Thanksgiving Part 3
A cocktail, an improved green bean casserole and a Friendsgiving Recap
Hello and Happy Tuesday! I am happy to report back that I survived Friendsgiving(barely) and my first ever turkey was a success.
My Turkey Takeaways:
*Note: this was my first turkey! So this is not professional advice, this is just what worked for me using the knowledge I have with cooking poultry!*
*due to timing I did not have the chance to dry or wet brine my turkey, which is what my mom always suggests to do!*
I was a little pressed for time so I roasted the turkey at 375ºF rather than 350ºF. I found that to bird browned really well and it cut down on time. If you saw my story, I was cooking at a friends house who just so happened to have a 6 burner Viking Range. Let me just say what a LUXURY it was to cook with!
If you want a brown crispy crust: Pat the skin dry with paper towels. Season the top and the inside of the cavity with salt, pepper, paprika. Take a little brown sugar and rub into the top of the skin.
Don’t throw out the neck and giblets.
My Turkey must have had awkward proportions because only one wing tip could actually stay tucked under the turkey… so i just covered them with aluminum foil so they wouldnt burn, highly recommend doing this if you also have trouble!
Stuff the turkey cavity with onion, celery, carrots, garlic, lemon and thyme.
Make a compound butter. For a 20 lb turkey I used 2.5 sticks of butter. Using majority of the butter under the skin, and a little for the top.
Compound Butter Ingredients
2.5 Sticks Unsalted Butter Room Temp
Zest of an Orange
1 Tbsp Thyme
2 Tbsp Chopped Rosemary
2 Tbsp Chopped Sage
1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Whole Grain Mustard
1 Shallot Minced
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Pinch of Salt
Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika
I left the bird uncovered in the oven for about 30 minutes in the very beginning so the sugar could caramelize the top and create and nice brown crust. Then I covered it loosely with aluminum foil. I removed the foil for the last 15-20 minutes of cook
Add the neck and giblets to a medium sized saucepan with half water and half chicken broth. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and thyme. Simmer and Skim any scum that appears. Simmer for 2-3 hours, strain and use it for homemade gravy along with the turkey drippings!
I used a meat injector to ensure the turkey wasn’t dry. I injected it at the half way point with melted rosemary butter (place butter (1.5 sticks in a sauce pan on low heat, once it melts add in a clove of garlic and rosemary sprigs, allow rosemary to slowly steep in the butter releasing its flavor) I then injected it once more during the last hour of cooking. Basting it in between about every 30-45 minutes.
Let the turkey rest for 30 Minutes before slicing. During this time I had my side dishes heating in the oven and making the gravy in a skillet. Making homemade gravy is super simple! Using a saucepan or skillet add the turkey drippings, slowly add flour and whisk, thinning it out with the turkey stock. Season to taste.
Overall, cooking for 30 people was a CHALLENGE. If you’re also cooking for a very large crowd this year I highly recommend time blocking your schedule, making a grocery list (and checking it twice), along with prepping as much as you can the day before! Time management is everything. :)
Amazon Shopping links:
OKAY. Back to the regular program.
Cranberry Spritz
-You can easily turn this cocktail into a batched cocktail station!
Ingredients For 1 Cocktail
1 oz. Cranberry Ginger Syrup (recipe below)
2 oz. Aperol
3 oz. Prosecco
Top with Sparkling Water/Club Soda
Garnish: Rosemary, Cranberries and Orange Slices
To a cocktail or wine glass add 1 oz. Cranberry Syrup, 2 oz. Aperol. Add ice. Top with Prosecco and a splash of soda. Garnish with an orange slice, fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.
For a batch! (makes 8 cocktails)
8 oz. Cranberry Ginger Syrup (recipe below)
16 oz. Aperol
1 Bottle of Prosecco
1 Liter of Soda Water
To a large container combine aperol and cranberry ginger syrup. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Prepare a Cocktail station with garnish, prosecco and sparkling water/club soda
Cranberry Ginger Syrup Ingredients
Juice of 1 Orange (~1/4 Cup)
4-5 Orange Peels
4-5 Pieces of Sliced Ginger
1 Cup Water
1 & 1/2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
How I made it:
In a saucepan combine the juice of one orange, water, orange peels, ginger, sugar and cranberries. Stir on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes or until 75% of the cranberries have split/popped. Allow to cool before straining and storing in the fridge. Syrup can last up to 1 month in the fridge.
Miso Green Bean Casserole
Very Classic but with a couple twists and a homemade mushroom gravy situation.
-The inspiration for this recipe came from a couple places. I find that green bean casseroles are quite boring? So I wanted to mix it up. There was a spicy/crunchy green bean dish on the menu at a restaurant I worked at so I thought the crunchy fried alliums mixed with something spicy on top would work better than the store bought kind(and I was right). An impulse buy of a large container of miso happened a couple weeks ago so I knew I wanted to incorporate that with the mushrooms. Panko breadcrumbs and the new Algae Cooking Club Gochugaru Chili Oil were also used (regular chili crisp/chili oil works too!). OR go check out Meredith’s Thanksgiving chili crunch from Wishbone Kitchen, it looks DIVINE. -Recipe is on her website!
*Keep in mind, I am trying to use some of the specialty grocery items (like miso paste) in more than one thanksgiving recipe because I don’t want you buying something to use once and waste away in your fridge!*
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
24 oz. FRESH Haricots Verts/Green Beans (1 & 1/2 lbs)
8 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms Halved and Sliced Thin
1 Medium Yellow Onion Diced
3 Cloves Garlic Minced
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme Chopped
2 Tbsp White Miso Paste
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
3 Tbsp Butter
1/4 Cup Flour
1 & 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1/3 Cup Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Olive Oil
Crispy Topping Ingredients
5 Cloves Garlic Thinly Sliced
2 Small Onions Thinly Sliced
2 Shallots Thinly Sliced
Vegetable/Canola Oil
Flour
Salt
Optional: Chili Crunch and Chili Oil
How I made it:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF
In a medium sized pan bring water up to a simmer. Salt the water. Blanch Haircot Verts/Green Beans for 2 Minutes. Strain and plunge into ice cold water. Optionally you can cut the beans in half if you so choose.
In a skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter. Once butter is melted add chopped mushrooms. Spread in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 1 minute. Add Onions. Cook for 2 minutes. Once onions begin to have translucent edges add fresh thyme. Stir. Add soy sauce and minced garlic along with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add 2 Tbsp of Butter and 2 Tbsp of miso paste. Stir. Once miso paste is worked into the mixture gradually sprinkle in 1/4 Cup of Flour. (it’s going to look funky… trust the process!). Slowly pour in 1 Cup of Chicken Broth. Stir and allow to thicken. Once a thick paste forms add in Heavy Cream. Bring to a simmer. Add LOTS of Black pepper.
While the mushroom sauce is thickening use a small skillet/saucepan to toast the panko over low heat until golden brown.
Once sauce is thickened season to taste.
Using a baking dish add blanched green beans, pour sauce over the top making sure green beans have all been covered. Top with a thin layer of toasted panko breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 Minutes until warm and bubbly. While this is baking, heat up vegetable/canola oil in a skillet. Lightly flour the onions. Fry the shallots, onion and garlic until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Place on paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Season with a pinch of salt.
Sprinkle over fried alliums along with a drizzle of chili oil/crunch. Serve and enjoy!
Happy Cooking and Happy Eating :)! -Kristen Faith
Part 4 will have the sweets and remaining cocktails!!
Hi!! For the green bean casserole do you think I can sub red miso for white?
What was the total time that you cooked the bird?