Turkey Not Just for Thanksgiving: Making the Perfect Bird
| December 22, 2009 | Posted by admin under Uncategorized |
Executive Chef, Bryan Moscatello
I went in search of the perfect bird. Usually I remove the breasts and legs then bone roll and tie the thighs. Once the meat has been removed from the bones I roast the bones and make gravy. The breasts and thighs are the seared brushed with butter and herbs then roasted. The meat rests and is then ready for slicing. I have always done this because I really want the bones for gravy and I feel that this is the best way to have a moist breast. This year I was able to experiment with a variety of cooking techniques.
Method A: Traditionally Whole Roasted
Brine the whole bird over night then stuff the cavity with citrus, herbs and mirepoix. Smear an herbed compound butter underneath the skin and Set the bird on a bed of mirepoix and roast for about 2 ½ -3 hours at 325 basting every fifteen minutes with additional butter and the rendering turkey fat. Once the bird is cooked remove it from the oven and cover it with foil so it can rest for about 30 minutes to allow the muscle to relax and the juices to settle.
Method B: Frying the Turkey
I have heard about the magnificence of a golden hued fried bird for many years now and was excited to try one. This starts in the same way as a traditional bird by brining it overnight. The next morning you simply remove the turkey from the brine rinse it and allow it to dry. Once the bird has had time to dry you submerge it in 325-350 degree oil for about 30-35 minutes. Then again pull the bird and allow it to rest. If you choose this style you will need to make sure that you use a very strong brine with all of the flavors that you would normally roast in the cavity.
Method C: Sous Vide
For this style you do need an immersion circulator in order to maintain water at a constant low temperature that is continuously in motion. For this I removed the breasts, skin removed and marinated them then I put it in bag with mirepoix, herbs and seasonings. This bag is then vacuum sealed and then placed in a water bath. I cooked the breast for about 4 hours. Once the time is up you pull the bag and let it rest for 15 or so minutes so the muscle can relax. Remove the breast and pat it dry then place the breast in a pre-warmed sauté pan with butter that was just about to brown. Sear the entire outside over medium heat constantly basting with the browning butter. Once it is golden brown let stand for a couple of minutes and your ready to go.
The Score card
The whole roasted bird has great presentation and very good flavor, breast was moist and the thighs were nice as well. The fried bird had the best thighs- man they were unbelievable moist tender simply the best. As for the breast I was not the biggest fan. The sous vide breast was perfect, it was perfectly tender and the flavors from the mirepoix and herbs really infused into the meat to make it such a stand out. So in the end next years bird will be sous vide breast and fried thighs. And since my leftovers are gone im already getting a little anxious.
