Turkey On The Go

 Turkey on Thanksgiving can be troublesome. It's a big ,unweidly bird that rquires a lot of care and attention, Now imagine making that bird a to go one. It cna be daunting unless you have the right guide. Thanksfully there is  one.

regular contributor Melissa Clark wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Food section.Most make ahead recipes call for roasting a whole turkey, letting it cool and then cutting it into pieces before chilling.This is a convenint method because the meat is already carved. However it also intensifies the usual problems of roasting a whole bird. The dark meat will remain moist while the breast dries out. Even if the first roasting goes well, the second roasting will surely dry out the meat. You could always just rehreat it with  gravy or broth, but them you wind up with tough ,soggy meat and even worse,limp and slippery skin. Some home chefs cut up the pieces and then roast it. Theorectically this does work, but as Ms. Calrk found out from the reheating it still leaves you with tough  breast meat.The legs and other parts will be fine however, perfect for those who like them. The ones who want white meat are in for a disappointment.

What to do? Ms. Clark recommneds her favorite method,  - spatchcocking. This is simply butterflying the body by cutting along the backbone and snipping the joints so that it lies flat on a pan. Your buther can do it expertly for you if you;re having qualms about doing it. A plus of this is that spatchcocked birds cook faster, in half the time fo a traditional roast. Just reheat as is  without any added liquid to the roasting pan. The skin and fat protect the breast, preserving its; juiciness,The legs remain just as succulent and juicy as when they were first roasted.It should be reheated for the same amount of time that it took for the first roasting  - forty-five minutes, however lower the oven temp to 350 degrees Farenheit(the bird ahould have originally been cooked at 450 degrees Farenheit). Keep in mind that the turkey does need to rest at least two hours before re-roasting it. You can also line the bottom of the roasting pan with fresh herbs for not only a great taste but to give the kitchen a fantastic aroma.

If the bird has to travel, do it right. It'll make everyone's Thanksgiving easier, safer and more delicious. have the bird ready wheever you and it wind up.

A Buttermilk Brined Turkey

 Thanksgiving turkey always comes with a lot of questions. Should it be brined? Roasted? Deep fried?  Should you just serve the breasts or the whole bird? What's the tastiest way to cook it? There is now one definitive answer  -brined in buttermilk.

 Famed chef and cookbook writer Samin Nosrat wrote about two different kinds of turkey cooking methods in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. She is known for her buttermilk brined chicken and has gotten many requests for a turkey version.it This three ingredient wonder is the star of her cookbook, Salt.Fat.Acid, Heat. She finally gave in and experimented with it to produce a tender , tasty bird with darkened skin. She also gives recipes for chicken and turkey breast also brined in the famed buttermilk and sea salt mix. The chicken is a perfect sub in for those celebrating with two or three people this year. There's the delicious main course without the large amount of leftovers. This also applies to turkey breast, another good ideas for those celebrating small this year. The key for all to be successful is the amount of sea salt used. You should use about seven tablespoons which is about 128 grams.  The turkey breast and chicken  only needs about two tablespoons of salt. What you use is up to you, Sea salts vary. You can experiment with different kinds to get the right flavor or a flavor that your family likes.

The star of the recipe however is the buttermilk. Ms. Nosrat uses three quarts of it for the turkey, two cups for the chicken and turkey. Again what brand you use is up to you. marinating times vary. The turkey will take two days while the breast takes twenty-four to thirty-six hours. The chicken takes the least amount of time - twelve to twenty-four hours. The last is perfect if you want to free up the refrigerator for sides or dessert. The turkey is spatchcocked or butterflied. This is simply removing the backbone and flattening it out.Why do this? it reduces the cooking time in half along with ensure a bird with a lovely, golden skin instead of a blackened one. There's a greater surface area for browning then. Spatchcocking also streamlines the entire brining process too. without its' spine a turkey can be easily folded in half and slipped into a two gallon zipper top. bag. It also makes for easier roasting in the oven too. The turkey is cooked for about an hour and forty minutes  If you're using a ten to fourteen pound bird. A three to four pound chicken takes about an hour while two and a half pound breast takes about forty minutes for a boneless one and fifty minutes for a bone in breast.

What is the best method for the tastiest turkey? Brined in buttermilk and sea salt. It'll give you the perfect flavor that delicious and memorable.

Chicken Salad : A Classic Revisited

One of the most classic summer dishes is chicken salad. It has graced luncheon and brunch tables for decades.It is a tasty favorite  both as a sandwich and on its' own. It's also an easy enough recipe that novice home chefs can make as good as any experienced one.

It was the subject of Julia Moskin's Recipe Lab article in today's New York Times Food section. It's a classic in the South where it has been served at luncheons for decades.Unfortunately it's been relegated to a tired deli standby by us Northerners. We usually serve it between two slices of  blah looking white or rye bread,It should be either served in a iced, crisp lettuce  cup or in another kind of cup, one made out of crisper , thin toast. The last is from the Swan Coach House in Atlanta where it's been served since 1965.Sadly the salad came about from the over abundance hens that stopped laying eggs and had to be killed in the summer. The salad has been elevated to a high art with two versions, one being served on weekdays while a chunkier, nuttier version was made solely for luncheons.  The everyday version featured finely chopped meat along pickle relish.This is usually served on crackers or in a sandwich. The more formal version has slivered almonds and even pineapple for some sweetness.A combined version of both is called the Bridesmaid's Chicken Salad and is a staple of Junior League cookbooks.This can be tried at home but Ms. Moskin's recipe is the more desirable one, adding some French flair with tarragon.

Before any chicken gets diced up, it first best to consider what kind to put into the salad. Home chefs looking for a shortcut may want to get an already roasted one from their supermarket. Ms. Moskin advises against this. Freshly roasted rotisserie birds will have dry and stringy meat, along with dark meat. which has no place in a true chicken salad.Instead use leftover breast meat from a poached chicken. She employs the Chinese method of using a heavy pot , then slipping the chicken into boiling water, then turning the heat off and leaving it to cook for two hours. Do this in the morning when the kitchen is at its' coolest. The meat should be then  hand shredded instead of being cut up by knife.They could be cut into chunks and then hand massaged so they absorb more mayonnaise. The mayo itself should be homemade. The store bought variety is laced with acidic components such as vinegar and citric acid, added to deter the growth of bacteria.A dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche can also be thrown in to fluff up the salad's texture. Along with tarragon there is minced scallion for bite  along with broken walnuts and pecan halves for crunch, Celery and onions are also added for texture and color. Serve it in a lettuce cup with a pretty side array of radishes and grape tomatoes.

The South's version of chicken salad is what a summer lunch should be. It's a nice refreshing change to the usual summer fare and has a certain elegance to it. Enjoy this summer classic either as a sandwich or on its' own.