I wanted to share my Thanksgiving successes this year - it was a meal full of new new recipes and experimentation. This year we didn't have any family in town, and so took the opportunity to try some things I might not normally try.
1. Turkey Brine- I chose to use a brine this year in particular because I opted to make a turkey breast, not a whole turkey. Without the dark meat, the turkey can lose some of the fat that makes the meat juicy and tender. I had heard that using a braise is the best way to ensure that the turkey is flavorful and moist. I chose to use a brine from a Williams-Somona cookbook that incorporated some of my favorite scents and ingredients for the holidays!
For a 12 lb turkey:
Zest of 4 Large Oranges (then squeeze out the juice of the oranges)
6 Cups of Orange Juice
1/2 Cup of kosher salt
10 Whole cloves
3 tablespoons of fennel seeds (I didn't use these...)
2 Cinnamon Sticks
Combine all ingredients into a pot, and bring to a boil over medium high heat to dissolve the salt. Once the salt is dissolved, move it off the burner and let it cool to room temperature. Put your turkey into a large bag, or a large pot (I used the inside of my crockpot!) and pour the brine over it. Next pour water into the pot until the turkey is submerged. Let it sit for 12-24 hours - then cook!
To cook: We covered the bird in salt, pepper and butter. We stuffed the inside of the bird with orange slices, zest, and fennel. We added chicken broth to the bottom of the roasting pan, and placed it on the grill (yes the grill) on indirect medium heat. We placed cherry wood chips in a smoker box, and smoked the turkey for about an hour and a half. After that, we moved the turkey to the oven at 325 and covered it with foil. I basted it every 30 minutes (on the grill and in the oven) and it came out great! The last 30 minutes I left it uncovered and let the skin brown. If I could do it again, I'd eliminate the fennel completely - but it wasn't bad. (I'd never had fennel...and I'm not sure I'm a fan).
2. Homemade Pumpkin Pie - I have never made a pumpkin pie. I know that might seem odd. This year, I started easy, and I just bought a can of Libby's pumpkin pie filling and followed the recipe on the can. I did make one change, however. Instead of using condensed milk, I used heavy whipping cream. I think it came out rather well, and I think next year, I'll be ready to branch out to something more complicated...like perhaps, like Paula Deen's pumpkin cheesecake?
3. Sweet Potato Souffle - I watch a lot of Food Network, and one of my favorite cooking shows as of late has been Trisha Yearwood's! She is really funny - I didn't know that - and she is a great cook! I made this Sweet Potato Souffle, and my husband fell in love. He hates this type of dish, and in fact told me that if I made it, he wouldn't eat it. Well, I can't get him to stop eating it. Or talking about it. So, here it is:
Souffle:
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature, plus more to
grease pan
5 medium sweet potatoes
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Pinch of salt
Topping:
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick), softened
For the souffle: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a
2 1/2-quart baking dish with butter.
Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake on a
foil-covered baking sheet until they are soft, 1 hour. When cool enough to
handle, peel the potatoes, place the flesh in a large mixing bowl and mash
until very smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla, milk and salt. Combine
well with an electric mixer or hand mixer. Turn the mixture into the baking
dish.
For the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the pecans,
brown sugar, flour and butter until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture over
the sweet potatoes, making an even layer. Bake the casserole until slightly
browned, 40 minutes. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Happy Wednesday!
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