I hope you are ready for Thanksgiving as it is this Thursday. You should be picking up your fresh turkeys today, and if you are planning to buy frozen, you should have bought them a few days ago to allow them to defrost in the refrigerator for at least four to five days. The best way to defrost a frozen turkey is to place it in the refrigerator for one day for every 5 pounds. So, if you bought a 15-pound frozen turkey, you should defrost the turkey for three days, or from today.
I hope you are ready for Thanksgiving as it is this Thursday. You should be picking up your fresh turkeys today, and if you are planning to buy frozen, you should have bought them a few days ago to allow them to defrost in the refrigerator for at least four to five days. The best way to defrost a frozen turkey is to place it in the refrigerator for one day for every 5 pounds. So, if you bought a 15-pound frozen turkey, you should defrost the turkey for three days, or from today.
The holiday season is one of the few times during the year we are able to buy fresh turkeys and I take advantage of this time and buy them fresh.
According the USDA ruling on labelling, “fresh” turkeys have to be stored at 26 degrees or above. Frozen turkeys are stored at 0 degrees or below.
The National Turkey Federation states, “There is no quality difference between a fresh and frozen turkey.” The commercial method of flash freezing causes minimal cell damage and fluid loss, which we are not able to achieve with our home freezers.
The ice crystals that form can cause cell damage and fluid loss, which would mean drier meat. When the turkey is not frozen properly and there is fluid loss, many manufacturers inject a liquid basting solution of water, oil and seasoning to replace the lost liquid.
I prefer to have control of how my turkeys are seasoned and therefore will pick up two fresh turkeys today. I will debone my turkeys today, roast the bones with a mirepoix of onions, carrots and celery until the bones are nicely browned, then place them in a pot of water and boil them for two days. With this wonderful brown broth, I will moisten my cornbread dressing and make my gravy. Any leftover broth will be frozen for later use for soup on a cold night. I place the now boneless turkey in a 2-gallon recloseable Ziploc bag with a mixture of salt, brown sugar and water, tasting it to be sure it is not too salty (it should taste exactly how you want the flavor of your turkey to be), with the brown sugar added to balance flavors and aid in browning.
Cornbread will be made tomorrow, then cut up and left on the counter to dry out and be used to make cornbread dressing. I also will set the tables, setting all the napkins, forks and knives on the table.
Cranberry sauce was made last week, so I do not have to worry about it this week, leaving things such as boiling the sweet potatoes, preparing side dishes such as a bean, grain and macaroni potato salad, and pie crusts for Wednesday afternoon.
For Thursday, I need only roast my two turkeys, bake four pies and then put together the sweet potato casserole, boil the potatoes for mashed potatoes, and put together a green salad.
Macaroni-potato salad is such an interesting side dish and a must at so many local family meals. Each family has their own special ingredient to make theirs special. I featured Penny Vrendenburg’s Hilo-style Potato and Macaroni Salad in my cookbook, “Aunty Audrey’s Big Island Eats.” Penny’s has olives, parsley, kamaboko or a can of tuna. Muriel Miura’s Potato and Macaroni Salad has sweet pickle relish.
Here is Muriel Miura’s recipe:
Potato-Macaroni Salad
Makes: 10 cups
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained and chilled
3 cups cooked salad or new potatoes, cubed and chilled
2 cans (6 ounces) tuna, drained, or 1/2-cup shredded crabmeat
1/2 cup minced onion
1 cup cooked frozen peas and carrots, drained and chilled
1/4 cup minced celery, optional
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, optional
1/4 cup minced parsley, optional
4 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 to 2 teaspoons salt, adjust taste if necessary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 cups mayonnaise
Combine all ingredients except mayonnaise, toss lightly to mix. Add mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Garnish as desired.
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Remember my mother-in-law Hazel Wilson’s secret to the best pecan pie — add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the filling to cut the sweetness of the corn syrup (use dark corn syrup) and sugar. It balances the flavors well for an excellent pecan pie.
Foodie bites
Hawaii Community College’s Culinary Program is taking pre-orders for Thanksgiving. Pick up is from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 23) for the prime rib and turkey plates. Pick up time for the pumpkin pies and dozen dinner rolls is from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 934-2559 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. daily to ensure your order is placed.
Prices and plates are as follows:
• Prime rib plate (rice, hot vegetable, au jus, prime rib, dinner Roll): $10.
• Turkey plate (rice, turkey, ham, stuffing, dinner roll, slice of pumpkin pie, sweet potato, hot vegetables, cranberry sauce): $9.50.
• 9-inch pumpkin pie: $8.
• One dozen dinner rolls: $3.50.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.