A Quiet Thanksgiving at Home

This year we had intended to go out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday, but thanks to two back-to-back colds we were feeling under the weather and decided to stay in.  Since it was just the three of us this year, I decided to make the simplest of meals.  Surprisingly, the consensus we came to was that it was the best Thanksgiving meal I've ever made.  I didn't over-do the sides and I kept the ingredient list quite minimal.  In addition, I decided to break down the turkey before roasting and this cut down the cooking time considerably.  It also allowed all of the pieces to have a nice golden brown skin without being over-cooked. If you can get passed not having the wow-factor of having a whole roasted turkey, this method is definitely worth trying, and MUCH easier to brine too.  It yields a great tasting turkey in much less time and much less effort.  I don't think I will go back to roasting the turkey whole again!  Aside from the turkey, I made the easiest roasted potatoes, whipped sweet potatoes with orange and garlicky asparagus.  For dessert I made a pear and cranberry crisp. All of the recipes were relatively easy and I wasn't slaving away all day at the stove.

This wing was so crunchy and golden! You need this wing in your life!

Citrus Herb Roast Turkey

Brine

Ingredients

⅓ cup salt
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 gallon cold filtered water
3 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions

Whisk all of the ingredients together until the salt has dissolved.

Place the turkey pieces in a large covered container or food-safe bucket and pour the brine over them. Refrigerate for about 8 hours.

Before roasting, rinse the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels.

Turkey

Ingredients

1 (12–15 pound) turkey, broken down into individual pieces
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
12 garlic cloves, minced or grated
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 grapefruit
1 stick butter, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Arrange the turkey pieces on a rack set inside a roasting pan and let them sit at room temperature while you prepare the seasoning.

In a food processor, combine the butter, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chopped rosemary.

Rub the mixture generously over the turkey, working some underneath the skin whenever possible. Reserve about one-third of the mixture for basting. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Roast for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the thickest pieces register 165°F. About halfway through cooking, baste the turkey with the reserved butter mixture.

Tent loosely with foil and let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

1 bag Yukon Gold or small red potatoes
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Garlic salt, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Wash the potatoes, leaving the skins on. Quarter them, then cut each quarter in half lengthwise.

Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water and stir in the salt. Bring to a boil and cook until just fork-tender. Drain well.

Spread the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with garlic salt, tossing gently to coat.

Roast for about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the lemon juice, and return to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Arrange the asparagus on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.

Roast for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender and lightly caramelized.

I shared my recipe for Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Orange last year. This Thanksgiving I made one small change by swapping the brown sugar for coconut sugar and using freshly squeezed orange juice instead of bottled juice.

And finally, here’s how it all came together on the plate.