Greetings Carnivores,
It’s been a couple of weeks now since we all celebrated the festive season with our friends and loved ones over some delicious food and drink. I know most of you have your own favourite recipes but, I just wanted to share a method I stumbled onto this year for cooking the best Turkey I have EVER made.
But before I get to todays CC offering, by way of reflection I wanted to chat about the year that was for a minute or two so, please indulge me.
Here goes nuthin’.
2016 has come and gone and I for one am NOT sorry to see it go. The Grim Reaper tour 2016, took sooo many of our music and big screen idols, heroes and icons it hurts just to think about it.
I am a huge, lifelong fan of all music. When I was young it was shocking and tragic for me to lose the likes of (in no specific order): Morrison, Hendrix, Joplin, Cass, Moon, Chapin, Croce, Allman, Holly, Valens, Rhoads, Vaughn, Elvis and more recently, Michael (and THAT’s just a short list) of some of the musicians I loved and lost at such a young age to accidents and lifestyle foolishness.
But, this past year has been a different kind of “culling”.
In 2016 we lost Glenn Frey, David Bowie, Prince and George Michael to name a few off the top of my head and just last week, Carrie Fisher as well as her Mom, Debbie Reynolds. AND, let’s not forget the timeless and beloved Canadian music icon Leonard Cohn, all gone now to the “Bridge” courtesy of the Grim Reaper tour 2016. This has brought about a different kind of feeling for me … one of nostalgia, reflection and … mortality.
Here’s what I mean.
Losing my heroes when I was in my teens, and twenties was shocking and tragic because they were all so young and still had soooo much to give. I felt so “ripped off” that I never got to see the magic that would have been the rest of their collective careers.
Now however, with the exception of Prince … it seems somehow different but no less tragic, to lose the likes of these wonderful artists to (mostly) natural attrition … old age. Losing Prince (and Michael) to an accidental overdose was like a punch in the stomach.
I’ve never really felt or acted my age, and certainly never considered myself to be old (I’m Peter Pan, dammit). I always figured, hey … if you haven’t grown up by the age 50 well, you just don’t have to. Yet here I am, entering my 60’s in just a few short months, and staring down the barrel of my Golden years (I hope).
I guess what I’m trying to say is … I’m at the age where, for the first time in my life, I’m becoming acutely aware of my own mortality. How does all this tie into the loss of my music and big screen icons? Well, let’s just say that I’m very close to the same age as the ones we’ve recently lost and for the first time I’m thinking, wow … maybe THIS “Peter Pan” has gotten a little long in tooth. It doesn’t really “freak” me out … I’m just aware of it now and, I’m trying hard to live each day to the fullest.
But … I digress AGAIN.
What does any of this have to with the best Turkey method I’ve ever stumbled across, you ask?
Well, … nothing really. I was simply trying to figure out how I’d “frame” this offering for the ol’ CC Blog and, started thinking about the reason we eat Turkey at this time of the year in the first place, next thing you know I’m sharing my year-end review of sorts.
Ok, back to the meat …
Just before Christmas, I read somewhere (please forgive me, whoever you are for not giving you “name” recognition and credit for this … I just CAN’T remember where I read it) but … it goes like this: quite simply, the method involves cooking the Turkey at 170 degrees F for (get this) 17 HOURS!
I thought, I have GOT to try this and, I know what you’re thinking “what about making sure you kill any harmful bacteria”… after all, we don’t want to invite (click here:) “Sam and Ella” over for dinner with your family.
Well, this low and slow method requires FIRST blasting the bird at 500 degrees for one hour to make sure anything harmful is killed then, all you do is roll the temperature down to 170 and go to bed. I also used a digital temperature probe to help me “tickle” the temps on my prehistoric oven.
This idea is sort of like cooking (click here:) Sous Vide, where the meat will never over cook since it can’t rise above the temperature of the cooking vessel, in this case the oven at 170.
Easy Peasy!
I should say that prior to cooking, I submerged my bird in a simple salt, brown sugar, soy and spice brine for 3 days to infuse some flavor. Next, I did a little math to calculate when to put it into the oven. The day before my family came for Christmas dinner, I rinsed and prepped the Turkey before I went to bed then, I set my alarm and got up at one o’clock in the morning. I preheated my oven and blasted the bird, uncovered for an hour then covered it (I just used tin foil), turned it down to 170 and, went back to bed. Simple as could be 🙂
At 5 o’clock that afternoon I removed it from the oven to let it rest and … it was fall apart tender. I had no intention of even TRYING to “carve” the beast, opting rather to “pull” it instead.
OMG!
I’ll NEVER cook a Turkey ANY OTHER WAY!
It was SUPER tender, SUPER juicy with a hint of salt, OMG … *insert mouth-watering here* 🙂
In closing, as we enter a New Year … full of uncertainty and hope for the future, I wish nothing but the best for each and every one of you. Live every day to the fullest and, be kind to one and other.
Oh, and please Reaper … lay off the Musicians … we’ve lost toooo many already.
Peace Love and Happiness Carnivores … 🙂
That’s it for today Carnivores but please, stay tuned and … please click “follow” on this page (Carnivore Confidential). You’ll get an email notice every time I write something new. And, … no need to worry about being bombarded with junk … WordPress is VERY responsible. 🙂
Until next time Carnivores, stay hungry and as usual, please follow my posts on Twitter @DougieDee and like and share them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/carnivoreconfidential
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