The BEST GRAVY EVER

So, if you are going to make the BEST TURKEY EVER, then you MUST make the Gravy to go along with it!!

Again, Chef Alton Brown has one my vote for best gravy!  It's easy and SUPER delicious!

The Red Wine is really key.  As with all recipes, never use a wine that you wouldn't drink.  Or in other words, don't use crappy wine in your cooking!  It should be wine that has good flavor!!  If you aren't a red wine drinker, then ask a friend who is, for suggestions!

Best Gravy Ever

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2008

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

15 min

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

• 24 ounces reduced sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces red wine
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme or rosemary
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set aside to rest. Leave the drippings from the turkey in the pan and place the roasting pan over medium heat. Add the broth and wine at the same time. Whisk to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan until all of the bits have come loose. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in order to reduce the mixture slightly. Transfer the liquid to a fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes to allow fat to separate. Return 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the fat to the roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Discard any remaining fat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken and become smooth, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Once this happens, gradually add the liquid back to the pan and whisk until smooth and you have reached your desired consistency, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remember, your gravy should be slightly thin in the pan as it will thicken once you serve it. Add the herbs and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

The BEST Turkey EVER!!!

This coming week, we will all gather with our friends and families to celebrate and give thanks for all we have.  It's a time to remember all of God's blessings in our lives.

Usually the highlight for Thanksgiving is THE FOOD!  Last year I went looking for a new way to prepare the food feature of every table, the Turkey.  

I came across a recipe that produced the most amazing turkey I've ever tasted!  It was so good, we had it at Christmas too!  Everyone complemented how moist and flavorful it was.

So, I just had to share the recipe with you all!  It's all thanks to the quirky mind of Alton Brown.

Unfortunately, my pictures from last year are NO WHERE to be found.  But, here's the recipe!

Stay tuned for the BEST gravy recipe EVER!



Please Note: the Brine STARTS 2 or 3 days before roasting!!

**I use a 5 gallon bucket.  I purchased a clean one with lid for under $5.00 at Home Depot.  I labeled it for Food only, so that it can be reused.

Good Eats Roast Turkey

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, also featured in Food Network Magazine

Prep Time:

15 min

Inactive Prep Time:

7 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

2 hr 30 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• Canola oil

Directions

Click here to see how it's done.

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Pinterest Picked - English Muffin Bread

Who hasn't heard of Pinterest!  It's the booming idea board for millions of creative (and not so creative!) minds to steal ideas from one-another!  Pinterest can be agonizing for the perfectionist but can rescue those that struggle to envision details!!

I've pinned exactly 215 recipes in the past 14 months.

When I joined, I never realized how HARD it would be to actually USE these pins!

So, I have started actually making some of these pinned recipes!  I will post all about those that have succeeded and even those that will inevitably fail!

My first recipe, is a complete success!  It's even addicting in my household.  Bread, glorious bread!

Who doesn't love a good english muffin?  Those nooks and crannies full of buttery goodness! Who wants to pay almost $4.00 for 6 muffins?  NOT ME!

Here is a wonderful recipe for English Muffin Bread.  It's amazing toasted, with your favorite spread.  I adore butter and honey, or some homemade apple butter.  YUM!

English Muffin Bread (printable recipe)

2 3/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 packages or teaspoons RAPID RISE yeast
(Update: You can use regular yeast, but you will need to let is rise TWICE. Once in the bowl, til it reaches the top…and then again in the pans, til it reaches the top. With the RAPID RISE you only need to let it rise once in the pans.)
1 Tablespoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar or honey
5 1/2 cups flour


Mix all ingredients together, then spoon into (2) well greased loaf pans.

Let rise in pans until dough reaches the top of the pans, and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. (My oven runs a little hot so I ended up cooking mine for a total of 35 minutes. Just keep an eye on it. You’re looking for golden brown.) 

10 minutes before done, brush with melted butter. 

Makes 2 loaves. Bread will be moist at first. Allow to COOL COMPLETELY before cutting. Makes delicious toast.

It's bubbly, rose to the top and is ready for the oven!