So, I’ve been doing Thanksgiving dinner at my house for 14 years now. Each year, I have found another way to make things easier on myself. Now, let me make something clear, my Thanksgiving dinner is nothing fussy or fancy. I serve the food family style and allow people to pick and choose the items they want. We also sit all around the house to eat. Some people sit in the kitchen, some in the dining room, and some in the living room. I believe that this makes things more casual and comfortable for my guests. There were a few years where we all sat around a table together and it just felt too formal for my liking. Now, with that said, if you’re into the more formal style, by all means, go for it. The food is really what this is about anyhow. So each family is different and everyone does things their own special way. This is certainly not me telling you what to cook, how to cook it, or how to conduct your Thanksgiving dinner. This is simply me sharing a few tricks and shortcuts that I have been using for years to reduce that frantic feeling when you’re hot as hell from slaving over a hot stove all day, and the tantalizing aromas are leading more and more people into your kitchen to loom over your shoulder with hungry eyes, and there you are, silently praying for death while your gravy decides to choose TODAY of all days to seize up and be clumpy. Look, we’ve all been there and that is what Bourbon is for. And in all honesty, no matter HOW much you plan ahead and do in advance, there is always going to be some amount of stress and pressure when conducting those last moments of the “Turkey Dinner Symphony”. I don’t care WHO you are, it is a challenge getting everything out and warm at the same time. So, just do your best and have a cocktail. You’ve earned it.
Let’s start with the star of the show…the turkey. If you’re buying a frozen turkey, you will need to thaw it properly before cooking. The best method for thawing the turkey is in the refrigerator at about 38 degrees. You can calculate that the turkey will need 1 day for every 5 pounds of turkey. So for a 15 pound turkey, it will take 3 days to thaw. If there is no room in the fridge for a turkey to thaw, you can place the turkey in a cooler outside (in cold weather, of course) with some ice scattered around the bottom of the cooler to ensure it does not get too warm. When deciding how many pounds of turkey to get, I generally go with the rule of 1 pound of turkey per person. Does that mean that if you plan to have 20 people over for dinner you buy a 20lb. turkey? No. Some years we’ve had more guests than others. For those of you with lots of guests coming, I would recommend buying two smaller turkeys rather than one gigantic one. For starters, the giant ones take forever to cook, and often dry out by the time they are done. The other reason is that when you buy two turkeys, you can roast one the evening before Thanksgiving and keep in the fridge until the next day. Some people really like cold turkey. I slice the turkey the night before, and store in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. Then when I’m ready for it, I put the sliced turkey in a container with some chicken stock and microwave it for a minute to heat it up. The chicken stock ensures you get moist turkey. No one is ever the wiser. Then you also have the second turkey roasting in the oven the day of, giving your house that amazing aroma. Basically, I use the hot turkey first, and use the cold turkey for seconds and leftovers.
- 1 16-18 pound whole turkey
- salt and pepper
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 2-3 lemons, halved
- 2-3 onions halved
- chicken stock
- kitchen twine
- meat thermometer
Preheat oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the lowest position (I forget to remove the top rack nearly every year and have to take it out once it’s very hot). Remove any bags from inside the cavity and neck of the turkey. Reserve for gravy if desired, though I never use them. Rinse out the cavity of the turkey. Place turkey in large roasting pan, preferably with a rack in the bottom to keep the turkey lifted slightly from the pan. If there is no rack, place a layer of carrots, celery, and quartered onions on the bottom of the pan. Add enough chicken broth to almost cover the vegetables, or to almost reach the bottom of the turkey. Do not put too much broth in or the turkey will steam. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, making sure to get under the wings and around the drumsticks. A dry bird browns better and gives you that crispy skin. Once the bird is very dry, smear the entire turkey with softened butter, making sure to get in all the nooks and crannies. Season the cavity of the bird with a teaspoon of salt, as it’s important to season the bird from the inside as well as the outside. Fill the cavity of the turkey with halved onions and halved lemons. Fill the cavity, but make sure not to over pack it. Truss the drumsticks with kitchen twine, as this helps the turkey cook evenly, as well as closes the cavity. Season the outside of the turkey generously with salt and ground black pepper. It might feel like you’re using too much salt and pepper, but trust me on this one…Again, make sure to get in all the nooks and crannies, massaging the salt and pepper into the turkey.
Place on lowest rack in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350 and continue to roast until a meat thermometer reads 165 when inserted to the thickest part of the thigh, about 2 1/2-3 hours. Once removed from the oven, the turkey will continue to cook while it rests. It is very important for a moist bird to allow the turkey to rest after cooking. This allows all of the juices to return back into the meat. If cut too soon, all the juices run out of the turkey. After the turkey has rested for at least 30 minutes, slice and serve. The pan drippings can be used for the gravy if desired. Servings: 12
Next up, gravy. Gravy is an item that freezes wonderfully and will keep in your freezer for months. What do you make your gravy with without a roasted turkey?? Well, go to the meat section of the grocery store and look for turkey wings and necks. If you cannot find them, ask the butcher and see if they can provide you with some. Roast those up in the oven until golden brown and crispy, and use the bits from the bottom of the pan as the drippings for your gravy. If all else fails, simply make a gravy with butter, flour, turkey or chicken stock, and whatever herbs you desire. Store the gravy in an airtight container (those clear plastic containers with covers at the olive bar in the grocery store work great!) making sure to leave some room because the gravy will expand slightly when it freezes. Thaw overnight in your fridge and heat up when ready to use it.
- 1 whole turkey, or turkey wings and neck
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 carrot, cut into pieces
- 1 stalk celery, cut into pieces
- 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cups turkey or chicken broth
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the meat in olive oil or softened butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter vegetables around the bottom of the roasting pan, season generously with salt and pepper, and add the meat. Roast until a meat thermometer indicates the meat is done. Pour any drippings from the pan into a bowl and allow to sit undisturbed for several minutes to allow the fat to float to the top. Skim off the fat, reserving 3 tablespoons. Add the remaining juices to the stock.
- 1 pound fresh cranberries, washed and dried
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
- 8oz. bacon, cut into pieces with kitchen scissors
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, minced
- 4 sage leaves, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, minced
- 1 pound day-old bakery bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 cup (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs