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'Giving it all you've got
A Turkey Day strategy. Some assembly is required.
To brine or not to brine: If you have the space, it's worth the time. Butterball/AP
By NATALIE MIKLES World Scene Writer
Published: 11/15/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 11/15/2009 3:55 AM
Thanksgiving dinner is the biggest meal most of us will cook all year. Are you ready?
Whether you're doing it all — from roasting the turkey down to placing the marshmallows on the sweet potatoes — or just bringing a green bean casserole, it's time for a game plan.
We've done some of that planning for you by talking to cooks, chefs and party planners about the questions that stump you and the tricks that will make your dinner memorable.
5 Turkey Day Tools
It happens every year. The day before Thanksgiving, people run into the
Stock Pot, frantic for butcher twine, parchment paper, a new roasting pan
or pie crust shields.
And that’s not all.
“Silpats, pastry cutters, whisks, gravy separators, so many things,” said
Todd Neumann, retail manager for the Stock Pot, 7223 E. 41st St.
Sometimes it’s because they’ve just realized that their old whisk just
isn’t going to get those lumps out of the gravy. Or maybe they’ve discovered
their roasting pan won’t hold the 20-pound turkey they’ve planned
for dinner.
Whatever the reason, it’s these last-minute requests that keep Neumann
on his toes. Here are his top five gadgets and tools needed to make
a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner.
1. Half-sheet
pan: It may
not seem
very sexy, but
around the
holidays, it’s
the No. 1 seller
at the Stock
Pot. use it for
everything
from roasting
butternut
squash and
Brussels
sprouts to
baking cookies.
About $12
2. Cutting board with pour spout: This big 20-by-14-
inch maple cutting board is perfect for carving a turkey
because of the spout on the side which collects
all the precious juices you’ll need for making gravy.
About $70
3. Roasting pan: No matter how many they order, the Stock Pot sells out of
this super roasting pan, called a multiroaster, every year. use it to roast
up to a 24-pound turkey or ham, and then use the lid as an au gratin pan.
The roasting pan and lid can both be used in the oven or directly on the
stovetop to make gravy and sauces.
About $250
4. Pie crust shield: It
so often happens
with pie. The top
crust is perfectly
golden but the
edges are burned.
The shield protects
the delicate edges,
leaving an open
space for the top.
About $8
5. Gravy separator:
Some fat
is fine, but too
much fat makes
for a greasy
mess. The
gravy separator
does the work
for you, keeping
the fat on the
bottom.
About $12
Bird Bath
Anyone can follow the directions on the bag
of turkey and end up with a perfectly respectable
bird.
But for some cooks, that’s not good enough.
They have to tinker and play, experimenting with
recipes, cooking methods and brines.
It’s an extra step, and one best reserved for
those with an extra refrigerator or giant cooler.
But, if it’s feasible, brining can make you the hero
of Thanksgiving dinner.
At the Hard rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa,
Executive Chef Tim Westergard will be making
120 (15-pound) turkeys the traditional way. But at
home, he’s brining.
“It’s not terribly complicated,” Westergard said,
“but it can be tricky.”
Historically, brines were used as a preservative,
but no one is brining a turkey to preserve it
anymore. Now, it’s all about flavor and moistness.
“Soaking it in a saltwater solution with aromatics
permeates the meat and really improves the
moisture content,” said Westergard.
Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
6 quarts water
1 pound kosher salt
1 cup molasses
2 cups honey
1 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 large bunch fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, smashed and unpeeled
5 pounds ice cubes
14- to 18-pound turkey, cleaned, innards removed
1. In a stockpot, bring half the water to a boil.
In a separate large bowl, add the salt. Slowly
pour the boiling water over the salt. Add the
molasses, honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes,
sage, thyme and garlic. Stir to blend. Add the
remaining water.
2. Place the ice in a cooler or in a container large
enough to hold the turkey. Pour the mixture into
the cooler, and stir. Submerge the turkey, and let
the turkey marinate in the brine for 12 hours.
3. remove the turkey from the brine, and dry completely
with kitchen towels. Discard the brine.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the turkey
on a rack and place in a roasting pan. roast
until turkey reaches an internal temperature of
165 degrees.
On the side
As a sous chef at the Polo Grill, Grant Vespasian spends his days
with truffle oil and Bearnaise. But not on Thanksgiving.
Vespasian’s family would rather he check his chef’s hat at the door.
Thanksgiving is all about tradition, even with a chef in your family.
But Vespasian pushes the envelope as much as he can, like with this
side dish he shared with us. It has more depth and range of flavor than
a green bean casserole, but it’s something he could get even his uncles
to eat.
“Oh yeah, they would definitely eat this,” he said. “I just wouldn’t tell
them it was made with chanterelles.”
Barley Pilaf with Chanterelles
Makes 8 to 10 servings
4 tablespoons butter
1 leek, cut into a small dice (the
white part with a little bit of
green)
1/2 pound fresh chanterelle
mushrooms (or any wild
fresh mushroom), sliced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme,
chopped
2 1/2 cups barley (the fast cooking
kind)
1 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
Coarse salt and freshly ground
pepper
1. Melt the butter in a large
saucepan over medium heat.
Add the leeks, and saute until
translucent, about 5 minutes.
Turn the heat up to medium
high and add the mushrooms.
Saute while stirring for about
3 minutes to get a good color
out of the mushrooms.
2. Add thyme and barley, and
stir to coat the barley. Pour
in the wine and cook until
absorbed. Add the chicken
broth, and bring to a boil.
reduce heat to low, and
simmer covered for 10 to 15
minutes or until the barley has
absorbed the liquid and is tender.
remove from heat and let
stand to let the flavors marry.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to serving bowl, and
serve at once.
Barley and chanterelles, as
delicious as they are, may be too
gourmet for some families. So,
how about a casserole? Bernice
Tharps is a genius at taking everyday
pantry staples and turning
them into delicious food for the
whole family. She and her extended
family celebrate the holidays
with enough food for everyone to
have seconds and leftovers. This
casserole is a favorite.
Baked Corn Casserole
Makes 8 to 10 servings
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 small (3-ounce) packages
cream cheese, softened
1 regular-size can whole kernel
corn, drained
1 regular-size can cream-style
corn
1 small can chopped green chiles
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (2.8-ounce) can french-fried
onions, divided
1. In large bowl, beat together
butter and cream cheese. Stir
in both cans of corn, chiles
and chopped onion; mix well.
Pour into a greased 8-inch
square baking dish.
2. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered,
for 15 minutes. remove
from oven, stir in half of
french-fried onions. Sprinkle
remaining french-fried onions
on top. Bake 15 to 20 minutes
longer. remove from oven.
let stand 5 to 10 minutes,
and serve.
On the ’ball
Experts at the Butterball
Turkey Talk-Line answer approximately
100,000 calls
every year. You can always
call them at (800) 288-8372,
but we’ll try to save you the
trouble. Here are answers to
some of the most frequently
asked questions.
How long does it take to thaw
a turkey?
Plan on one day of thawing
for every four pounds of
turkey. Thaw in the refrigerator,
breast-side up, in the
unopened wrapper.
If you’ve run out of time,
use the cold-water method
by thawing in the unopened
wrapper in enough cold water
to cover it completely. Allow
about 30 minutes per pound,
and be sure to change out the
water frequently to keep the
turkey chilled.
To save time, can I stuff the
turkey the night before?
No. Make the stuffing right
before you place it in the
turkey. Don’t pack it too tightly
or it will cook unevenly. Stuffing
should be 165 degrees when
done.
How do I know when my turkey
is done?
The safest measure is to use
a meat thermometer, which
should reach 180 degrees
when placed deep in the thigh.
I’m bad at making gravy. Any
advice?
Make it ahead.
Setting the table for all your goodies
The days of one big floral
arrangement in the center
of the table are gone. For
Thanksgiving, set the table
with a mix of your best
china, acorns and leaves
from outside, and the star of
the show — the food itself.
Hilleary Wright of Williams-
Sonoma showed us
how it’s done, sharing her
favorite ideas for an updated
Thanksgiving table setting.
You can find all these
ideas in person at Williams-
Sonoma in Utica Square.
Bring the outdoors in.
Scatter a table runner with
real acorns or place fall
leaves under a footed bowl.
Use serving pieces as centerpieces.
Think oven-totable
with sweet potatoes in
Le Creuset or green beans
in a porcelain serving bowl.
The food should steal the
show. At Thanksgiving,
the food is the real decoration.
Even if you’re serving
buffet style, place a bowl of cranberry sauce or platter
of roasted squash on the
table.
Use candlelight. Candles
add to the warmth of
Thanksgiving dinner. Use
your best candlesticks, or
dress them up by placing
fall leaves underneath.
MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY
1 package (about 1 1/2 pounds)
turkey wings (or substitute
drumsticks)
1/4 cup butter or margarine,
divided
8 cups Butterball reduced sodium
chicken broth, divided
1 small onion, chopped (about
1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1. Separate wings at joints into
pieces for easier browning.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in
large saucepan over mediumhigh
heat. Add wings; brown 5
minutes on each side.
2. Add 6 cups chicken broth,
onion, celery, thyme and
pepper to saucepan to make
stock. Bring to a boil; reduce
heat. Simmer, uncovered, until
reduced to about half (about
1 ½ hours). Strain stock into
4-cup measure. (Note: If time
permits, refrigerate to allow
fat to firm up.)
3. Remove ¼ cup fat from stock,
and place in medium saucepan.
Discard any remaining fat. Add
remaining broth, if needed, to
stock to make 4 cups.
4. Add remaining 2 tablespoons
butter to fat in saucepan;
melt over medium heat. Stir
in flour until smooth. Gradually
blend in stock. Cook and
stir until gravy comes to a boil
and thickens over medium
heat. Continue cooking 3 to 5
minutes. Let cool 30 minutes.
Pour into container; cover.
Refrigerate gravy up to 2 days
or freeze up to a month.
5. Remove gravy from freezer
to refrigerator 2 days prior to
serving to thaw. Place thawed
gravy in saucepan; cook and
stir over low heat until mixture
comes to a boil and becomes
smooth.
Note: For additional flavor, ¼ cup
defatted turkey pan drippings,
from a roasted turkey, can be
added to the gravy. To remove
fat from turkey pan drippings,
pour drippings from roasting
pan into glass measuring cup.
Remove and discard fat layer.
Use remaining drippings for
gravy or save for other uses.
Natalie Mikles 581-8486
natalie.mikles@tulsaworld.com
By NATALIE MIKLES World Scene Writer
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