Gourmet Thanksgiving Dinner Made Easy FINALE

In this post for preparing your Thanksgiving Dinner we will cover

How To Tell That The Turkey Is Cooked

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Turnip and Carrot Swirl 

Giblet Gravy

Peas

Carving The Turkey

Wine Suggestions

Presentation  

OK here goes.

How To Tell That The Turkey Is Cooked

This is without a doubt the most important part of a good turkey dinner.  If the bird is under cooked you will have raw, pink looking neat that can make you sick.  Very bad idea.  If the turkey is over done

you will get tough, dry meat that cannot be swallowed.

By using the stuffing described in the earlier posts, and by basting very frequently during cooking, you have a good chance of getting a juicy bird to serve to your guests.

A turkey takes 15-20 minutes per pound.  So a 12 lb turkey will take between 3-4 hours to cook, a 16 lb bird will take 4-5 hours 20 minutes.  Variations in oven heat, stuffing density, and the bird itself make for different cooking times.

If you have a meat thermometer, insert one into the turkey, into the deepest part of the breast making sure not to rest it on a bone.  The temperature should read 180-185 degrees fahrenheit.  Another test is to poke a fork into the joint between the leg and the body.  The juices will flow clear when the turkey is done.  If the juices are red then more cooking needs to happen If you are cooking and the temperature is not reaching the right degree but the breast is getting very dark, put an aluminium tent over the darkening areas.  This can save a bird from being burned on the outside and raw on the inside.......never a good thing!!!!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Put the pre chopped potatoes in a large saucepan with fresh water. Let the potatoes come to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced by a fork, about 25-20 minutes.  Take the roasted garlic you prepared earlier and squeeze the garlic out of the cloves into a small bowl.  Mash the garlic into a paste with a fork and a bit of salt.  Finely chop enough parsley and sage to make 1/4 cup.  Drain the potatoes and mash thoroughly.  Add 1 stick of butter, 1/3 cup milk or cream, mashed garlic, chopped herbs, salt and pepper to taste and mash everything together very well.  Cover the potatoes and keep on the stove BUT AWAY FROM DIRECT HEAT,  They should stay warm for 10-15 minutes.  If too much time passes you can reheat in a microwave safe bowl before turning them out into a serving bowl.  These are YUMMY if you like garlic!

Turnip and Carrot Swirl 

Cook the pre cut carrots and turnips in separate saucepans.  Turnips are a tough vegetable so they can take a bit longer to cook.  When the carrots and turnips are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork take them off the heat and set aside.  Pull the thyme leaves off the stem and chop till fine.  Drain the carrots and mash with butter, salt, pepper and the thyme to taste.  Drain the turnip and mash with butter, salt and pepper to taste.  Take a wide, oven proof, shallow dish.  Place the carrot mix in on side, the turnip mix on the other side of the same dish.  With a spatula or a large wooden spoon pull some of the carrot through the turnip.  The contrast of colors makes for a very beautiful and appetising presentation.  Put the dish with the carrot/turnip swirl in the oven IF it has been turned off and is still warm.  If you need to reheat this dish put into the oven at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.  This looks great and is a wonderful combination of flavors.

Giblet Gravy

Once the turkey is done cooking remove it from the roasting pan and place it on the serving platter.  Cover tightly with foil and set aside. Chop the remaining 8 oz of mushrooms. Take the roasting pan (be sure you have used a metal one!) and drain off all but 1/3 cup of the drippings. (save the drippings to soak break in to feed your wild birds). Put the roasting pan on a burner of the stove and turn the burner onto medium heat.   Get the turkey stock you prepared out of the fridge.  Pour 1 cup of the dry white wine in the roasting pan to degaze all the cooked on bits from the sides of the pan.  Use a metal spoon or a large whisk to get all the bits off the pan and bubbling slowly.  Distribute 2-3 tablespoons of flour over the top of the bubbling mix in the roasting pan.  With the whisk mix the flour until there are no lumps and it becomes a smooth paste.  Add a bit more flour if needed but not too much.  Let the flour paste cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  Slowly add the stock to the flour mix in the pan.  Keep mixing with the whisk.  Add enough stock to make a rich, relatively thin gravy.  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MIXED EVERYTHING WELL.  Strain the gravy into a large saucepan.  Place on low heat and add the mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste.  Let the gravy "perk" for 15-20 minutes,  stirring regularly.  When the mushrooms are cooked (they will shrink down to about 1/2 their size) the gravy is done!

Peas

This could not be easier.  Put the amount of frozen peas required into a large, microwave proof bowl (I like to use corningware).  Add enough water to cover the peas and nuke for 5 minutes.  Check to see if the peas are done.  If not, keep heating at 1-2 minute intervals until cooked.  Drain the water off,  add salt and pepper and they are ready to serve!

Carving The Turkey

There are two important parts of carving a turkey..  1) the turkey needs to rest (sit undisturbed) for 20-30 minutes after cooking.  This allows the juices to go back into the meat and the proteins realign.  This will let the meat be sliced into firm pieces.  2) Have a large, sharp knife.  You are tackling a large bird.  To attempt to slice it with a dull, small knife will end in failure.  Take a sharp knife and slice down the breast vertically, from the outside of the breast, the release the slice by cutting across horizontally. Repeat until you get to the center breast bone, then do the other side.  To remove the legs, gently pull the leg out with a carving fork while slicing through the skin attaching it.  The point of the knife will help to disengage  the leg bone from the body.  Same thing can be done with the wings.

Wine Suggestions

My favorites for wines with turkey is a nice light Pinot Grigio, a Pouilly Fuisse, Sauvignon Blanc or a really light wine is the Vinho Verde.  Jf you prefer a red wine then I strongly suggest getting a beaujolais nouveau.  This is the fresh new wines that are celebrated in France this time of year.  The  beaujolais nouveau is light and delicious with turkey, but has the flavor and body that a red wine drinker will enjoy.

Presentation  

If you don't have a huge selection of serving dishes, don't worry.  Use your imagination.  Several small dishes of stuffing around the table are just as good as one large one.  Creamers can be used for the gravy.  Wicker baskets lined with clean dish towels are great for keeping bread warm.  An inexpensive way to have flowers to to pick up a pre made bouquet from your local market, split it up and cut it down to put into three old tomato sauce jars set across the table looks great and allows your guests to see each other.

Anything that you may need, from wines to sharp knives, can be found by looking through the Amazon 

link at the top of the page.  You can order directly from that link and have your meat thermometer or roasting pan in time for the big day.

Most importantly, just do the best you can.  Your family and friends are coming to see you, this menu will give you a lot of yummy food.  Add some nice wine, a bit of music and you will have a party that everyone (including you!) will enjoy.  I hope that this has helped you, and best wishes for a Happy and save Thanksgiving.  God Bless.