Recipe – Thanksgiving Dinner

BRINE METHOD

• In a large pot, combine all brine ingredients over medium to high heat until boiling.
• Cool and pour into a pot large enough to hold the turkey.
• Add the whole cleaned and trussed turkey to the pot, and refrigerate overnight.

SPICE METHOD

• Mix all spice ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

TURKEY COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 325F
• Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry.
• Season inside of turkey with salt and pepper
• Rub the skin with the spice rub.
• Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Place in preheated oven at 325F.
• Roast for 1.5hrs, then turn the pan around.
• Roast for another 1-1.5hrs, basting the skin with the fat drippings from the pan every 20 - 30 minutes.
• Check the internal temperature of the turkey in the thickest part of the thigh with a thermometer. Once the thermometer reads 175F, the turkey can come out of the oven and rest for 15-20 minutes.
• The drippings and fat can be saved to make gravy.

• Preheat conventional over to 325F.
• Finely chop garlic and onion
• In a saucepan over low to medium heat, add garlic, onion, and butter. Sweat until cooked.
• Add stock and heavy cream to the pan, increase temperature to medium heat to bring mixture to a boil.
• In a large mixing bowl, add egg yolks and whole eggs and whisk until just blended.
• Once the stock mixture comes to boil, slowly pour approximately 1/4 into the egg bowl whisking constantly until incorporated.
• Slowly add the rest of the stock mixture to the egg mixture.
• Ensure the crust has been removed from the stale bread. Dice the stale bread and cornbread into 1" x 1" cubes.
• Add bread and cornbread cubes, chopped sage, and salt and pepper to the egg mixture and stir until coated.
• Pour mixture into a loaf pan, cover with aluminum foil, and bake in preheated oven at 325F for approximately one hour.
• Remove and check doneness with a toothpick. The stuffing will be done when the inserted toothpick comes out clean.

• Add Part A ingredients into a sauce pot. Over low - medium heat, bring mixture to a simmer.
• Place Part B ingredients into a cheesecloth and tie into a sachet.
• Place the sachet into the pot and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Simmer until the cranberries have burst and it has reduced by half.

• In a medium sized saucepan use some of the fat from your roasted turkey drippings to sear off the heart, liver, and gizzards of the turkey on medium heat. 
• Once the giblets are nicely seared remove them from the pan
• Using the same pan, add the flour to the fat and stir until combined.
• Slowly add the liquid from the cooked turkey to the flour mixture and whisk. You may need additional chicken or turkey stock to suppliment the drippings.
• Add enough liquid to achieve desired gravy texture, and simmer. You may need to add more liquid as the gravy will thicken as the flour cooks out.
• Once the gravy has simmered, remove the pot from heat and add the giblets back in. Blend with a hand blender until smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Preheat conventional oven to 350F
• In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together until smooth.
• Gently pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from the crust comes out clean.