Thanksgiving Feast
Testing a new recipe
A number of years ago, I tested out my own new recipe for Thanksgiving Turkey. I’ve never been afraid of trying new things with food. Oh sure, I’ve had some experiments taste like dirt or become burned beyond recognition. But I felt that was part of my “mad scientist” formula for success.
This particular experiment with roasted turkey could not end with a disaster because I had committed to cooking it for a large group of international students attending Grinnell College here in Iowa.
At the time, we lived in Grinnell, and had started volunteering as a “host family” for international students at the college who were unable to return to their country over the term breaks. This home cooked meal would be their first experience with Thanksgiving in America and it needed to be right.
Trying a new recipe
But I was determined to test the boundaries and try this new twist on the turkey flavor and technique. I suppose I may have had a backup plan but want to believe that I was fearlessly facing a “do-or-die” venture.
I got it in my head that since a lot of turkey roasting recipes required a brine solution, why couldn’t I use soy sauce and achieve a similar result?
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The Rebel Cook
Turkey Dinner
Also, being the rebellious cook that I tend to be, I wanted the turkey breast down in the soy sauce drippings to soak up the flavor and help it remain tender and moist. I know there are a lot of “old school” cooks who just gasped while reading this part but go with me on this little adventure.
After thawing the turkey for a few days in the refrigerator, I brought it out for preparation. I removed the neck and giblets from the body cavity and plopped the whole thing, breast down, in the deep roasting pan. Then I poured a few cups of purified water into the bottom of the pan (about 1 inch) to help dilute the soy sauce. Taking my bottle of Kikkoman,
Kikkoman Soy Sauce
I poured it slowly all over the bird and let it trickle down into the water. I used at least half of the bottle. Then popped the whole thing in a preheated oven at 325° and let it cook for two hours. Using my kitchen timer, I would open the oven every 30 minutes, pull the rack out, and ladle the drippings over the bird.
Note: This bird is not breast down!
After the two hour mark, I scooped juice over it again and loosely covered with aluminum foil to keep the turkey from becoming too brown. Then I cooked another hour, opening it up one more time after 30 minutes to wash the bird in the drippings for the last time. A little over three hours from the beginning, my thermometer reading was at 180° and I knew it was time to take it out. I let it sit for 15 minutes before handling it so everything would settle or “rest” as they say.
Cozy Cabin Cooking
Tender Turkey
You can’t believe how tender, moist, and flavorful those slices of turkey were and the drippings became an awesome gravy. I used this recipe a couple more times after that, but since moving to southeast Iowa, haven’t had much opportunity, as we go to the hubby’s family’s home for Thanksgiving meal. I suspect someday I will get to cook a turkey on Thanksgiving, maybe for my daughter’s family!
Had I invented Dining Stones at the time I created this recipe, it would have been great to heat the stone and use under my serving plate of warm turkey. Here is a quote from a new customer:
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“If I had known how wonderful Dining Stones were, and how much I would come to rely on them, I would have been your very first customer. I am so thankful that I have them on hand for Thanksgiving. As hostess, my meal usually ended up cold and unappetizing but not this year!” – Terri P., Grinnell, Iowa
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Best regards,
