This week, I was going to write a column about The Old School in Nashville or a column about a winter pork tenderloin recipe. But yesterday as I went through the grocery store, I got stopped by several people who had burning Thanksgiving questions. So here is my column on Thanksgiving basics to get a great on the table without hysteria or mishaps.
Let’s start with the turkey. If you have a fresh turkey, life is still good for Thursday. If you have a frozen turkey, get it thawing in the refrigerator NOW! When it comes to , roasting and all that, don’t be crazy. Breathe and follow your heart.
My best turkey has always been the simplest. Literally, I clear out the turkey cavity, liberally sprinkle it with herbs and spices then cut up some oranges and onions and stuff them into the empty cavity. Then I cover the outside with a butter/herb rub. I roast the bird breast side down for the first half of roasting time, then flip it up on its backside for the final half of roasting. I use a roasting rack over a pan which has carrots, onions, celery and some stock in the bottom. Once the turkey is on its back, I melt butter and pour it over the breast to keep it moist throughout the roasting. As for timing, I like to roast my bird at 375ºF until the thigh registers 165ºF with an instant-read thermometer.
Do not believe those pop-up thermometers if your turkey came with one—it is sure to malfunction and will lead to either dry overdone turkey or undercooked turkey.
Next, the stuffing is a mystery to many, but it doesn’t have to be. One cheat that I often use is to buy the pre-packaged stuffing bread in bags that been pre-cut and seasoned. Since it’s Tuesday and you have a lot to do in the next two days, feel free to follow my lead.
If you make your own bread or cornbread for stuffing, plan on making 1 cup of bread cubes per person. Next, pick your flavors. A simple bread stuffing would be one that uses 3 chopped onions and 3 chopped ribs of celery cooked in a stick of butter with 1 teaspoon each of dried thyme, sage, and rosemary until it is all soft and the onions are translucent. Add that to your bread, then add enough stock to moisten the bread and stir everything up. Add a touch of salt and pepper, then bake your stuffing in a casserole alongside the turkey uncovered for forty to forty-five minutes. From this basic recipe, you can make your own stuffing recipe—use cornbread or biscuit cubes if you’d like.
You can add precooked sausage or bacon for a meaty stuffing. Many people add apples, mushrooms, chestnuts or shucked oysters to their stuffing. You get the idea. Take the basic recipe and add what you like to make it your own.
Finally, the gravy. Gravy can be your best dish or your worst nightmare. Literally, it’s in your attitude.
Think of the gravy as the jewelry on the table. It’s similar to great jewelry in that if you start with great ingredients, it will shine for you. I usually start by making up a large batch of roux, which is simply a paste of equal parts butter and flour gently cooked until it is golden brown. I set this aside to stay warm while I use stock to get all the browned bits off the bottom of the turkey roasting pan after removing the turkey and veggies from the pan.
Once I have scraped up all the bits and have the stock simmering, I add the roux to the gravy a tablespoon at a time. Whisk the roux into the stock and let it cook for a minute or two until it is incorporated. Then check your thickness. Add more roux, a tablespoon at a time, until your gravy is as thick as you like it. Then adjust your seasonings.
If you need more flavor, consider adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce or even a bit of chicken bouillon before you add salt. If your gravy gets too thick, add some more liquid—stock or wine will work!
