COOK Me: November 2020

If turkey is fresh or already thaw you can go to brining, if not read below:

Thawing the Turkey

Note: Refrigerator Thawing

When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator: Plan ahead: allow approximately 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F or below. Place the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping on other foods.

Brining the Turkey (Recommended):

Ingredients for Brine (I have used in 2020/21)

8 cups apple cider vinegar (around 2 bottles)
~1 1/2 gallon water
1 1/4 cups Kosher salt (or 5% in weight)
Garlic powder (but I think actual garlic cloves would be better)
6-10 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme (inside turkey)
2 tea sp fresh peppercorns
2 tea spoons mustard powder (mustard seeds may be better)
dry parsley (used fresh in 2021)

1 night before preparation date: Heat as little water as needed to dissolve the salt and add all spices in a boil. Let it cool down. When the brine is cold remove neck (you will use it for stuffing and gravy), liver, heart and gizzard from turkey and then insert turkey in brine/cooking bag, put that bag on another bag and pour all the brine into the first bag, close it tight and then close the second plastic bag. Put turkey on cooler box and cover with ice/ice packs. If you keep the cooler box in the garage the ice should last for 24+ hours. Brine for less than 24 hours! (vinegar is going to make the turkey soft! but I did it for 36 hours and it was ok)

Rice Stuffing replacement:

3-4 rice cups
2 bell peppers (Yellow and Red if possible) cut in small pieces
Turkey neck and gizzard, boiled with salt for 1-2 hours
1 Onion
1 Garlic clove or paste
black pepper etc.
Instructions: After neck and gizzard is boiled and cold, remove as much meat from neck and slice the gizzard in small pieces. Most of the neck meat goes to rice/stuffing, gizzard and rest of neck meat used in gravy (sorry, not recipe!) Fry onions, garlic and meat in olive oil, add bell pepper (close to end), add rice, and cover with hot water used to boil the neck. Add salt and more water as needed. Cook in low heat fire. Note: liver and heart are fried in butter, garlic, salt and pepper and is eaten by cook and his supporting family members).
For graving or sauce you can check how Mr. Pepin makes his here: https://youtu.be/HPWEMZwxKjo

Cooking the Turkey :

at least 4 hours before serving;

Stat boling turkey neck and gizzard on a pan with boiling water and salt, so you have time to make it really soft and also for it to cool down, so you can remove the meat to use in your rice and graving
remove turkey from brine bag, make cuts around legs (to expose small bones during cooking), use some toothpicks to hold the wings to the body or use the wing twist techniche (so they do not fall apart) and steam the turkey for 45 min-1 hour. I then let it cool down

When cool I insert the turkey on turkey rack and put both inside on cooking bag
Start cooking turkey 2 hours before serving at 325F
Remove turkey from bag and cover it with the glaze (apple cider + tabasco) and cook it prior to bringing to the table.

I will add more pictures when I find them but here are some.