Thanksgiving. America’s great food holiday. In my family, any gathering or special occasion is basically just an excuse for some over the top culinary experience. I know in most households across the country, however, this is not always the case. That is not to say that most people don’t appreciate a good meal, or the effort involved to make one, but food is not the primary objective for every gathering quite to the extent it is in my family.
Except for Thanksgiving. While there is something certainly patriotic and distinctly American about Thanksgiving, we all know what the day is about: the feast. It’s a day of Turkey and sides and drunkassery and football. Sure, you want to spend it with family and friends and make an extravaganza out of it, but the day is nothing without the feast.
What’s so unique about this one day is that in opposition to most other holidays, a feast is the signifying event. It’s a recreation and remembrance of a feast that took place hundreds of years ago. The feast is the symbol, the main event, and the first thing everyone thinks of when you say Thanksgiving. Christmas and Easter are religious holidays with their own distinct rituals, 4th of July has fireworks and pool parties, New Year’s Eve has everything from a ball dropping to fireworks to a kiss; Thanksgiving has the turkey.
This also presents an incredible opportunity and an incredible amount of pressure on those who are preparing the feast. Basically everyone makes some variation of the exact same dishes with a bit of variance thrown in based on what part of the country you are in, the skill/patience of your chefs, and family recipes and traditions. I’ve heard stories (and experienced firsthand) examples of people who admittedly couldn’t cook their way out of a cardboard box put on an epic feast with some truly remarkable dishes and execution. I’ve had a turkey cooked about 20 different ways. I’ve seen some meltdowns…but most of this is around the fact that some people just plain suck at event planning and logistics. The dishes aren’t terribly difficult, you just need zen like focus on amounts, times, order of operations, and counter/oven space. The rest is basic execution, and as I alluded to earlier, most everyone I know is capable of this, or at the very least following directions.
If you’ve read this blog before you know I’m pretty awful with recipes. I don’t generally believe in them…I am horrendous at following them, worse at writing them down, and see them most useful as a general list of ingredients and order of operations as opposed to an exact science. This is why my baking/pastries skills are so hit or miss. It’s also why I can turn leftovers into a masterpiece, and improvise with the best of them.
May I humbly present to all of you the Dutchie Thanksgiving. I’ve cooked Thanksgiving dinner twice in my life, and will be doing a third run this year with my family coming into town. The dinners went off without a hitch both years. If you are watching your cholesterol or are lactose intolerant, you may want to shield your eyes. I was once guilty of using 13 sticks of butter during one Thanksgiving feast. It went down as one of the greatest things I’ve ever cooked. Our stuffing is a bit non-traditional. The mashed potatoes are the best mashed potatoes you will ever eat. Turkey is an easy thing…with the right equipment and a tasty brine. Gravy is a snap.
The Dutchie Thanksgiving:
Brined Turkey & Gravy
Orange Apricot and Pecan Stuffing
Maple Whipped/Mashed Potatoes
Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce
Bourbon and Tarragon Glazed Carrots
Salad with Sherry Dijon Vinaigrette
Brined Turkey and Gravy
First let’s set some ground rules here:
1) Brine your turkey. If you deep fry ‘em or smoke ‘em, you’re on your own here and more power to you. If you don’t, I don’t quite blame you. I also don’t think there is a better way to cook a bird than a solid, flavorful brine and oven roasting. It imparts so much juiciness and flavor that I find this an essential step.
2) Use a roasting rack. A good roasting rack really makes a hell of a difference. I got a $40(?) roasting rack from Costco a few years ago and would never go back. It helps cook the bird more quickly and evenly than you could imagine, and makes an awesome vessel for the gravy later.
3) Stuff and truss your bird. There are a lot of people who freak about putting the stuffing actually in the bird’s cavity. To them I have a few things to say:
a. If you are brining the bird and effectively clean it out, I’m not sure what there is really to worry about.
b. Cooking the stuffing in the bird gives both an unparalleled flavor. Cooking the stuffing in a separate dish just never works quite as well.
c. If you are still really freaking out about it and can’t bring yourself to do it – make sure and stuff your bird with something. Some quartered apples, onions, sage, and celery make good work. But you’d be better off stuffing it with stuffing if you ask me…
 |
| Brining your Turkey prevents this from happening |
Some of you may be asking – what is brining exactly? Brining is a process similar to marinating – it’s a way to add juiciness and flavor to meats. You make a solution of equal parts salt and sugar (2 to 1 in this recipe), a base of other spices/flavorings, and put that into cold water. Drop your meat in for a period of 12-24 hours, rinse the meat off, and cook. Pork takes ESPECIALLY well to this preparation. A brined then grilled pork chop is one of the world’s greatest creations. A brined turkey is the only way to make a whole turkey, if you ask me. Brine your turkey approximately 24 hours before cooking it. If you can only muster 12-18 hours – no worries, the effort will be well worth it.
The brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup (light) brown sugar
1 handful of peppercorns
Chopped fresh sage
6 bay leaves
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 oranges cut into slices
A ton of water
Quick turkey broth (optional) – sauté the gizzards and neck in a pan with olive oil on high heat until fully browned. Add water, and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 30-45 minutes, and you have a basic turkey broth. Use this either in the brine (it will make your turkey taste more like…turkey), or as the stock for your turkey gravy.
In a large pan over high heat combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, sage, bay leaves, garlic, oranges, and a bit of water. Although most brines are usually equal parts sugar and salt, using less for this turkey is the standard. Stir to combine. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture “steep” for a few minutes. Essentially you will be letting the turkey sit in this mixture (with a bunch more water and some ice to keep the temperature cold) for 24 hours, so find a cooler large enough to hold your bird, put the bird inside, and add this mixture (once cooled) with water and ice to cover the bird. Let it sit in the cooler for upwards of 24 hours (add more ice as time goes on – last thing you want is a turkey sitting at room temperature all night!). I once had to buy a 5 gallon plastic paint bucket from Home Depot (cost around $3) to fit our 26 lb turkey in, and it worked perfectly.
 |
| No seriously, we used this exact thing |
The next morning, thoroughly rinse out your bird to wash out all the salt brine. Pat the bird dry with paper towel, and allow it to sit out for 20-30 minutes and come back up to temperature. Rub the bird down with olive oil, salt and pepper the inside and outside of the bird, and stuff it with your already made stuffing (or alternative listed earlier). Truss the bird, set on your turkey rack. At the bottom of the roasting tray, put in some segments of onion, carrot, and celery, a stick of butter, and some chicken stock you’ve brought to a boil. Put the turkey rack in the roasting tray, and pop it in a 425 degree oven for an hour. After approximately an hour, continue to baste the bird with the chicken stock/butter mixture every 30 or so minutes. Add more butter or stock as necessary. Drop the temp down to 350 and continue baking until it hits 160-165 degrees (somewhere in the 10-15 pounds per minute range).
When it hits the 160ish range, pull the bird and allow it to sit on it’s turkey rack. Strain the veggies and butter/stock mixture out of the bottom of the roasting rack. Reserve some of this liquid, separating the fat. In the roasting rack (or a separate pan if you are short on space) – brown some butter (or use the fat from the bottom of the pan) over medium-medium high heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Begin gradually adding stock to this mixture and bring to a boil. A gravy will never reach it’s full thickness until it comes to a boil. If too thick, add more stock. Taste for salt and pepper, add as necessary, and a touch of sherry vinegar (or apple cider vinegar/red wine vinegar if you don’t have any on hand).
Slice the bird after giving it at least 15 minutes to rest.
Orange Apricot and Pecan Stuffing
I used to claim I hated stuffing as a small kid. My dad made this stuffing (originally for grilled Cornish Game Hens, I believe), and changed my mind immediately. Unbelievable. It is certainly non-traditional, but is also certainly stuffing. Forgive my lack of preciseness on the recipe. We just kinda roll with the punches every time this is made. The chewiness of the dried apricots, the sweetness, and the crunchiness of the pecans all comingle so nicely. It’s balanced, harmonious, and a true show stopper. If you’re looking to lively up your thanksgiving, add something different, give this a shot.
Note: Do this the night before you bake your turkey. It needs ample time to cool. It also GREATLY intensifies the flavor when the stuffing has a day to sit and allow all of the flavors to comingle. You could get away with making this two nights before if you really had a bug up your ass and would be just fine – it may actually taste better that way.
Chopped Pecans
4-6oz Dried Apricots, chopped
~1 cup Orange Juice
Chicken Stock
Orange Zest
1 stick of Butter
1-2 Onions diced
3-4 stalks of Celery diced
Dried Sage
Salt & Pepper
For the bread I can usually find most grocery stores in their bakery section have strips of bread for stuffing lined out. It’s been pre-dried/toasted, and comes in long rectangles. It’s nothing too special, but absolutely perfect for this. If you can find it – do it. If not, make your own, just cut off the crusts, cube up some bread, and let it sit over a mesh tray over night.
Set your bread in a large bowl off to the side.
Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add the butter, and melt/brown. Add the onion and celery, salt and pepper. Cook the onion and celery through until soft. Once soft, add your chicken stock, OJ, and orange zest and allow the mixture to reduce to concentrate the flavor. My dad and I always throw in a curveball with the liquids. Sometimes chicken bouillon cubes are added to really intensify the flavor. Sometimes he deglazes the pan with brandy or rum prior to adding the other ingredients. I may throw in a bit of wild turkey bourbon this year. Add your dried apricots to help rehydrate for a few minutes and a touch of dried sage. Add the chopped pecans at the last minute (toast them in a separate pan first for bonus points). Turn off the heat and pour the mixture over the cubed bread and mix in. You want the mixture to soften the bread but not make it completely dissolve/lose it’s texture, just soften so everything can nicely form together and remain moist while baking. I know it’s a fine line – but like most things with baking, always add a little at a time. If you need more liquid, it’s always easy to add. If you add too much and everything becomes too soggy, there’s really no going back.
Maple Whipped Mashed Potatoes
I make the self proclaimed greatest mashed potatoes on planet earth. There’s nothing too terribly difficult about them. Boil russet potatoes, salt and pepper the hell out of them, whip together with copious amounts of dairy, and add one secret ingredient: pure maple syrup. The contrast between the saltiness (seriously, you need to add a ton of salt to these bastards), and a slight hint of smoky sweetness is unmatchable. My mom ran out of brown sugar one night (which she normally used), and resorted to maple syrup. We thought it was so good we never went back – and thus the recipe was born. The men in my family have always been the cooks, but this is certainly one divine act where my mom requires all of the thanks and praise. Her love of cooking with buttermilk should also be noted – the tanginess of the buttermilk and sour cream are irreplaceable. I’m going to just throw out proportions as opposed to actual measurements. I have no freaking idea how much of anything we use, just basic proportions.
Russet Potatoes – peeled and chopped into pieces about the size of an oreo double stuffed cookie (like my measurements now?)
1 part butter (I usually make 3-5 lbs of potatoes and have never once used less than a stick of butter on the potatoes)
1-2 parts buttermilk (based on consistency)
1 part sour cream
Salt and pepper
A few tablespoons of maple syrup (based on taste and consistency)
First note: the potatoes MUST be russet potatoes (or something similarly starchy for those outside the US). White potatoes, red potatoes, and any other innumerous waxy varieties just don’t work. They don’t have the proper amount of starch and just turn out waxy instead of perfectly mashed/whipped.
Second note: cubing the potatoes makes a world of difference. It helps them cook a shit ton faster, and you do lose a touch of starch to the water with all that surface area. It also helps them cook more evenly.
Third note: always start the potatoes in cold water. If you start them in boiling water the outsides of the potatoes cook quicker than the insides. Not good. Start with cold water. This is also helpful because you can peel, cut, and put in water then just forget about them for like 30 minutes.
Combine the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Add a bit of kosher salt, and bring the water to a boil. Once cooked to fork tender, strain the potatoes. Return to the pot (DO NOT RINSE UNDER ANY CIRUMSTANCES), and set the heat to low. Add your butter, slap a lid on the pot, and let it sit for about 2-3 minutes. Take a beater (like the one mom would always use to make cookies), and begin to whip the potatoes together. Add sour cream and buttermilk, salt and pepper, and the maple syrup. Whip until you get a nice consistency. It’s usually best to add the dairy in parts – you want to ensure the correct texture on the potatoes, something that is moist, but not so moist that the potatoes become truly “whipped” and airy. You want some denseness, but never at the expense of the potatoes being dry. I can’t stress enough that correct salt and peppering, and amount of buttermilk really make this dish. You want something salty and tangy, with the maple syrup and pepper cutting through that to create balance and synergy.
Fresh Orange and Cranberry Sauce
What is Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce? Never bother with the canned stuff – amazing cranberry sauce is made quickly and easily.
Fresh Cranberries (frozen to substitute if necessary)
Brown sugar
Water
Cinnamon stick
Orange zest
Orange liquor
Bay Leaves
Saute your cranberries over medium high heat with brown sugar. Once the sugar begins to dissolve and forms a slight caramel at the bottom, deglaze the pan with some orange liquor (Gran Marnier / Cointreau) and add enough water so that they are almost covering the cranberries. Add orange zest, bay leaves, and a whole cinnamon stick. Boil for 5-10 minutes so the cranberries break down, but not entirely. I like a chunky sauce, so I don’t want the cranberries broken down entirely. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick, transfer the mixture to a bowl, and allow it to cool. Overnight is better if possible. You want the cranberries to have a chance to release their pectin and then seize up. I’d give it at least 4 hours, but again, overnight is better.
Bourbon and Tarragon Glazed Carrots
Really simple and a crowd favorite. The tarragon adds a wonderful freshness and slight anise flavor, as well as some color to the dish. This is a slightly modified version of a family favorite. My grandpa always referred to it as his favorite 3 things in one dish, the 3B’s Carrots: Brandy, Butter, and Brown Sugar.
Baby carrots
Water
Brown sugar
Butter
Bourbon
Salt
Dried tarragon
Put your baby carrots in a pan/pot with enough water to cover. If you are cooking a lot of carrots, put 1.5x to cover in the cooking vessel. Turn the heat on high, add some salt and a dollop of butter, and allow the carrots to boil. Stir occasionally. As the carrots continue to cook, and the water evaporates, check the doneness of the carrots. I’d estimate the whole process takes 20-30 minutes to cook. If the carrots are not done yet and the water completely evaporates, simply add some more. If you can time it just right the water will evaporate at the same time the carrots are done. Once fully cooked, remove any excess water, turn the pan on high. Add a good bit of butter, and allow to brown, coating the carrots. Salt and pepper, and add some brown sugar. Add some bourbon, flame off the bourbon, and add the dried tarragon at the last minute.
Salad with Sherry Dijon Vinaigrette
I like something green on my plate, especially with all of the heavy, buttery dishes surrounding this meal. It may be sacrilegious to some of you, but I’ve never been fond of green bean casserole. Asa makes what is hands down the best green bean casserole I’ve ever had, but I still can’t get down with the general concept. Don’t ask me why, I’ve quit trying to figure it out. A homemade dressing going over some crispy greens, garnished with grated carrots, candied / toasted pecans, and fresh pomegranates is perfect to help cut through the rest of the meal.
Sherry Dijon Vinaigrette
3-4 parts good olive oil
1 part sherry vinegar
1 part lemon juice
1 part Dijon mustard (maybe slightly less)
Chopped garlic to taste
Honey
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Dried tarragon or fresh parsley (optional)
Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and mustard. Add the oil slowly to form an emulsion. Add your chopped garlic, salt and pepper, and herbs. Taste and adjust as necessary – many times the recipe will feel rather vinegary (which is good) but needs a touch more honey and a touch more oil to even that out.
For the salad – just combine some greens (for Thanksgiving I like using Romaine lettuce, but typically I love this dressing with either fresh baby spinach or arugula) in a large bowl. Optionally add some grated carrot, toasted or candied nuts, and fresh pomegranates. Toss with the dressing.
Have a happy Thanksgiving, y’all. It’s a holiday where everyone is a fat kid. Enjoy some food, some wine, some company, and hopefully a Longhorn victory over pooooooorrr aggy.
-Dutch
