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Date: Dec. 13, 2006
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Below you will find another brining recipe. Besides being a REALTORÒ for 24 years, I am a professional pastry chef (specializing in wedding cakes) and caterer. This recipe is my favorite one for brining a turkey. The cola gravy has a sweet taste to it but it is not over-powering. The turkey is so juicy/moist, not dry. Everyone who has tasted this recipe seems to like it. Brining takes a little extra effort but is so worth the end results. I hope that you and others will try this one and enjoy it.
Brined Maple Turkey with Cream Gravy
(adapted from Cooking Light)
"Brining makes for a juicier bird, and the subtle flavors of the brine soak into the turkey. Kosher salt works well for the brine because it dissolves more easily than table salt. If you have time and refrigerator space, the brining procedure is worthwhile."
Brine:
8 qts water
3/4 C kosher salt
3/4 C maple syrup
3 T black peppercorns
8 crushed garlic cloves
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Turkey:
1 turkey
1C cola
1/2 C pure maple syrup
2T minced thyme (I used ground)
1T dried sage
1T poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 chopped/smashed garlic cloves
2 onions quartered
Gravy:
1 can condensed chicken broth
1C whole milk
2T cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1. Combine brine ingredients in an extra-large stockpot ( I used one of my canning vats), stirring until salt dissolves. Remove giblets and neck, rinse turkey, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Add turkey to pot, turning to coat. If you can find a large enough zip bag/brining bag, that’s what I would place the turkey and brine into, then into the x-large pot. I’ve also seen people use a cooler for brining but be sure that the turkey is totally submerged into the brine liquid. Cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours. If using a cooler and the turkey is in a sealed bag then you could surround it with ice instead of desperately trying to find space in your frig.
2. Preheat oven to 375°.
3. Bring cola (I used Coke) and 1/2 C. syrup to a boil in small saucepan. Cook 1 minute. Remove, set it aside - it will cool down enough by the time you need it.
4. Combine thyme, sage, seasoning, and pepper. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry. Loosen skin. Loosen skin just a bit (but okay if forget). Rub thyme mixture over meat & sprinkle inside body cavity. Place onions and garlic cloves in cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.
5. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray – I use one of those turkey pans with the V-rack. Insert meat thermometer – I don’t like leaving a thermometer in the turkey so I just checked it after the suggested time. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes.
6. Pour cola mixture over turkey. Cover with foil. Bake an addition 1-3/4 hours or until thermometer registers 180. Remove from pan, reserving drippings for gravy. Cover loosely and let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin.
My 15# turkey took the 45 minutes PLUS 2 1/4 hours. I stopped at 170°, lightly covered the turkey, and let it rest for 30 minutes (I hate carving a hot turkey).
7. The recipe says, “While turkey bakes, combine reserved giblet and neck & the broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Strain through a colander into a bowl. Discard solids.” I had used all the giblets and necks (got an extra neck in one of the turkeys, maybe it was a 2-headed one?) on another gravy recipe, so I strained the liquid in the pan to remove any solids, then added one can of condensed chicken broth to the strained liquid, 1 cup of milk, salt/pepper, and brought to a boil. I made a slurry with about 1/4C of cornstarch and a little water. I whisked the liquids together and brought it back to a boil and cooked it at least 1 minute until thickened.
If I still had had the giblets, etc I would have cooked/boiled them as stated, drained that liquid, drained the liquid from the pan, added them together, and then made the gravy. OR, I would have cooked them in water and made a separate "regular" gravy for those who like a more traditional gravy.
6oz of turkey plus 1/4 cup gravy is about 375 calories, 25% fat.
SUE MAZZUCCO, Broker/Owner
Compass DFW Real Estate
972-612-1655 ofc; 972-849-3888 mobile; 800-524-0219 toll free
Plano, Dallas, and Surrounding Texas Areas
Sue@SueSellsHomes.com
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Date: Dec. 13, 2006
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CHRISTMAS PUDDING
8 oz. Currants ) Wash and dry fruit. Stone raisins if you are lucky enough.
6 oz. Raisins ) to get the large unstoned ones. Chop peel. (I use the peel
8 oz. Sultanas ) already chopped.)
2 oz. Mixed Peel. )
5 oz. Self raising flour. ) Sieve together in a basin. Mixed Spice is a spice I
Pinch salt ) have from U.K., containing ginger and nutmeg, and
) A little cinnamon.
1 heaping teas. Mixed Spice ) I have not found its equivalent in Canada, so guess
l level teas.ground nutmeg ) at quantity.
6 oz. Margarine or Butter - Melt in a saucepan, do not let it boil.
5 oz. Fresh Breadcrumbs, )
4 oz. Dark Brown Sugar )
Rind and juice of 1 orange ) Mix these together well, and then mix with
slightly beaten Eggs ) everything else.
5 tablespoons Milk. )
2 tabs. Brandy or Milk )
Leave in the mixing bowl for at least one day to settle, then put mixture into 1 large or 2 medium basins, cover with greaseproof paper and tie down. Steam fast for 6 hours approx. until very dark. Steam again for 2-3 hours before serving.
Serve with whipped cream, custard, or sprinkled with fine sugar
Everybody tries to get home to stir the pudding mixture and make their Christmas Wish. Usually made sometime in October, this is one of the first Christmas smells in the house. I sometimes make treble this recipe and have the puddings during the year or for the next Christmas.
– AN OLD FAMILY RECIPE.– some people have all three!
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Date: Dec. 3, 2006
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PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES.
2.75 cups all-purpose flour. If you want to ice the
cookies:-
1 teas. Baking powder 1.25 sticks unsalted
butter, softened.
1 teas. Baking soda .25 cup plus more if needed -
evaporated milk
1.25 teas. Salt 4 cups confectioners
sugar, sifted
1.5 teas. Ground cinnamon 2 teas. Vanilla
extract
1.25 teas. Ground ginger
.75 teas. Ground nutmeg
1.5 sticks unsalted butter,
softened
2.25 cups packed light brown
sugar
1.5 cups canned solid pack
pumpkin (14 ounces)
.75 cup evaporated milk
1 teas. Vanilla extract.
Cookies:
Preheat oven to 375oF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set
aside.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and
nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside. Cream 1.5 sticks butter and the brown
sugar on medium speed until pale, about 3 mins. Mix in eggs, scraping down
sides of bowl as needed. On low speed, add pumpkin, milk, and vanilla; mix
until combined, about 2 mins. Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down bowl
and bottom of bowl as needed, until well combined.
You can either use a piping tube or a tablespoon to put approx. 1.5" rounds
of mix onto paper, approx. 1" apart. Bake until tops are springy to the
touch, about 12 mins. Let cool on the sheets 5 mins. And then transfer to
wire racks to cool completely. These are soft cookies, like mini pumpkin
cakes. Makes about 6 dozen.
Icing.:
Put confectioners sugar in a large bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a
small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until golden brown - about 3 mins.
Immediately pour butter over confectioners sugar, scraping any brown bits
from sides and bottom of pan. Add milk and vanilla; stir until smooth.
Spread about 1 teaspoon of icing on each cookie
(If icing becomes stiff, stir in a little more evaporated milk until
spreadable.)
Note:
Brown Butter, also called beurre noisette, is formed when the milk proteins
and sugars in butter caramelize during cooking, giving it a deep, nutty
flavour. You're guaranteed to get a bit of sugary, brown-butter-flecked
icing in every bite.
Submitted by Audrey Newell
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Date: Dec. 3, 2006
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And here's a cooking the turkey recipe from my long-time friend Paula Bean, down in Orlando, Florida . . .
First, the recipe: I grill my Turkey (YUMMY!)
Beaners Secret Grilled Turkey recipe:
A charcoal grill works best, especially the domed kind, like a Webber. Put one of those throw away foil containers in the bottom of the grill, fill with a little water and some wood chips (mesquite, hickory, etc). Place charcoal around the outer edges of the foil pan, stand back and ignite.
Let the charcoal come to a medium heat (no longer glowing really red, medium red with a little gray ash on them).
Get an injection system, fill with a mixture of 1/2 melted butter, 1/2 olive oil, and garlic. Inject into the breast portion of the bird, then drizzle the rest on top. Tuck wings under and put foil over top of each wing and drumstick. Place bird on the grill and shut the lid. Grill for 10-15 minutes per pound. About halfway thru cooking period, check the status of your coals as you may need to add a few extra (especially if it is a large bird and you have to cook for long time). Remove the foil from wings and legs and baste turkey one more time. Don't be alarmed if it looks like
the bird is over-cooked as slow method grilling makes the skin much darker, but it is not burning.
This stays so moist on the inside juices just pour from it when you cut it, you don't need gravy and skin gets crispy like it was rotisseried - yummy!
My second favorite method is to deep fry it, but that's not as healthy for you and more work. Grilling you just set it and forget it so you can spend more time with family and fixing other yummy dishes.
~ Paula Bean
Christmas, 2006
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Date: Dec. 3, 2006
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A few months ago, on a discussion group for real estate agents around the world, someone mentioned 'brining' a turkey before cooking it, to make it more tender and flavourful. My friend Andi Durbin from Denver, Colorado, send this method for brining a turkey. . . .
BRINED TURKEY
1 fresh turkey
18 peppercorns
2 cups Kosher salt
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large thumb ginger, sliced (optional)
8-10 juniper berries (optional
The evening before cooking, bring 2 quarts of water to boil, add salt and sugar, and stir to dissolve. Add remaining spices and simmer for several minutes, then cool. Pour into a clean 5-gallon bucket and place in refrigerator, or in garage less than 40 degrees. Add about 2 gallons of ice water, turkey, and enough cold water to submerge bird. Cover and brine overnight. Remove, rinse, pat dry, season and roast.
Thanks Andi!
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