With Thanksgiving this Thursday I just wanted to share my turkey story.
Before I became a grad student at the University of Florida (Go Gators!!) the only roast fowl I've encountered were the tasty chickens from Robina (remember their Makati branch along Buendia across from Barrio Fiesta?) and chicken inasal in Bacolod, plus an occasional duck. The whole idea of poultry the size of a small dog made me wonder: how can you cook anything that big?
After several tasty Thanksgiving dinners hosted by friends, and with me the sous chef for one dinner party, I finally got the nerve to roast a turkey on my own, and invited several friends from my department. In my tiny kitchen (so tiny that I couldn't open both oven and refrigerator doors at the same time; not that I would want to do so!), I made turkey and all the traditional fixings for Thanksgiving. I didn't have a dining table large enough, so we ate just outside the apartment, at one of the picnic tables set up in Married Housing. Can't really remember what we talked about, or what we drank, it was so long ago, but I'm sure we had a great time discussing our different research projects, movies, politics --- whatever crazy things get in the heads of 20-somethings when you get enough alcohol in them!
At the end of the evening as I was washing up, I realized that I had forgotten to remove the packet in the turkey crop which had the gizzard, heart, and neck! Good thing that my only witnesses were Ron and Véronique. In retrospect I don't think I did too bad; there weren't much left-overs. But then you know how hungry grad students always are!
This is easier than using a whole turkey. If you choose to brine your turkey it'll come out so much juicier, but you will need to adjust your cooking time. Use your meat thermometer!
(Makes 10 - 12 servings)
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse all vegetables. Peel parsnips and carrots. Cut parsnips, carrots, and celery into 1-inch-long pieces. Remove ends and peel from onions; cut into quarters. Place vegetables, bay leaves (optional), and salt into roasting pan.
Melt butter over low heat or in microwave. Whisk in flour and 14 ounces of chicken broth until blended. Pour over vegetables in roasting pan.
Place turkey on roasting rack or directly on top of vegetables. Cover with aluminum foil and cook 45 to 60 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Transfer turkey to carving board; let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Transfer vegetables to serving dish; remove and discard bay leaves.
Whisk remaining chicken broth (up to 14 ounces, if needed) into pan gravy until desired consistency. Transfer gravy to a serving dish. Slice turkey and serve.
Before I became a grad student at the University of Florida (Go Gators!!) the only roast fowl I've encountered were the tasty chickens from Robina (remember their Makati branch along Buendia across from Barrio Fiesta?) and chicken inasal in Bacolod, plus an occasional duck. The whole idea of poultry the size of a small dog made me wonder: how can you cook anything that big?
After several tasty Thanksgiving dinners hosted by friends, and with me the sous chef for one dinner party, I finally got the nerve to roast a turkey on my own, and invited several friends from my department. In my tiny kitchen (so tiny that I couldn't open both oven and refrigerator doors at the same time; not that I would want to do so!), I made turkey and all the traditional fixings for Thanksgiving. I didn't have a dining table large enough, so we ate just outside the apartment, at one of the picnic tables set up in Married Housing. Can't really remember what we talked about, or what we drank, it was so long ago, but I'm sure we had a great time discussing our different research projects, movies, politics --- whatever crazy things get in the heads of 20-somethings when you get enough alcohol in them!
At the end of the evening as I was washing up, I realized that I had forgotten to remove the packet in the turkey crop which had the gizzard, heart, and neck! Good thing that my only witnesses were Ron and Véronique. In retrospect I don't think I did too bad; there weren't much left-overs. But then you know how hungry grad students always are!
This is easier than using a whole turkey. If you choose to brine your turkey it'll come out so much juicier, but you will need to adjust your cooking time. Use your meat thermometer!
(Makes 10 - 12 servings)
Ingredients
3 medium parsnips
5 medium carrots
4 celery ribs
2 large onions
2 bay leaves (optional)
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup flour
28 ounces home-made chicken broth or 2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 6-lb turkey breast
Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse all vegetables. Peel parsnips and carrots. Cut parsnips, carrots, and celery into 1-inch-long pieces. Remove ends and peel from onions; cut into quarters. Place vegetables, bay leaves (optional), and salt into roasting pan.
Melt butter over low heat or in microwave. Whisk in flour and 14 ounces of chicken broth until blended. Pour over vegetables in roasting pan.
Place turkey on roasting rack or directly on top of vegetables. Cover with aluminum foil and cook 45 to 60 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Transfer turkey to carving board; let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Transfer vegetables to serving dish; remove and discard bay leaves.
Whisk remaining chicken broth (up to 14 ounces, if needed) into pan gravy until desired consistency. Transfer gravy to a serving dish. Slice turkey and serve.
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