Pool Craft would like to share some of the ways we find it best to cook your thanksgiving meal this holiday. Here are special family recipes we want to share with you;

ROASTED TURKEY

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 5 cups sugar
  • 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
  • 2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry, giblets and neck reserved for gravy
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
  • Apple, Sausage, Cranberry Stuffing

DIRECTIONS
Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let brine cool completely.
Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover; refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.

Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly. If making gravy, add giblets and neck to pan 1 1/2 hours after reducing temperature; roast 30 minutes, and reserve.

Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

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STUFFING – Apple, Sauasage, Cranberry Stuffing

  • 1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread

  • 3 3/4 cups cubed white bread

  • 1 pound ground turkey sausage

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 3/4 cup chopped celery

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped

  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries

  • 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

  • Finely chopped 3/4 cup turkey stock

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.

In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.

Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apple, dried cranberries, parsley. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Allow stuffing to cool completely before loosely stuffing a turkey.

Here are some more of our employees favourite recipes;

Gio”s Special Apple Tart for the Heart: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/shows/great-canadian-cookbook/recipe/apple-pie-butter-tarts/19936/

Meagan’s Super Awesome Sausage & Apple Stuffing: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/13651/awesome-sausage-apple-and-cranberry-stuffing/

Cassidy’s Turbo Turkey: http://www.marthastewart.com/274491/how-to-roast-a-turkey?slide=342175