The Ultimate Turkey

Nothing says Christmas dinner like a beautifully roasted turkey with all the fixings. Ours was served late on the 24th, well after midnight.

Butterflying a roast turkey decreases the cooking time, allows it to cook more evenly and keeps the meat moist because it is low in the pan.

Christmas is a beautiful time of year. It remains a #holiday that is about gathering, sharing, and celebrating peace and goodwill. It always results in good company, a good #meal, good #food, and great memories.

Brine the Bird

“To brine the turkey in salted and heavily herbed liquid overnights ads depth to the flavor to a meat that is asking for enhancements.”

To butterfly a #turkey, snip with kitchen scissors along the backbone on both sides. Remove the backbone completely. Flip the turkey back over to its front and press with your palms to flatten the breast. Bend the legs up to rest on lower v-portion of the breast, like in the photo above.

Create a Brine

Bring your own flair of #flavor to your turkey #brine. Maybe it's a theme to go with the rest of your dinner or maybe your family has a special blend of #heritage #spices that you can incorporate. For every 2 gallons of ice-cold liquid, you submerge the bird in; 1 cup of sea salt is needed. Bunch fresh bruised herbs or use dried ones. Turkey meat is made to brine, it is a light meat asking to be enhanced with some zing. #Citrus, #soy sauce, #cider vinegar, white #wine, pineapple juice or anything else tasty and acidic. Finding a basin large enough to hold your turkey so it can be fully submerged in the brine overnight is usually the biggest challenge. It's best if you put it in your fridge or beg space in your neighbor's beer fridge in their garage.

When you remove it the next day to prepare, give it a little rinse to remove any big stuck on bits, and pat the skin dry.

Roasting to Perfection

“Butter is always your turkey's best friend.”

Before you begin preparing your bird for the oven let's butter it up. Soften about a 1/2 a cup of butter, chop up some parsley, and juice 2 lemons. Mix this together. Using your hands or the back of a spoon break the skin from the meat of the breast by severing the connective tissue that attaches them. Then spread the butter mixture over top of the breast meat and push the skin back onto it. Your turkey is now ready for your traditional flair. Prepare it how you normally do, how your family has done for years.

Christmas Dinner Traditions

Traditions are powerful and comforting. I have wonderful memories of Christmas at Grandma's house and a big turkey dinner after we returned from mid-night mass.

Have a wonderful Christmas, I wish you all the best.