Year 2 bourbon slather and cornbread stuffing home butchered turkey

[higgy]

It has been a year since my last post, too long sorry.

Running the bird again if you want to see last years bird look at my other post.  I will post as this comes together today.

Thanks for looking.

There are several recipes in this thread if you are interested,  look at the pickled onions if you like that sort of thing, they are wonderful.

 

[higgy]

Stuffing for the day:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 lb Jimmy Deans original browned and seared
• 1/2 C butter
• 2 cups standard merpoux
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1/3 C bourbon
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 8 C crumbled corn bread

This year we assembled the stuffing 18 hours early and let soak and mingle over night.

Slather:

• 1/4 olive oil
• 1 Tbs Worcestershire
• 1 Tbs Rosemary
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 3 tsp sage
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp thyme
• black pepper to taste
• big splash (1/4 c) Bourbon

Bird Brined 60 hours in Morton quick cure and kosher salt at 8% and onion. I know there are folk who will say that that is too long of brine, the science behind osmosis indicates that once full penetration is complete no more salt will go in.  I have been playing with this on corned beef with various lengths of brine time and so far it seems to be valid, we will see, let's experiment with Thanksgiving dinner, what could go wrong

!

20 hour de-brine cold water

Bird home grown and butchered.

Ready for pit

 

[higgy]

turkey2013001.jpg

• higgy
• Nov 28, 2013

turkey2013002.jpg

• higgy
• Nov 28, 2013

Brined and ready to go.  12.25 pounds home raised and butchered.

 

[higgy]

Ok, here is a wonderful onion pickle that is easy, fast and delicious:

3 large red onions, sliced into 1/8 inch rings

2 cups red wine vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp sea salt

2 or 4 sprigs thyme

3 allspice berries

1 fresh chile, optional but I recommend it

Place onions in 1 quart jar

heat vinegar, sugar and salt bring to simmer

add other ingredients and simmer for 2 min.

Pour hot brine over onions and let come to room temp.

Refrigerate over nigh before serving.

Will hold several months.

I will do this with pearl onions next time.

Fantasitc!

 

[higgy]

turkey2013done002.jpg

• higgy
• Nov 28, 2013

2.5 hrs later at 325.  Hickory and alder smoked.

I will post the carving in a bit.