Given that I’m hitting the open skies in a matter of months, I’ve been trying to spend more time with the family. For easter of this year I went out and bought a pretty nice organic turkey from JD Farms in Langley, but never got around to cooking it. Since I’ve always been an eater of turkey and never a cooker of it, I offered to do thanksgiving dinner for my mom’s side of the family this year.
I have to say, I can cook a pretty mean chicken these days. So I’m hoping I can pull off a turkey. If anyone has any suggestions, then by all means, drop them here. I’m hoping to turn the awesome knob up a bit and maybe cook a few other things during the day, but I haven’t quite decided on what.
Since my family is Ukrainian, thanksgiving dinner for me doesn’t feel the same without some perogies and kubasa, so I’ll definitely be cooking some up. I’ve never done stuffing before, so that’ll be on the menu as well. I spent last weekend maybe a fresh batch of chicken stock, so hopefully I can mix that in with some turkey drippings and make a pretty kick ass gravy as well.
Any other suggestions?
Fool-proof roast turkey: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html
And for a newbie, make the stuffing on the side (stuffed birds can be finicky), but remember to pour some of your basting juices (once they’re running clear, near the end of roasting) over it so it tastes like the bird.
Brining. Also, brining. Did I mention, brine the bird?
key tool for cooking… meat thermometer
Yah, I have two!