My goal for this Thanksgiving was to make everything from scratch. I used fresh rosemary, thyme and sage as the signature flavors and celery, carrot, onion and garlic for the base flavors. This combination shows up in all of my Thanksgiving dishes this year. This meal made for one of the most satisfying experiences I have ever had in the kitchen and it resulted in a new found confidence in the recipes and cooking techniques employed in creating a Thanksgiving meal. Each dish featured well developed and layered flavors and the turkey all were well executed. The star was the ridiculously juicy and flavorful Turkey, which might seem obvious, but in years past side dishes have stole the show – not here – this Turkey brine and roasting technique would be likely be described by Snoop Dogg as the Shizz Nizzle.
FRESH HERB TURKEY BROTH
I started with a homemade turkey broth as a base, not only for my gravy, but in side dishes that called for it as well. It’s rich turkey flavor is amplified by the aromatics and topped off with the feel-good flavors of fall comfort provided by the fresh herbs.
The broth was a great way to kick off this holiday kitchen frenzy and it was the start of three solid days of the strong sent of Thanksgiving wafting out of my apartment. A sent so strong my neighbors must have been fighting the urge to watch a parade and some football on TV before dosing off on the couch for a nap.
TurkeyBrothWebHERB BRINED TURKEY
If I’m not frying a turkey for Thanksgiving I’ll brine it before roasting. Since I was preparing this in my New York City apartment, where a five gallon bucket of oil over an open flamed might get me kicked out, if not arrested, I decided a brine would be appropriate this year.
The brine featured fresh rosemary, thyme and sage with salt, sugar, garlic and pepper. Very basic. Very Thanksgiving – and very in line with the broth flavors.
For the actual cooking of the turkey, I use a bed of sliced oranges and more fresh rosemary, thyme and sage as a base to rest the breast on and impart flavor as it perfumed while the it roasted.
To promote browning and crispy skin I did two things. First, I slathered the entire breast with a stick of unsalted butter. Second, I started the cooking at 450° for the first 30 minutes, then turned the oven down to 375° to finish. The high heat in the beginning gave me the nice brown and crispy skin I was looking for.
The brine worked like a charm, creating a barrier on the outside of the meat that held the moisture in and imparted the flavors of the herb. The end result was a juicy melt-in-your mouth slice of turkey infused with fresh herbs and a hint of citrus.
Hands down this is the best turkey I have ever made – that wasn’t fried that is.
111623_HerbBrinedTurkeyBreastWebCREAMY HERB TURKEY GRAVY
I went all out for this gravy. I wanted it creamy and since my broth broth featured rosemary, thyme and sage, I decided to reinforce those flavors by steeping the milk I was using in them as well.
The results were fantastic!
The herb flavored broth and milk came together with a simple flour roux making a creamy and thick gravy with prominent hints of the fresh herbs, aromatics and turkey used in it’s foundation – this is the definition of the term “depth-of-flavor.”
The turkey I roasted really didn’t need the gravy because the brine kept it juicy and moist, but its flavor and presence were needed to truly make it a Thanksgiving meal. Gravy is a must on Turkey Day.
TurkeyCreamGravyWebMUSHROOM THYME DRESSING
For the dressing I featured Baby Bella Mushrooms and Thyme as well as a hint of lemon to brighten things up. I’m proud of the flavors and how they fit into the overall feast but my favorite thing about this dish was the fact that I made the dried bread crumbs myself!
I used a loaf of white bread – cubing it up and drying it in the oven. I had never used the oven to dry the bread for my dressing before, in the past I have air dried my bread which takes a few days and must be started a few days before the feast is being prepared. This technique allows it to be part of the meal prep in general.
In the future I think I will use the oven-drying technique to add a layer of flavoring within the bread itself. First by making it from scratch and then using oil and herbs to toss it in before drying it out.
110923_MushrommThymeDressingWEBBlast from the past – hit the link below to see what I presented on my first Thanksgiving here at Behind the Bites!
Behind the Bites first Thanksgiving
Eat well, cook often …
