No Cans Allowed...

Briney Goodness without the Briney Hassle

Being that I am a couple thousand miles away from my family, I don't have a need to fix the whole Thanksgiving Dinner for myself. This year, I was part of the "pitch-in" and only provided the turkey (plus gravy - since I had the drippings) and the cranberry sauce (compote).

I love cooking the turkey for the annual meal.  My routine is pretty simple - use an oven bag (best invention ever for turkey roasting) line the bottom of the bag with your onions (red, yellow, white) and celery. Stuff the cavity with herbs (rosemary, thyme, etc) and a couple of quartered apples - coat the outside with an olive oil/honey mix (great for browning). Seal bag and poke your probe thermometer through the bag (instead of being a dummy like me and sealing it in the bag with the cable snaking out of the opening).  I did add a step to my typical prep work - this was the first year that I used the "Dry Brine Rub" from fresh & easy. In the interests of disclosure, you should know that is was one of the goodie bag contents that I got gratis for attending the recent holiday party. 

One bit of advice for the use of the brine rub one, follow the instructions on the can exactly and two, spread some plastic wrap around the area that you are working in (holy snikes it was flipping messy).  No big pot of water needed (a big turn-off in previous years for my wanting to brine). It did a great job of infusing flavor deeper into the turkey and I can notice a difference in the taste of the left overs (in a good way).

Cranberry sauce - I don't know what dip-head came up with the concept of jellied cranberry sauce in a can but, it seems to have become the prevalent method of holiday cranberry consumption. For just a bit more effort than it took Bart to open that can, we can make a great cranberry sauce - one that does not revoke my birthright as a native of the great state of Maine.  

Resist the Urge to Open a Can

Not Marge's Cranberry Sauce:
24 ounces of fresh cranberries
1-3/4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup  ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Grand Mariner
1 orange - zested
(for the love of God, If there is a "Bart" in your house - I wouldn't let him near the stove or the booze - but each of us needs to make our own call)

Combine water, sugar, cinnamon, and Grand Mariner in pot and bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat and add cranberries and orange zest - cook until berries pop open. Remove from heat and carefully pour into heat safe bowl. Place in fridge overnight. Serve chilled - leftovers can store in the fridge a couple of weeks. Yes, the juice from this will make the most amazing vodka cranberry cocktail...not that I know a thing about that.

Happy Thanksgiving!