Turkey for Two
"Tea for two and two for tea" my mom would cheerily sing when I was a little girl. "Me for you, and you for me.." I would holler back with gusto.
So this is about a turkey for two (but could feed 4/5) and is ideal for small families. This turkey was one of the best I have made so far and I think it is because I was in a great mood.
No visitors were coming over for dinner so I did't feel pressured to have the dinner just right. The day was laid back and so was my turkey.
Back in 2004 it was the opposite: I had a frozen turkey, my family coming over and was overwhelmed with the stress of having to cook a turkey and to make the family moment perfect for them. That sense of having to get it perfect, create the perfect Hallmark card moment, and be the perfect everything stressed me completely. The turkey was burnt on the outside, raw on the inside, so we all ate mashed potatoes and finished a gallon of pink cheap wine. Good thinking to get that wine...
Today in 2013 I have come to realize that Hallmark card moments, Facebook and most magazines are really there to say,"We will show you what you are supposed to think is perfect while we make you miserable, make you feel unqualified and make you spend tons of money." Look at Julia Child, she got married at 40 (or something), was 11 feet tall, spoke like a cartoon and still managed to learn the art of French cooking in France where just for fun they don't like Americans. Embrace the spirit of Julia and you will enjoy life is the point...following the set rules of the magazines and so called "tradition" just makes one miserable when you don't fit in that box.
Back to the turkey for two. Here is what you will need.
Tools:
1. Lasagna pan to cook the turkey
2. Brine bag
3. Aluminum foil
4. Sharp small knife
Ingredients:
1. Chewing gum (chewing it makes you think faster like a NJ burger flipper ready to scream "Whadallya have?!")
2. One 5 - 6 lb. fresh turkey breast with bone
3. four medium yellow potatoes
4. four carrots
5. half white onion
6. Sage
7. Lots of Rosemary
8. Olive oil
9. Salt
For the Brine:
Brine def ( a soupy mix that the turkey hangs out in for 24 hours prior to cooking. This makes the turkey moist and delicious rather than dry and boring)
1. One gallon water
2. Two cloves
3. Some citrus rind (you pick)
4. One cup orange juice
5. Half cup salt
6. Quarter cup brown sugar
7. About 4 bay leaves
8. Sage leaves
9. Rosemary
Directions: Begin 24 hours before you want to eat Thanksgiving lunch or dinner
Prepare the brined turkey (30 min)
1. Combine all ingredients in stock pot.
2. Boil
3. Turn off heat and let it cool
4. Take the turkey and pat it. Say "It's ok, buddy. You are just going to hang out for a while in this bag."
5. Put turkey in brine bag.
6. Pour brine over turkey.
7. Seal bag. Put it in the fridge with a container underneath in case it leaks. Walk away for the day.
Turkey day Prep (3 hrs total) This is where chewing gum helps get the turkey right
1. Have strong coffee with doughnut (pre-heat oven to 330)
2. Line up turkey ingredients on counter
3. Take turkey out of fridge. Discard brine, discard brine bag.
4. Rinse turkey a bit
5. Place turkey in lasagna pan and slooooowly lift its skin off with pearing knife. Leave skin around spine on.
6. Rub meat of turkey (between it's skin) with salt, rosemary, sage and lots of olive oil. Massage it like you would like to be massaged if you were the turkey facing an oven.
7. Pull skin of turkey back over the meat.
8. Rub rub rub more olive oil and spices. Set turkey aside.
9. Prepare bed for turkey with chopped onion, halved potatoes and halved carrots.
10. Gently lay turkey, breast side down, over veggies and lots of herbs. This keeps it moist.
11. Fill container with water till potatoes are 1/2 way covered
12. Make a "tent" over the turkey with aluminum foil.
13. Pop turkey into oven.
14. After 2 hours carefully remove foil.
15. Flip turkey, breast side up
16. Cover with broth
17. Turn broiler on (to brown skin) and let it go for another 30 hour
18. Enjoy!!!!
So this is about a turkey for two (but could feed 4/5) and is ideal for small families. This turkey was one of the best I have made so far and I think it is because I was in a great mood.
 |
| El Turkey. Just kidding :) |
No visitors were coming over for dinner so I did't feel pressured to have the dinner just right. The day was laid back and so was my turkey.
Back in 2004 it was the opposite: I had a frozen turkey, my family coming over and was overwhelmed with the stress of having to cook a turkey and to make the family moment perfect for them. That sense of having to get it perfect, create the perfect Hallmark card moment, and be the perfect everything stressed me completely. The turkey was burnt on the outside, raw on the inside, so we all ate mashed potatoes and finished a gallon of pink cheap wine. Good thinking to get that wine...
Today in 2013 I have come to realize that Hallmark card moments, Facebook and most magazines are really there to say,"We will show you what you are supposed to think is perfect while we make you miserable, make you feel unqualified and make you spend tons of money." Look at Julia Child, she got married at 40 (or something), was 11 feet tall, spoke like a cartoon and still managed to learn the art of French cooking in France where just for fun they don't like Americans. Embrace the spirit of Julia and you will enjoy life is the point...following the set rules of the magazines and so called "tradition" just makes one miserable when you don't fit in that box.
Back to the turkey for two. Here is what you will need.
Tools:
1. Lasagna pan to cook the turkey
2. Brine bag
3. Aluminum foil
4. Sharp small knife
Ingredients:
1. Chewing gum (chewing it makes you think faster like a NJ burger flipper ready to scream "Whadallya have?!")
2. One 5 - 6 lb. fresh turkey breast with bone
3. four medium yellow potatoes
4. four carrots
5. half white onion
6. Sage
7. Lots of Rosemary
8. Olive oil
9. Salt
For the Brine:
Brine def ( a soupy mix that the turkey hangs out in for 24 hours prior to cooking. This makes the turkey moist and delicious rather than dry and boring)
1. One gallon water
2. Two cloves
3. Some citrus rind (you pick)
4. One cup orange juice
5. Half cup salt
6. Quarter cup brown sugar
7. About 4 bay leaves
8. Sage leaves
9. Rosemary
Directions: Begin 24 hours before you want to eat Thanksgiving lunch or dinner
Prepare the brined turkey (30 min)
1. Combine all ingredients in stock pot.
2. Boil
3. Turn off heat and let it cool
4. Take the turkey and pat it. Say "It's ok, buddy. You are just going to hang out for a while in this bag."
5. Put turkey in brine bag.
6. Pour brine over turkey.
7. Seal bag. Put it in the fridge with a container underneath in case it leaks. Walk away for the day.
Turkey day Prep (3 hrs total) This is where chewing gum helps get the turkey right
1. Have strong coffee with doughnut (pre-heat oven to 330)
2. Line up turkey ingredients on counter
3. Take turkey out of fridge. Discard brine, discard brine bag.
4. Rinse turkey a bit
5. Place turkey in lasagna pan and slooooowly lift its skin off with pearing knife. Leave skin around spine on.
6. Rub meat of turkey (between it's skin) with salt, rosemary, sage and lots of olive oil. Massage it like you would like to be massaged if you were the turkey facing an oven.
7. Pull skin of turkey back over the meat.
8. Rub rub rub more olive oil and spices. Set turkey aside.
9. Prepare bed for turkey with chopped onion, halved potatoes and halved carrots.
10. Gently lay turkey, breast side down, over veggies and lots of herbs. This keeps it moist.
11. Fill container with water till potatoes are 1/2 way covered
12. Make a "tent" over the turkey with aluminum foil.
13. Pop turkey into oven.
14. After 2 hours carefully remove foil.
15. Flip turkey, breast side up
16. Cover with broth
17. Turn broiler on (to brown skin) and let it go for another 30 hour
18. Enjoy!!!!
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