Neighborhood Notes

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Whether you're hosting or attending a holiday celebration, carnivore or herbivore, eating in or dining out, we've put together a Thanksgiving Resource Guide to address your needs. This guide is broken into four parts:

• Preparing the Feast (Part 1) – Where to get supplies, troubleshooting tips, and a recipe for the perfect turkey.
• Preparing the Feast (Part 2) – Where to find Thanksgiving wines, breads and desserts in Portland neighborhoods.
• Go Out or Take Out – Where to feast on Thanksgiving Day and where to find Thanksgiving take out.
• Things to do – Get out and explore!

Supplies for the Holiday Feast

Four Steps to the Perfect Turkey

Courtesy of New Seasons Market

YOU WILL NEED:
• A deep roasting pan and rack (V-shaped preferred)
• An internal probe thermometer
• Cooking spray
• Aluminum foil
• Brining bag

STEP 1: Take the time to brine.
In order to keep your turkey moist throughout the cooking process, we recommend brining. Brining before baking helps poultry absorb moisture and retain it as it cooks. As a bonus, brining your bird infuses it with lots of juicy flavor. (All brine recipes listed here are for a 20 lb turkey.)

BASIC BRINE RECIPE
1 gallon water, divided use
²/³ c granulated sugar
1 lb kosher salt (make sure to use kosher salt- table
salts will pickle your turkey!)
In a stockpot over high heat, combine 2 quarts of water with sugar and salt. Stir
until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Add the remaining water and
refrigerate until ready to use, or at least two hours.

MAPLE-INFUSED BRINE RECIPE
3 quarts water
4 c apple cider
½ c maple syrup
1 lb kosher salt (make sure to use kosher salt - other
salts will have different results)

In a stockpot over high heat, combine 2 quarts of water with salt. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in remaining quart of water, apple cider and maple syrup. Refrigerate until ready to use, or at least two hours. For brining: Rinse the turkey well and remove anything from the cavity of the bird (internal organs, etc.). Open the brining bag and pour in the chilled brining liquid. Place the turkey in the brining bag and secure the bag tightly around the turkey, forcing the liquid to cover the outside of the bird. Place this bag in a roasting pan and lace in the refrigerator. (The roasting pan will prevent the possibility of drippings from getting into the refrigerator.) Allow turkey to brine at least 12 to 18 hours. When you're ready to roast your turkey, remove it from the brining bag and rinse it well. Pat it dry and proceed with your roasting plans.

STEP 2: Fill the cavity with aromatics.
There are many good reasons not to stuff a turkey, but one major reason is that the stuffing adds to your work without adding any additional flavor to your turkey. Instead, infuse your bird from the inside out with these aromatics:

• Herbs (such as sage, thyme, rosemary or lavender)
• A few stalks of celery and a few carrots (roughly chopped)
• 1 apple, cut in half
• Lemon zest
• Garlic cloves

Place these simple items into the cavity of the bird, but don't overstuff. Give the aromatics room to breathe.

• 2-3 Tbls fresh sage, minced; ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp cumin; 3 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp salt
• 2-3 Tbls fresh thyme, minced; 3 tsp white pepper; 1 tsp salt

STEP 4: Get ready to roast.
Preheat oven to 500°. Fold a large piece of aluminum foil into a triangular shape that will completely cover the breast meat. Fit this triangle over the breast meat of your bird and then remove it and spray the underside with cooking spray. Set your foil "turkey shield" aside.

Set the turkey on the rack in the roasting pan. Roast it for 30 minutes or until the skin is nicely browned. Remove the bird from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°. Place aluminum foil turkey shield over the breast meat and insert your internal probe thermometer through the foil into the deepest part of the breast, making sure to avoid bone. If your thermometer has a notification option set it to notify you when
the breast meat has reached 165° F.

It is unnecessary to baste the turkey, as the turkey's skin will prevent the basting from adding any additional moisture. Continuing to open the oven will increase the cooking time, as the oven will lose heat. A 20 lb bird will cook using this method in about three hours. Once the thermometer registers 165°, remove the bird from the oven, tent it with additional aluminum foil and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes
so that it will retain its juices. Carve and enjoy. 

If we missed some information—grocery store information, troubleshooting tips, or other sage Thanksgiving advice—please share it in the comments below.