Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thanksgiving Preparations *Updated*
Step 1 - Pick up turkey on Monday evening.
Step 2 - Put in fridge and pray that turkey thaws by Wednesday.
Step 3 - Tuesday evening, gather ingredients and purchase 20L bin for brining process. This one is Tupperw*re with a lid found at Targ*t. This brining thing is new to me - I followed this recipe recommended by Elle.
Step 4 - Appoint sous chef.
Step 5 - Wednesday evening - make brine and refrigerate. Wash turkey, add chilled brine and iced water to bin.
Step 6 - Put in fridge overnight and pray that new bin doesn't leak brine all over fridge.
Step 7 - Prepare "aromatics" for inside turkey (onion, apple, cinammon sticks, thyme and rosemary). Steep in microwave for five minutes. 
Step 8 - Rinse turkey and insert aromatics. Put in oven for 30 minutes at 500F.
Update on sous chef. (Sleeping on the dining room floor.)
Step 9 - Cover turkey with foil and insert thermometer. Bake for 2 hours at 350F.
Sous chef has moved to sofa to sleep.
Step 10 - Remove turkey from oven and voila! Looks pretty good.
Rita gets ready for her first Thanksgiving dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving!Verdict on turkey: It was good. Since it was one of those free range, happy birds I think the texture was better than your standard grocery store bird. The flavor was good as well but I didn't think the brining made a big difference. Maybe I didn't brine long enough? The recipe calls for 6 hours to overnight. Mine was in the brine for 25 hours. There's always Christmas for another trial run ...
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Happy Thanksgiving!
goes well today!
2. Your fridge looks so tidy. :)
3. Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you have a wonderful day.
I have never heard of brining a turkey and have to say I was scratching my head when my neighbor said she was doing the same thing. I asked her how she was doing it and the response was I am just brining it. Honestly, didn't know what she was saying or what she was going to do to the turkey. So glad that you gave me the synopsis and a recipe. Looks intersting and curious on how it turned out.
I enjoyed seeing the video and photos from meeting Rita. So glad you shared those with us. Reminds me of us and our first meetings with our little one.
My Mom is impressed with the brining process...looks like alot of work! :) She only had to make the rolls for Thanksgiving dinner.
Puppy Kisses,
Nala