Turkey Tips & Tricks

It’s almost turkey time and there is more than one way to prepare and cook a turkey.  Here are two options to consider when seasoning turkey for the big day.

The Apple Cider Brine:  Mix, and heat together, 2 cups apple cider*, 1 gallon water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 5 cloves garlic* smashed, 1 orange, thinly sliced, 1 lemon, thinly sliced, 1 tablespoon dried rosemary*, 3 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon ground sage*, 1 tablespoon dried thyme*, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns.  Place the cooked and cooled brine in a brining bag with the turkey and place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before removing and cooking the turkey.  (Adapted from The Schmidty Wife)

The Dry Brine:  Use 2–2½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound of turkey, or 1–1½ teaspoon per pound of Morton kosher salt combined with your favorite herbs and spices.  Rub the salt & seasonings under and on top of the skin.  Let the turkey set in the refrigerator overnight with the seasoning on it before roasting.  

The Turkey Temp: If you are oven-roasting your turkey plan on 325 to 350 degrees.  The turkey is completely cooked once a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.  The length of time time to roast your turkey is contingent on the size of the turkey.

Let it Rest:  Always let the cooked turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Don’t forget to visit the Saratoga Farmers’ Market for all of your Thanksgiving nibbles for appetizers, main dishes and desserts.  

*Ingredients that can be located the market.

The Saratoga Farmer’s Market is open on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Wilton Mall in the food court area. The Holiday/Winter Market takes place from November 2nd through April 26th. Find us online a www.saratogafarmersmarket.org, where you can sign up for our weekly newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SaratogaFarmersMarket.

Classic Sage and Sausage Stuffing

Yields: 8 servings | Prep & cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds bread, cut into 3/4-inch dice (about 5 quarts)*

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)*

1 1/2 pounds sage sausage, removed from casing*

1 large onion, finely chopped*

4 large ribs celery, finely chopped*

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated on a Microplane grater*

1/4 cup minced fresh sage leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves)*

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed (see note)

1 quart low-sodium homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or turkey stock (4 cups )

3 large eggs*

1/4 cup minced parsley leaves, divided*

Instructions:

Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions. Preheat oven to 275°F. Spread bread evenly over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Stagger trays on oven racks and bake until completely dried, about 50 minutes total, rotating trays and stirring bread cubes several times during baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming subsides (do not allow butter to brown), about 2 minutes. Add sausage and mash with a stiff whisk or potato masher to break up into fine pieces (largest pieces should be no bigger than 1/4 inch). Cook, stirring frequently, until only a few bits of pink remain, about 8 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic, and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of chicken stock.

Whisk remaining chicken stock, eggs, and 3 tablespoons parsley in a medium bowl until homogeneous. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, slowly pour egg mixture into sausage mixture. Add bread cubes and fold gently until evenly mixed.

Use part of stuffing to stuff turkey, if desired (see note). To cook remaining stuffing, transfer to a buttered 9- by 13-inch rectangular baking dish (or 10- by 14-inch oval dish), cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer reads 150°F (66°C) when inserted into center of dish, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until golden brown and crisp on top, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, sprinkle with remaining parsley, and serve.

Note: If using homemade or low-sodium stock, season to taste with salt and pepper before adding.