TALKING TURKEY!
Top Tips To Turn Turkey To Triumphant Tasty Tantalizingly Tender Tear Triggering Table Tucker!
Sorry I could not resist that.
Ok, so a subject that reduces a lot of chefs to tears. I hear the cries of “we don’t do that here,” “It’s not us “, or my favourite quote ‘Who wants to eat turkey anyway?’ The answer to that question is, well, lots and lots of people.
I understand the chef’s pain to a degree. The fact that the whole Christmas dinner thing has become a bit of a train wreck. The number of flavours that must battle it out in the ring is astonishing. We just do not know when to stop. Herby stuffing, cranberries, bread sauce, bacon, sausage, sprouts, chestnuts and quick, throw in some truffle paste and sweet & sour braised spiced red cabbage. Just in case we missed something! I have one philosophy about food that shines true especially with this subject.
Let the prime ingredient stand out. Work to make it the best version of itself. Everything else could be a distraction, so keep accompaniments simple. I have turned this dreaded meal into one I love to serve and see my guests enjoy, and yes, I may even indulge in eating it myself once or twice a year (I will explain the twice comment a little later). Oh, and the additional one time, I go out to see how other restaurants are doing it. That time was last night for me (A complete disaster with the turkey tasting of the fridge, you chefs will understand that. The best thing on the plate was half a carrot. I will not mention names).
So, I will share some of my own tips with you lovely hospitality folk or indeed that the keener of you home cooks may find useful. Then I will throw in a simpler version. One that I did cook for my mother when on, let’s say a time budget.
I am not going too crazy into detail on specific recipes or temperatures etc. just a guide and tips to get you thinking about it differently. If you struggle to make sense out of what I am saying, then reach out to me through my website https://www.clivedixonconsultancy.com
These tips and techniques I have done, and it works for me and suits my style. For example, the thighs as another meal another day. The leftover breast meat if there is any. Feel free to play around as you wish.
TIP #1
Buy the good stuff. I am incredibly lucky. My butcher of 30+ years https://aubreyallen.co.uk/ only deals with the absolute best producers. So, I never have a problem with quality. This year I can tell you they are a British breed, slow grown in wild woodlands. If you are not so lucky to have the amazing Aubrey Allen on tap, then check out farms that produce slow grown birds in the UK. Look at their websites and check out some reviews. Near to my home there is Copas Farm, I hear they are amazing https://www.copasfarmshop.co.uk
TIP #2
Break it down. I eluded earlier to the amount of food and the so many flavours of a turkey dinner. So, I tend not to use it all in one day. So, I use the thighs as a different dish altogether. These are the stages I break it down into and preparations for each. There will seem to be a lot of process, but do not worry about that. It needs to be done in stages. If you are having it on the big day, you can start a couple of days ahead. Just doing a little each day. If you are a kitchen professional, then it will make sense to you to have in stages.
Step 1. The Skin.
I remove the skin from the entire bird and roast this in the oven until fully cooked and crisp, with the lovely aroma of a roast bird filling the kitchen, I want to capture this aroma. So, chop it up from the oven and add to a pan with butter (at least a pack, it is Christmas after all) along with the fat that came from the skin. I cook this together gently for about an hour. I add aromats like garlic, sage, shallot, coriander seed and thyme. Strain and cool in bowl while whisking occasionally to re-emulsify. Set it aside. I use this to cook my turkey breast in, and, if reheating, I use more of the same.
Step 2. The Breast.
Take out the wish bone then remove the breast from the bone. Remove the wings and set aside. Now you have skinless breasts. I soak in an 8% brine solution for 8 hours in the fridge. In the brine I use aromats such as garlic, peppercorns, thyme, lemon zest, parsley, bay leaf, clove, cinnamon stick, sage etc., again up to you. Just know this, the water with 8% of salt (you may go 6% salt and 2% sugar), they get brought to the boil together. Remove from the heat and immediately add in the aromats. Let them sit in the solution until cold, strain then add the turkey. The brine can be made well in advance of your turkey arriving.
When you remove the turkey from the brine you need to rinse in cold water. This is not just a quick dunk but for 1 hour in cold running water or regular changes of cold water. It is important that you wash out the brine solution. Its work is done and if you do not rinse out fully it will continue to cure the meat resulting in a squeaky unpleasant texture.
Ok, that's done. Now to the cooking.
I choose to split each breast in half and roll up in cling film with some of the turkey butter. I cook sous vide. I reach my desired meat temperature for the correct time with the cooking temperature set 10 degrees higher than I want. I then cool if I intend to reheat or do a quick sear in a pan carve and serve. The result is moist and delicious. You could cook in the oven. My only advice here is that you do not have the oven too high. You must keep moisture in the breast here. You can check the Government websites for a list of safe time and temperatures.
Step 3. The Legs
I separate the thighs from the drumsticks. I like to soak the thighs with Gewurztraminer wine, Alsace bacon (or smoked pancetta if you cannot find the Alsace) and whole garlic cloves for a day. Then continue the process as if I were to make a Coq au Vin. I serve it with pickled grapes, sauteed mushrooms and some buttery mashed potatoes. Absolutely delicious. There's my second turkey meal.
The drumsticks, I like to make a stock with these along with the remaining bones and wings (using a pressure cooker for this gives amazing results), strain and chill so to easily remove the fat, then I reduce this to make a jus. Alternatively, you could slowly cook the drumsticks, pick the meat, and put that meat into a stuffing.
TIP #3 The crown for the home cook.
As I said earlier, I cooked this method for my mother and will again this year.
I buy a small turkey crown weighing 2-2.5kg. I remove the wish bone for ease of carving from the bone once cooked. I still follow my brine solution (as above) but only leave in the solution for 2 hours, I wash for 30 mins in cold water.
I make a flavoured butter by beating good quality butter with 20% miso paste and some chopped herbs. I like to use parsley and thyme.
Then carefully make a pocket between the skin and the meat by separating the fine membrane that holds them together use your fingers for this not I knife. This way I can then insert the butter, so it is under the skin but on top of the meat. Then with clean hands, manipulate the butter so it is of even thickness across the bird.
Leave uncovered before going into the oven, lightly rub the skin with oil and a little coarse salt on the skin. Pop in the oven at 180c and cook (I, at this point am assuming you know for how long or to what temperature to take meat to) basting through the cooking process.
This method lets the tasty butter run onto the meat, but the top of the skin can get crisp. When cooked rest for 20 minutes but please do not be one of those people that wrap it up in foil or some tea towel blanket. You are only going to steam the now crispy skin.
Carve off the breast meat and enjoy.
Oh, almost forgot. Any leftover breast meat could be made into Scrumpets, little finger shapes, breaded with panko and herbs and deep fried. I like to serve it with Anchoïade.
Cheers
