I’m hoping to get a lot of feedback between here and the FaceBook group today; with a lot of us preparing to cook turkey in the next 48 hours – how do you cook yours?  If you’re vegetarian, what’s your favorite Holiday meals?

We have never brined a turkey before but are planning to this year.  I still haven’t decided what the brine will be and haven’t 100% committed to it – but I’m pretty certain this will be the year that we try it.  I’d love to know your experiences with brining a big bird!

We do stuff the bird – although there’s often so much stuffing that we also have to cook some on the side.

As for other flavors, we keep it simple – the outside is seasoned with salt and pepper and basted with butter to brown and crisp it.

What do you do?

Happy US Thanksgiving!  Canada celebrates a Holiday by the same name in October so I thought I’d tip my hat to our friends in the South today (we’ll share a best-of stock post tomorrow morning for those of you struggling with your left-overs).  I thought it would be fun to get some dialogue going around your thoughts on deep-fried turkey; we’ll include a poll to see what you think at the end of this post and welcome your comments.

We’ve deep-fried turkeys several times and had great success.  Here’s some of the advantages as I see them:

• It’s quicker
• You can do it outside
• It’s fun/ Novel
• The skin is guaranteed to get crispy
• Your house doesn’t heat up (this could be a disadvantage this time of year)
• You can feed a lot of people/cook multiple turkeys quickly

Note that I didn’t add that it’s moister.  If you overcook a Turkey (with oil or in the oven) you’ll end up with a dry bird.  Many people arguing that deep-frying produces a moist bird but my argument will be that they simply haven’t had a well-cooked Turkey in the oven.

Here’s some of the disadvantages:

• You need special equipment (and to store it and the oil)
• Your size can be limited (few of us own pots as large as our stove)
• Cleaning time can be much more involved
• You are limited by what you can rub the outside with (herbs will generally burn)
• There are no drippings for gravy

Note that I haven’t included that it’s dangerous.  If it’s done right and your turkey is thawed and dried completely, it appears to be quite safe (I’m no expert so draw your own conclusion!).

None of those items are deal-breakers to me.  They aren’t horrible disadvantages or amazing advantages to me.  If it were as simple as the pro’s and cons of frying, I’d call it a break even to this point.

The reason I don’t like deep-frying is because it’s too quick.  I love the process of placing the Turkey in the oven early in the day, the slow process where you get your first sniff of the dinner to come and a symphony-like building of an olfactory orchestra which starts silent and builds to an overwhelming crescendo.  I love checking on it, hearing it roast and staring through the oven window while doing all I can to control my impulse to rip the door open and have a peak.

Now it’s your turn to have a say – vote for your favourite way to cook it and add why you like that in the comments below:

My cousin deepfries ribs – and they are as good as anything I’ve ever eaten…

We spoke about WHY to butcher a chicken – today we look at how.

We had purchased the chicken (it was a heritage breed from a friend and farmer) whole and it was on the farmer’s recommendation for cooking that we were to take it apart – as good a time as any to learn.  I am no expert here – I had a few guides and a little experience but was happy with my first efforts.

A few learning points:

• I have the wrong knives and lack a good pair of kitchen shears.  These two things would have helped me yield far better results. We are heading on vacation next week – a good deboning knife may have to be a souvenir!
• Patience is definitely key as well.  Avoid tearing, ripping or getting overly excited.  When carving a cooker bird you can cheat – it allows you to “pull” a drumstick off for example.  That’s that the case with the raw bird.
• Remember what the skeleton looks like – I have carved many and got lost.  It’s essentially shaped like a solid, hollow American football.  You’re working your way around and through that.

So for what it’s worth, here’s what we did (hopefully there will be a post in the future that shows just how amateur this effort was.  It’s posted as much to inspire the inexperienced to learn as it is to show you the “what’s what.”

1. Examine the bird.  Ours had a surprise from Mark – the neck as still in and attached.  I hadn’t planned to use a pairing knife at all – this is where it came in..  Simply cut around it to remove (imagine coring an apple with a paring knife).

2. Examine some more.  I did a lot of examining.  Find the back bone (it’s the side facing the sun in the picture below):

3.  The idea is to start by removing the back bone.  Remembering the football analogy would help you a great deal.  The two cuts below roughly represent the backbone – however the skeleton curves downward from here and a pair of kitchen shears would make easier work separating the backbone from the rest of the skeletal structure.

4.  Not exactly kitchen shears but I was elbow deep.  The picture below shows one side unattached.  If you look carefully you’ll see the other “score” (cut) on the left.

4.  The backbone is now removed.  I used the entire piece as well as other bones I removed to create a small stock which was fabulous.

5.  Flip the bird over, remove the wings at the joints.  I found this to be easy and confidence-building.

6.  One wing removed, one to go.

7.  Both wings are now removed.  A sharp knife and holding the skin tight helped a great deal.

8.  Although it’s tough to see here, the bottom half of the “football” is pointed skywards.  I decided to remove that to create boneless chicken breasts as I wanted more bones for the stock.  Follow the skeleton with your knife – some separation can be done with your fingers.  The next picture will help you see what you are removing (note: the yellow fat will be discussed at a different time – this is built like a “normal” chicken but it’s a remarkable texture and taste).

9.  A picture of the “bellybone” removed (that’s my word ).

10.  Flip the bird over and examine.  The center of the shot shows the two breasts (attached by skin) and the legs on either side.

11.  The breasts have been separated and one leg divided.  To divide the thigh from the drumstick, cut around the joint – right at the joint.  I struggled finding this though learned it was much further “into” the thigh than I thought.

12.  The completed works:

At the end of the day, this was as much about why for me as it was how.  It taught me that I need to know more and that, while my equipment allowed me to get by, different tools may have facilitated this further.

It’s something I wish to practice more with.  When I have it mastered, I’ll share my knowledge (just don’t hold any collective breaths!).

If you are experienced, I’d love to hear your tips.  If you’re not, I’d encourage you to try – there may be some better how-to’s out there than one written by a first-timer so be warned if following the above.  I was roughly following Thomas Keller’s guide in AdHoc and found my knowledge insufficient to follow it precisely (it made sense when I read it; when I went to do it, I struggled with the instructions).

I`m 36 years old.

My first 4 years of conscious life were lived in the country.  I remember seeing chickens raised and slaughtered.

I`m 36 years old.

I grew up in the teenaged era of fast food – it wasn`t young and fragile; it was a concept that was fascinated with itself and living a careless and self-involved existence (of course the irony is that many teenagers are neither).

We were fascinated about it.  I remember when our first McDonald`s was announced as coming to town.  I met the daughter of the owner and thought she was the luckiest girl in the world.

My favourite McMeal was Chicken nuggets (I still adore anything that can be dipped).

I`m 36 years old.

I remember my father carving many Sunday meals – roast chicken that was moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.

I`m 36 years old.

I remember learning how to barbeque a chicken as being one of my first `real` recipes.  Slather with mayo, salt, pepper and maybe a bit of dry mustard.

I`m 36 years old.

I went more than 5 years where I did not eat red meat, game or pork.  I ate a minimal amount of chicken and fish at that time.

I`m 36 years old.

I had never (until last night) butchered a chicken. I`ve lived my entire life interacting with poultry in one shape or another but had never taken down a bird like this.  It`s an experience that a highly recommend for any meat-eater and one that I`m struggling to describe.

The entire experience was foreign.  I learned, very fast, that carving a cooked chicken and butchering a raw one is two different things.  The uncooked version is much less forgiving and raw strength is of no assistance.  Learning to study the joints and follow then with my blade is going to more than one chicken.  I struggled removing the joints and found myself surprised that I was placing the knife an inch (or more) away from where it needed to be.

As interesting as the actual act of butchering was it was the psychological element that was revealing to me.  I thought I knew a lot about chicken – if not a lot, then certainly enough.  I learned, more than anything, is that I`ve been taking it for granted for a long time.  That I don`t understand chicken as well as I need to or as well as I thought.  I learned a lot more about the bird and the entire experience vividly reminded me that chicken is not born on styrofoam trays.  There is an ugly truth behind my perfect seared chicken breast and, while I can reconcile it, I don`t want to take that for granted.

We`ll share details of how to butcher a chicken on Wednesday (I`m certainly no pro) and I`ll continue to try to put words to what was one of the most stunning pieces of education I have received in a long time.

Surely this post will turn some stomachs and it will excite others.  Let’s start by chewing the fat:

I brought two small jars of this back from my recent trip to Scotland.

I adore going to grocery stores when I travel.  Prepared foods are always interesting as are any local specialties.  A trip to the pickle and jam aisles are a prerequisite and produce can reveal some wonderful discoveries.

I found the jar above at Marks & Spencer – a beloved mass retailer in the UK and some of North America.  It’s essentially a mini WallMart which occasionally has a major food section.  The store I visit in Glasgow features an entire supermarket worth of options (or lack thereof depending on your take on the great food debates!)

I was rather surprised by two things.  The first is that duck fat was a common ingredient (it was offered at 2 for 5 pounds; approx $10).  The second surprise was about the utility of the packaging – simple, pretty and functional.  I remember picking it up and thinking, `What would I do with a small jar of duck fat?`  Ask and ye shall receive – the package answered my silent query.

We recently posted an article on Buttercup Squash which was local and included instructions on cooking it simply (here).

What food (or ingredients) should have recipes or ideas plainly added to them?  I`m thinking clear ideas on the 17 different types of apples appearing in local super markets would be a start!    Which ones are good for pie, which others for sauce and how about one just for eating?

I was fortunate to grow up in a cooking-friendly household.  My Father was a Firefighter and my Mother a nurse.  They both cooked most of our meals, encouraged me to try, emphasized the importance and the fun of the whole process.  One of the best gifts my parents ever gave me was my passion for food.

It has become more and more apparent that few people are so lucky.  The 1970s and 1980s really taught us a lot of shortcuts that offered convenience and speed at the trade off of knowledge, sustainability and quality food.  I adore a fast food meal as much as the next person (I really do – it’s my Achilles heel) but it’s a choice.

Since we started writing the blog I am learning that less people see takeout as an option – it is the only food they know how to prepare.  We’ve had several requests for the basics of cooking as people are starting to tire of thinking that “they can’t cook.”  We’ve also received a series of questions on how to eat more economically as the ongoing perception that organic will cost you and arm and a leg prevails.  We are not close to 100% organic (I’m a relatively new convert to believing that our system can even be trusted to be accountable to such a label) and we eat out more than we’d like to.  This is not a lecture – just a few simple tips on how easy cooking can be and how far you can stretch a meal and eat wholesome food that is sustainable and quick.

We purchased a 3.5 pound organic chicken from Kawartha Ecological Growers at the Appletree Market on Eglington.  The cost was $17 and we transformed it into 1 dinner for 2, 4 sandwiches and 6 bowls of soup.  That’s $1.40 a serving – add another $6 for soup ingredients and dressing the sandwiches and plates and it’s 11 portions for around $2 per seat.  Compared to the local chicken restaurant selling half chicken meals at around $12, I figure that we’re coming in at a reasonable budget.

If you`ve had a lot of mass produced poultry, you may notice a difference in the texture of what you see below – the flavor of these chickens (in addition to the color and texture) are vastly different (an in my mind, superior), to what is purchased at mass market.

To cook as economically as possible, buy an entire chicken.  Many buy the de-boned breasts for the convenience – I’m hoping that you’ll see that it`s not a whole lot more convenient and though it seems to be almost the same price, it`s really a lot more expensive – there`s no way to make chicken broth with leftovers of skinless and boneless chicken after all.

Dinner was Sunday night so we went all out (you could skip this step).  I seperated the skin from the meat with my fingers and added a small layer of some butter and sage in the pockets we created with the seperation:

We then covered the chicken with salt, pepper, tandori and dry mustard to ramp up the flavor (this is a step you can skip as well).  I also put an onion in the cavity for additional flavor:

Turn your oven on – I put it around 375 however have alternated between 350 and 400.  As the chicken cooks, take the odd peak at it – if it`s looking dry, tent it with tin foil.  If you`ve used the butter trick you can also spoon the drippings that rest in the pan.

Stick a meat thermometer in to test – remove the chicken when it gets to 165-170 degrees ferenheight.  Just make sure your thermometer is inserted deep into the meat and not touching bone or the bottom of your pan.  It`s really that simple.

Let it rest and serve. I tented it with foil and let it sit on the counter for about 1- minutes – look how juicy and moist it is (save the juice – you can add it to your soup or put it on your chicken directly).

If you aren`t comfortable carving it, cut it in half with a large knife (you can quarter it by cutting it again).  Let the knife guide you and use your instincts – you`ll find the way through.

After dinner, place all the bones in a pot – if you have uneaten chicken (such as the half above), seperate the meat from the bone.  I used my fingers as I always do if I am making soup or sandwiches.  Place the meat on the side – you won`t need it for now.

Take all remaining chicken parts and cover in fresh cool water.  Do not add salt.  Throw in a few bay leaves, onions, celery, garlic and carrots.  Just put enough water to cover it all.  Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 90 minutes.  Let it cool before removing all the solid bits and put the liquid in the fridge overnight.  Before composting your leftovers, strip and small bits of chicken left and put them to the side – you`ll add them to the broth in the morning (you can add now if you are short on fridge space).

I was making my chicken salad as the broth simmered.  I simply shredded the chicken, added a bit of celery and mayo (and a few chilli flakes):

Remove the broth from the fridge on the second day – the cold temperatures will have congeeled any fat from the broth – you can remove from a spoon and you will have a wonderful broth that you can freeze or cook with.  I added rice, celery, dill, remainign chicken bits, green onion bit, salt and pepper to finish off the soup and let it simmer for another 30-40 minutes:

11 meals at $2 a go.  Total active cooking time is less than 40 minutes, broken into 4 or 5 parts.  I spent no more than 10 minutes in the kitchen at a single time.

Anyone have any further tips for eating local on a budget?  We`d love for you to share in the comments section!

I am not a die-hard Foie Gras fan, though it is something that raises my curiosity.  I’ve had some fabulous fois gras and some not-so-great.  I haven’t had a tonne of it but enough to know what it is and that some people love it.  I also know why people hate it (the whole force feeding thing and the practice of some “farmers” who actually staple geese to the ground).  It can be a guilt-inducing food.

It was outlawed in Chicago for some time.  A famous Hot Dog store (Hot Doug’s actually classifies itself as an encased meat emporium) actually got charged daily as it sold a foie gras hot dog in the middle of the ban.

Dan Barber is a chef who travelled to Spain and met a third generation farmer named Eduardo Sousa.  Eduardo’s family has figured out how to raise an ethical version of foie gras – it’s also award winning and controversial as it challenges the definition of foie gras and the people making it.  I love how they have colored the foie gras as well.

Eduardo has changed the rules.  He sticks his nose up at the traditional methods, farmers and chefs who chase foie gras.  He has catered the diet of his livestock and worked with nature to get the best of it. 

Here’s a video of a 20-minute speech that walks you through the whole thing (of course it’s free).   The explanation of the title of this blog is at the 14 minute mark of his speech.