ahem, i can debone birds pretty damn well. and no, i'm not chinese.
when i was 14 i started working at a resort in lenox mass. one of the old grand berkshire 'cottages'. this place was rated the top resort hotel in massachusetts by zagat at about this time. the chef i have seen on discovery channel's great chefs and on the food network.
at 15 i moved from dishwasher to salad prep. we had a salad on the menu that had a sauteed semi boneless quail on it. being much younger and even stupider than i am now, i asked the chef how they got the bones out. usually we bought them that way, but he ordered in a case of bone in quail.
trust me, if you learn to de-bone birds by starting with a case of quail, even 20+ yrs later you still remember the experience.
now about the turducken, that thing just looks like salmonella on a platter to me. the turkey must be damn near jerky by the time the chicken gets hot enough to even come close to being done.
I dont even like preparing stuffing in the turkey, only on the side. all that bread inside the turkey just sucks the juice right out of it. it is a perfect breeding ground for wee nasties.
and LB is absolutely correct, brining is the best way to get yourself a moist, tasty turkey.
now for a recipe
my favorite is for leftovers.
The Thanksgiving Leftover Omlette
as usual, this dish is best served with a side of bacon
scramble up 3 eggs
shred a half cup of cheese of your choice. jack or something not super strong is best for this.
on a plate, microwave a small pile of left over mashers, some left over turkey, and left over stuffing.
in a small sauce pan heat up and adjust the consistency of some left over gravy
spray a large (10" or so) non-stick frying pan with pan spray
heat it up
pour in the eggs
make a nice big omlette with cheese
put the turkey, mashers, and stuffing on one side of the omlette
fold the omlette over and roll out onto a plate
top with leftover gravy and a nice dollop of cranberry sauce
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Ben Franklin
I personally hate Thanksgiving.
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It's turkey week and I've got one more recipe to share. My GF swears by this recipe:
BARBECUED TURKEY WITH MAPLE-MUSTARD GLAZE
First the turkey is soaked overnight in a brine to improve flavor and ensure moist meat. (Be sure to use a pot large enough to hold both the brine and the turkey.) The smokiness of the turkey is offset beautifully by the tangy, sweet glaze, which incorporates two quintessential Napa Valley ingredients: wine and mustard.
For turkey
6 quarts water
2 large onions, quartered
1 cup coarse salt
1 cup chopped fresh ginger
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
4 large bay leaves
4 whole star anise
12 whole black peppercorns, crushed
1 13- to 14-pound turkey, giblets discarded
4 cups hickory smoke chips, soaked in water 30 minutes, drained
Disposable 9x6 1/4x1-inch aluminum broiler pans
2 large oranges, cut into wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
For glaze
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
Serve accompanied by Winter Fruit Chutney
Make turkey:
Combine first 8 ingredients in very large pot. Bring mixture to simmer, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Cool brine completely.
Rinse turkey inside and out. Place turkey in brine, pressing to submerge. Chill overnight, turning turkey twice.
If using charcoal barbecue: Mound charcoal briquettes in barbecue and burn until light gray. Using tongs, carefully divide hot briquettes into 2 piles, 1 pile at each side of barbecue. Sprinkle each pile with generous 1/2 cup hickory chips. Place empty broiler pan between piles. Position grill at least 6 inches above briquettes. Position vents on barbecue so that chips smoke and briquettes burn but do not flame.
If using gas or electric barbecue: Preheat barbecue with all burners on high. Turn off center burner and lower outside burners to medium-low heat. Place generous 1/2 cup hickory chips in each of 2 broiler pans. Set pans over 2 lit burners. Place empty broiler pan over unlit burner. Position grill at least 6 inches above burners.
Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Place orange wedges in main cavity. Mix olive oil and sesame oil in small bowl. Brush over turkey. Arrange breast side up on grill, centering above empty broiler pan. Cover; cook until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160°F, adding 1 cup hickory chips (and 6 briquettes if using charcoal barbecue) to barbecue every 30 minutes, about 3 hours.
For glaze:
Bring all ingredients to simmer in heavy medium saucepan.
Brush glaze over turkey; cover and cook until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, covering any dark areas of turkey with foil, about 1 hour longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil and let stand 30 minutes.
Serves 8.
Bon Appétit
November 1997
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Don't forget to make turkey soup out of the carcass afterwards. Yumm. But beware, it sure can botulize in a hurry.
Fez, that is amazing.
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