A Stress-Free Thanksgiving

The weather-man delivered! We were promised a hot Thanksgiving Day in Toronto and that’s what we got…a record 31-point-something Celcius record high.

With weather like this, there was no way I was going lose out on an October tan in Canada. I had a stress-free day enjoying the weather and preparing a Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving is a day of reflection, appreciating what you have in life and who you have in your life. I don’t stray or deviate from my Thanksgiving menu too much. Thanksgiving is not the day to experiment with new dishes. Stick to what you know and what will work, thus allowing you to enjoy this day of giving thanks.

Although unorthodox, I have cooked many meats on my BBQ using the rotisserie and with yesterday’s hot weather…I gave Thanksgiving a Greek flare by making a Turkey Souvla (rotisserie).

Another method I ALWAYS use when cooking turkey is to “brine the turkey”. I know many have heard of this method but I also know few have tried it. What are you waiting for?

Years ago, I too used to dread Thanksgiving, Christmas or….leftover turkey. Brining a turkey wipes away any anxieties that remain for turkey.

Brining a turkey is easy, it guarantees you a moist, succulent cooked bird each & every time and even the leftovers are moist and I actually look forward to eating turkey all week! People always ask me, ” but, but, but isn’t the turkey salty”? NO! The turkey takes in water, not the salt. I use the analogy of one eating salty foods…thus wanting to drink water. Your turkey becomes thirsty!

Brining the Turkey
(preparation should commence 1 day ahead of roasting)

First of all, you’ll need a thawed turkey, some kosher salt, a clean bucket or other vessel (with a cover) that will hold your turkey, water and some space in your fridge (in case it’s not cold enough outside).

1. Wash your turkey and remove any livers, necks, organ meat from inside the cavity. Place your turkey in the bucket and fill it with water until the bird is submerged. Now take your bird out of the water for a moment and add 1 full cup of kosher salt to the water and stir until the salt has thoroughly incorporated. You know have a brine.
2. Place your turkey back into the bucket, hold down the bird so that water enters the cavity and thus ensuring your bird stays submerged. Cover with the lid and keep in the fridge or outdoors if it’s cold enough. Keep your turkey in the brine for about 24 hours.
3. The next day, say 1 hour before you need to roast…clean your turkey. Remove it from the brine, rinse it thoroughly with cold water and then pat dry. Truss, season, treat your turkey using any method that’s preferred by your family. This method is about retaining a moist, roasted turkey. The rest is up to you!

There is so much info out there on cooking the perfect turkey and I’ve found Butterball’s website to be very helpful (they even have a toll-free line)! Try brining your turkey. I’ve been using this method for 10 years and the turkey has always ended up with the same moist, succulent results.

One last note before I move on to rotisserie turkey is that after you’ve allowed the turkey to rest and you’ve started to carve your bird, you’ll notice some of the meat is pink….relax! The brining of the turkey will cause some of the meat to turn pink but rest assured your turkey is well cooked. If unsure, invest in a meat thermometer and you can check the breast and leg meat for safe doneness.

Rotisserie Turkey

I have found that one can practically throw anything on a spit and spin it, cook it to a juicy perfection. I found turkey to be an excellent meat for rotisserie use.

However, here’s what I learned yesterday about roasting turkey on the rotisserie:

1. Truss your bird. It will be rotating for hours and it needs to be secured so that wings and legs aren’t flopping around as it revolves.
2. Ensure that your gas grill is large enough to hold a turkey inside. Measure the dimensions of your grill (lid closed) and see if your turkey will freely revolve without hitting the inside of your grill’s lid.
3. Take out the grids and place a drip pan with water under your bird as it’s cooking. This method is VERY IMPORTANT. The drip pan with water will prevent grease drippings from smoking, discolouring your bird and ultimately prevent grease fires. Check & replenish water in drip-pan every 30 minutes or so.
4. Cook your turkey with the lid closed and use the “slow & low” method. My turkey took about 3 1/2 hours to cook and I maintained an internal gas grill temperature of no more than 325-350F.
5. Finally, I know I being repetitive but DO allow your bird to rest (20 minutes) before carving.

Happy Thanksgiving!