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Cake Pans for crafting great cakes
Famous bakers and serious home cooks have always known to make a perfect cake always use cake pans made exactly for that job. Just as gourmet chefs require certain tools for proper cooking, cake pans are the way to go for successful cake baking....
Just like KFC Potato Salad! Well almost! Try this delicious copy cat on your family, and see if they can tell the difference.
Just like the Colonel made it! Well almost!
If you love the taste of KFC potato salad, and want to impress your family and friends at your next get-together, try this recipe. It's tried and true, and always gets me rave reviews. I tinkered...
Safe Food Handling for the Holidays
Did you know that the turkey you thawed on the kitchen counter,
instead of in the fridge, could now contain bacteria levels high
enough to harm human life, even though you can't see, smell, or
taste it?
There's nothing better than a home...
What you Need in a Gourmet Kitchen.
The best way to decide what you need in your kitchen is to first decide
what it is you are going to be cooking in there. The best suggestion I
ever heard on this matter is to find five dishes you really love. The
dishes you like to find on...
Would you like S'more? - Cooking S'mores Indoors
The best part of camping has nothing to do with being outside. Think back to the last time you slept in the woods and you will agree with me. Take away the mosquitoes, the unexpected rainstorms and going to the bathroom in the bushes and what's...
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Maximizing Flavor and Moistness In Your Holiday Bird - The Perfect Turkey
Every year I hear the same two questions when discussion of the
Thanksgiving bird comes up: "How do I keep the bird from drying
out," and "my bird was moist, but how can I kick up the flavor?"
Both are excellent questions and issues that most of us have
faced when preparing the holiday meal. Nothing can kill the
thrill of a great holiday meal more than dried out, flavorless
turkey. Because it is a very lean meat, turkey doesn't offer
much in the way of fat to flavor and keep the meat moist, so it
is important that the bird is prepped prior to cooking. Follow
these steps, and you will be surprised by just how good turkey
can be.
If you purchased the bird frozen, you will want to allow plenty
of time for it to defrost. It is important that before you begin
this process the bird be fully defrosted and ready for cooking.
The first step in preparing the perfect turkey is to brine it. I
know what you are thinking, but it really does make a
difference. Brining a bird serves a number of purposes including
cleansing the meat, seasoning and flavoring, and protecting
moistness during the roasting process. Brining also assists in
firming up the meat, especially in the breast, creating a
firmer, more juicy texture as opposed to a soft, dried out feel
and taste. To brine is simple: you need a 12-to-14-pound turkey,
kosher salt, water and a large stockpot or clean bucket (such as
a 5-gallon plastic pail). Remove the giblets and neck from the
turkey cavity. (You can use them for making stock.) Rinse the
turkey under cold water and pat dry, and place it in the bucket
or stock pot. Add the kosher salt and water using a ratio of 1
cup of salt to every 1 gallon of water. Add enough water to
cover the turkey by about an inch. Swish the water around to
thoroughly dissolve the salt. I also like to add a few
tablespoons of one of our dry rubs,
usually our Amazing Pork and
Poultry Blend, to the brine to add an additional kick of
flavor.
Set the bucket in the refrigerator for a minimum of 10 to 12
hours, preferably overnight. If you live in the North and it is
cold enough outside, you can cover the pail or pot and set it in
your garage or outdoor shed. Just make sure that the temperature
is consistently below 38 degrees fahrenheit, but above
freezing!!!
Once the bird has set, remove it from the brine and discard the
salt-water mixture. Thoroughly rinse the bird to remove any
traces of salt. Pat the bird dry and prepare for the next step -
injecting!
Now it is often argued that this is an un-necessary step,
especially after brining, however you are reading this article
because you are looking for turkey with more flavor
and
moistness. If that is what you want, then this step is a must!
Using an injection needle, which is available at most cooking
stores and shops, create a mix of melted butter, white wine,
lemon juice, very-finely grated garlic and onion, and your
favorite rub. The proportions of each will vary depending on the
flavors you want to dominate. Fill the injector needle, and
insert into the breast, legs, and thighs pressing the syringe
plunger as you slowly pull the needle out of the turkey. You
will want to make sure to evenly distribute the injection
marinade to achieve full flavor.
Once this has been done, take a stick of butter and tablespoon
of your favorite dry rub and create a paste. Take 1/2 this
paste, and gently rub it underneath the skin of the turkey,
being careful not to tear the skin. Rub the remaining 1/2 on the
outside of the turkey skin. This will aid in the crisping of the
skin, basting the bird, and add more flavor.
We don't recommend stuffing your turkeys prior to cooking, as
that can be unhealthy and unsafe, so we take advantage of this
opportunity to really kick up the flavor and aroma factor!
Insert a sprig or two of rosemary, 1 lemon quartered, sage
leaves, thyme and plenty of salt into the cavity of the bird.
This will aromatize and flavor the meat during the roasting
process.
That's it...the bird is now ready for the oven. We recommend
placing the bird in the roaster, breast side up in a V-Rack.
Because of the butter we have added, as well as the brining and
injection, we are not required to baste. It will baste itself as
it cooks. The most important thing at this point is to make sure
that you watch the skin and if it begins to brown too much, you
lightly cover it with foil. We like to slow roast, so we set the
oven to 325 and cook the bird until it registers 170 degrees
Fahrenheit on the thermometer at the thigh. We find that going
all the way to 180 leaves you with a really dry bird. 170 is
still well within the acceptable range for safety, and still
maintains the moistness.
While it may seem like a fair amount of effort, the end result
is well worth the time and energy. Thanksgiving and Christmas
can be stressful times for the home chef, so isn't it worth it
to take a little extra time to ensure that you create a perfect
turkey? After all, you take the time to insure your home and car
just in case, so why would you do anything less for your tummy
and taste buds?
About the author:
Joe Johnson is a founding partner with Caroline's Rub - Fine Spice
Creations, makers of gourmet dry rubs, smoked salt and Texas
chili seasoning. Joe is in charge of product promotion and
development, and he serves as their executive chef.
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