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No More Dry Turkey! (+ Recipe)

posted on

October 23, 2024

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Thanksgiving is just around the corner! In my opinion (farmer Jesse speaking), the Thanksgiving feast is the best meal of the whole year. And that perfectly juicy, pasture-raised roasted turkey is the star.

Ever wonder how to roast that perfect turkey your family and friends will love? This recipe has been a favorite our family has used for years, and it’s always a hit. No more dry turkey!

Grab one of our Whiffletree turkeys HERE and give this recipe a try! Make sure to let us know how you like it!

Happy eating!

P.S. And stay tuned to our blog! Each week leading up to Thanksgiving, we’ll be releasing info on everything turkey and Thanksgiving related…fun turkey facts, recipes, how-tos…you won’t want to miss it! 

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-------------Recipes -------------

ROAST TURKEY AND GRAVY RECIPE

This recipe comes from 'Long Way on a Little' by Shannon Hayes. And is oriented for pasture-raised turkeys. It has worked great for Liz and me!

INGREDIENTS:

1 turkey, any size
1 large onion, quartered
2 carrots, quartered
1 bundle of fresh herbs of your choice, tied with kitchen twine
2 stalks celery, quartered
3 cloves garlic, whole, peeled
1 1/2 sticks butter (12 T)
Coarse sea salt and ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 F. Set turkey in large roasting pan, breast side up. Insert vegetables, herbs, and garlic into cavity. Melt butter and pour over skin. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Roast for 8-10 minutes per pound, until internal temperature of breast is 165. Check internal temperature of legs at that point. If leg meat is not 165 when breast meat is done, you may carve off legs and put them back into the oven to cook longer.

GIBLET GRAVY RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 turkey neck, heart, and liver (detached and inside the cavity)
3 c chicken or turkey broth 
1/3 c flour
1 stick butter (8 T)
1/3 c flour

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 T butter and coat pan. Blot neck and giblets dry, then put in the pan with once inch of space around each so they can brown well. Sear each for 2-3 min. per side. Pour broth into pan with all giblets, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 40 min. Remove giblets from broth and allow to cool, reserving broth. When cool, remove any gristle and bones from giblets and finely dice all.  When the turkey is finished roasting, pour off and reserve the pan juices. Then place the roasting pan over 1 or 2 burners on stove top and heat on Medium. Add 2 T butter to pan and, once it melts and bubbles, whisk in the flour to make a roux.  Continue to whisk 1-2 min. more--until the thin paste is browned.  Slowly whisk in pan juices and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and allow to simmer until thickened (about 5 min.), stirring often and scraping up bits from bottom of pan. Add 1 c of broth from cooking giblets and simmer until reduced by 1/3. Stir in diced giblets and enough broth to reach your desired consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

FLOUR-FREE PAN SAUCE ALTERNATIVE

INGREDIENTS:

Pan juices
Giblet broth
Giblets (minced)
Brown mustard
Butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine pan juices and giblet broth in roasting pan and simmer until reduced by 2/3. Whisk in minced giblets, 1 T brown mustard and 2 T butter.

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TURKEY THAWING INSTRUCTIONS

The rule of thumb is 24 hours per 5lbs of turkey to thaw in the fridge. So a 20 pounder would be about 4 days in the fridge. Maybe just add a day to be safe--not every fridge is the same temperature.

If you need to thaw faster, you can do it in your sink (or bathtub or cooler) with cold water. The rule of thumb there is about 2.5 hours per 5 lbs. of turkey. So a 20 pounder would be about 10 hours.

PORTION SIZING INSTRUCTIONS

A good rule of thumb is 1lb of whole turkey per adult for the Thanksgiving feast alone.  If you want left-overs, go to 2lb of whole turkey per adult.



More from the blog

Tasty Curried Drumstick Recipe

Finger food (noun): food that can be taken on a picnic, enjoyed outside or made for a tailgate party, and must be messy, finger-lickin’ good. (From the Whiffletree Farm Dictionary, unabridged.) I don’t know about you, but the beautiful weather this last week has had me thinking about SPRING! While I love soups and roasts and warming comfort food during the wintertime, I’m always ready to ditch the spoons and forks and make finger food again. We have a couple drumstick recipes to share with you this month. The first is curried drumsticks with a zingy yogurt sauce. Bake in the oven, or, if you’re like me, it’s time to break out the grill! Reasons why drumsticks are so great… They are the most economical cut of chicken you can get and can easily be substituted for any recipe calling for thigh meat for half the price!The moist, dark meat is some of the best! Dark meat is richer in vitamins, minerals, and fat than white meat is. Also the skin is amazing for you, full of different minerals than the meat contains. AND dark meat is forgiving - it’s almost impossible to overcook!There are so many variations of seasonings you can do with them, so your loved ones won’t get tired of eating the same thing over and over. Points for being versatile!For those who don’t like to get their fingers dirty, it’s easy to cut the meat off, but for those who don’t mind getting their fingers a little sticky, it’s great fun and saves on some dishes! So without further ado, here is the recipe! Curry-Roasted Chicken Drumsticks with Herbed Yogurt Sauce Chicken: 4 tsp. curry powder 1 Tbsp. kosher salt 1 ¼ tsp. ground cardamom 1 ¼ tsp. packed coconut sugar ¾ tsp. ground ginger ¾ tsp. ground nutmeg ¾ tsp. smoked paprika 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. water 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 ½ lbs. chicken drumsticks (could also do turkey drumsticks!) Herbed Yogurt Sauce: 1 c. plain Greek yogurt ½ c. fresh cilantro leaves, minced 3 Tbsp. lime juice (2 limes) 2 Tbsp. water, plus extra as needed ½ tsp. grated fresh ginger ½ tsp. honey 1. Adjust oven rack to the upper middle and preheat oven to 350F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on the sheet. 2. While the oven is preheating, whisk all the spices and coconut sugar together with the water. Let sit for a few minutes until it has thickened into a paste. Then whisk in the oil (see note below). 3. Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel. Roll each drumstick in the curry spice slurry until evenly coated on all sides. Arrange the drumsticks, skin side up, on the prepared rack with the thicken end closer to the edge of the baking sheet (the edges of the baking sheet get the hottest, so this helps them cook more evenly, and the wire rack ensures plenty of air circulation and crispier skin). Spoon any of the excess spice mixture on top, or use a brush to brush on. 4. Roast the drumsticks for 45-50 minutes or until they reach 180 degrees, rotating the sheet halfway through for even cooking. Once they reach 180, turn on the broiler and let the drumsticks sit under it for a few minutes to crisp up the skin. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. 5. While the drumsticks are roasting, prep the sauce. Simply add all the ingredients together, and add as much water as you want to thin it out to your desired consistency. 6. Serve the drumsticks with the sauce on the side. (For the best enjoyment, no forks or knives allowed.) For an idea of what to serve these drumsticks with, they pair amazingly with a cucumber salad! Note: The flavor compounds of spices are largely fat soluble. Some, however, are water soluble, so adding water and oil ensures every possible nuance of flavor is drawn out! I absolutely love this recipe. It is a perfect combo of warming spices and bright, fresh flavors from the yogurt sauce. It makes a perfect spring dish! Up next on the blog is one other favorite drumstick recipe of ours, so stay tuned! Cheers! Bethany

Easy Oven-Baked Brisket

For many, St. Patrick’s Day means corned brisket. But for us pasture-raised farmers and eaters who believe food is medicine, corned brisket means some not so healthy things (like nitrates). But not to worry! You can enjoy this classic without compromising health, and still get a brisket that is tasty and moist and delectable. I brined my brisket in this recipe. The extra moisture will affect the ability to get a good bark on your brisket, but hey, our goal is taste and health, so I’m not too worried about getting a perfect bark (although I want to try dry brining a brisket next time to see how that works!). Another option of curing your brisket without nitrates is by using whey, so if you’re curious about a more traditional way of curing your brisket look that up! Because I was short on time and in a busy season of life, I chose to do a salt brine. The key to getting a moist brisket is by cooking it at a low temp. It has to cook low and slowly enough to give time for all the connective tissues to break down and render. If you cook it at too high of a temp, it will cook too fast and those connective tissues will remain intact, leaving you with a tough brisket. This recipe is easy and doesn’t require much effort - it just takes time to cook it appropriately! So here’s how to make a brisket that will make your mouth water and have the family running to the table! Brine: 1 gallon water ½ cup kosher salt ½ cup coconut sugar 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds 1 Tbsp. whole peppercorn Bring water to a boil and add in salt and sugar to dissolve. Add in the rest of the ingredients and let the brine cool. Place your brisket in a pot or brining bag and pour the cooled brine over it. Let brine in the fridge overnight, or for about 12 hours. Brisket Rub: 2 Tbsp. salt 2 Tbsp. pepper 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika 1 Tbsp. onion powder 1 Tbsp. garlic powder Instructions: 1. Take your brined brisket and pat dry with paper towels, and let sit out to dry for a half hour. 2. Preheat your oven to 250. 3. While the oven is preheating and the brisket is drying, mix together all the ingredients for the rub. After the brisket has dried, spread a little oil on the outside of the brisket. Not too much, just enough to give the rub something to bind to. Then sprinkle the rub all over, making sure to rub it over the entire brisket. 4. Take a baking sheet (large enough to keep your brisket from dripping into your oven) and place a wire rack on it. This will lift the brisket off the rack to create more airflow, which will help achieve the ‘bark’ on your brisket. Place your brisket on the rack, and then put in the oven on the middle shelf. 5. Let it cook for about three hours, then remove from the oven and wrap in foil or butchers paper. Return to oven, and let it cook until it reaches 200 degrees, about another 4-5 hours (see note at the end about the ‘stall’ that can happen while cooking). Also, an oven thermometer that you can keep inserted without opening the door is handy, as constantly opening the oven to check the temp lengthens the time it will take to cook). 6.Take it out of the oven and let it rest for an hour. This step is very important! As the brisket cooks, all the moisture is pushed out toward the edges of the meat, so if you cut into it right away you’ll spill all the moisture out. If you let it sit, the moisture will redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a delectably moist brisket. *It’s safe to let it sit on the counter for about an hour, but if you have more time than that before serving, you can wrap the brisket in foil (if you didn’t wrap it after the stall), wrap in a couple towels for insulation, and place in a small cooler until you’re ready to serve. 7. Enjoy! *A note about the ‘stall’ when cooking a brisket: You may find your brisket stalls while cooking. This is caused by moisture evaporating off the surface of the brisket, causing a cooling effect. Lots of factors contribute to this, including how cloudy it is or how humid it is outside. That’s why we wrapped the brisket in this recipe, to help you get past that stall a little more quickly then if you just let it go. Some people prefer to not wrap it so they get a better ‘bark’ on their brisket, but if you’re like me and didn’t have time to sit around waiting for the brisket to get past the stall (it can take hours!), wrapping is the way to go. So for a recap on how this went for me… The brisket turned out moist and tender, which was my goal. It had a decent bark on it, although next time I want to try a dry brine and see how that goes as I try to perfect my brisket skills (and break out the grill too? Anyone here like grilling as much as me?). What didn’t quite work out for me was that it was too salty, so I adjusted the salt amounts in this recipe to account for that. And my brisket went through a major stall which meant I served dinner way later than I expected (or anyone wanted), so I would start it earlier and then plan on keeping it warm until dinnertime. And the last thing I want to add is to encourage you to get creative with your seasonings! The dry rub can be a concoction of whatever your favorite spices or herbs are, so have fun with it! Cheers!

Meet the Team: Elizabeth

I grew up in the sunny south, until our family moved north to Virginia farmland where we lived for many years. To be raised with a connection to land is a heritage I treasure. Over time, that connection has evolved and become more layered.As an adult, I traveled to several areas in the US and abroad, where I worked with horses, cows, goats, chickens, groves, gardens, and vineyards. This work was done for several service projects in contexts rife with socioeconomic and cultural turmoil. That chapter of life brought me shoulder to shoulder with refugees, marginalized women, and struggling families. I witnessed firsthand how a connection to the land impacts the physical, mental, social, and economic health of individuals and communities.Following this impactful season, I settled in Pennsylvania to continue my education and career. When the events of 2020 unfolded, I unexpectedly returned to Virginia, and eventually joined the Whiffletree team. I’ve had various roles— from the store and fields to behind-the-scenes office work— and I've loved every moment. After nearly two years on-site, the time came to return to PA. And I had the huge privilege of continuing to work remotely for Whiffletree. If you’ve emailed, visited our website, or placed orders, you’ve likely interacted with me. Outside of Whiffletree, I work with my partner in PA, helping patients and clients improve pain, mobility, strength, and rehabilitation through physical manual therapy and functional coaching. I also volunteer at a farm that provides nature-centered therapeutic and educational services. My focus is working with rescued and repurposed horses who partner in community programs supporting children, women, families, and veterans. We also have goats and a pig.While I can’t be physically present at Whiffletree as much as I wish, I am deeply committed to its growth. My life experiences have reinforced the importance of nutrient-rich foods, the connection of humans to land and animals, and how farming plays a critical role in building thriving communities. Jesse is a truly gifted and humble leader, and the team he has assembled is second to none. I have immense respect for everyone who works tirelessly every day to make it all possible. Fun Facts: It is quite possible that I have consumed more Whiffletree hotdogs than any other human!I love when I'm with doctors, patients, or clients, and Whiffletree texts flash across my phone screen about hens, cattle, or turkeys :)I started at Whiffletree when there was only one freezer, no inventory system, and no online ordering-- we've grown so much!In my years helping Whiffletree's annual Thanksgiving turkey sale, I've spelled "turkey" incorrectly 15 times total (yes, I counted!). After you say the word countless times for months in a row, your brain plays tricks on you.I've clocked thousands of hours milking cows and goats, and helping farmers at harvests here and abroad.I enjoy being a teacher and mentor to athletes, women, and youth in programs for rehab and strength, trauma recovery, self-defense, and support for autism and other developmental hurdles.