stove to a counter for cutting. One of them slipped and drippings poured all over the floor! We cleaned up the mess, the meat was fine, and now we have a good story to retell.

7) Let Nothing Go to Waste. Provided you don’t spill them, use the drippings to make gravy. Leftovers can become sandwich fillings, salad toppings, or stew fixings. If you have an over-abundance, chop the meat and freeze in packed containers (or vacuum sealed bags) for soups in winter. Make stock from the carcass and freeze that.

Happy Turkey Cooking!

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Turkey the Hound Way is a post from Hounds In The Kitchen.
If you like what you read, please consider supporting us with a donation or visit the Hounds in the Kitchen shop for ebooks and favorite tools. Thanks!