Chef Brittany Greene once again has shared her expertise with the greater
Milwaukee area! This morning she appeared in two segments on Milwaukee's WISN 12 news at 11am. She shared how to prepare the perfect Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing! As promised, here are her instructions for preparing your turkey as well as her "Holiday Dry Rub" and "Sausage, Apple and Sage" Stuffing recipes! You can view the live broadcast HERE. Her segments are at the 14:01 and 32:15 marks. Once the individual segments are available to post we will update the blog with the direct links!
How long to thaw a turkey based on weight of the turkey...
Place the frozen turkey in the fridge — be sure your refrigerator temperature is set at 40 °F or below.
You'll need to allow about 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds of frozen turkey you plan to thaw in the fridge.
For example, a 15 pound turkey will take 3 days (or 72 hours) to thaw using this method
How to prepare the turkey for roasting after washing and removal of insides...
Chef Says: "I like to use a simple dry rub of salt, pepper, onion, garlic, thyme and lemon zest because it compliments my “Sausage, Apple and Sage” stuffing recipe that we are going to make. Smother the turkey with olive oil and generously apply the herb rub to the turkey.
Don’t forget to salt and pepper the cavity!
Tie the legs together loosely and tuck the wing tips under to help the turkey hold its shape while roasting
Chef Says: “I like to surprise my guests and throw in something both delicious and
unexpected. I like to experiment with different stuffing recipes. A great way to add color and texture is to play around with the combination of sweet and savory flavors in your stuffing. Adding colorful cranberries for tartness or ripe pears for a pop of sweetness makes for a delicious combination. My go-to stuffing is a Sausage, Apple and Sage Stuffing.”
How long to cook a stuffed turkey based on weight...
About 20 minutes per pound but the time will always vary. The only way to determine if the turkey is cooked thoroughly is to take the temperature with a meat thermometer.
Don’t rely on the pop-up that some turkeys are outfitted with!
Roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165 to 170 degrees F
Proper temperature of oven...
375 degrees
Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving and why...
Transfer the turkey to a platter. Tent it very loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).
This allows the juices to redistribute.
This also gives you time to make gravy so be sure to reserve the juices in the pan if you plan on making gravy!
SAUSAGE, APPLE & SAGE STUFFING
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lb. Ground Italian sausage
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 stalks celery, thinly Diced
1/2 yellow onion, Diced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1/2 teaspoon each: chopped sage, kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups Homemade chicken broth
1 large egg, beaten
4 cups cubed bread (Assortment)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch or other medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, crumbling with a spoon. Once sausage begins to brown, add butter, celery, onion, apple, sage, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in broth. Add to bread mixture and stir to combine.
Pour into prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered. Remove foil and bake until crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Holiday Dry Rub
1T Minced onion
1 ½ T Paprika
1T Garlic Powder
1T Thyme, Fresh
2T Lemon Zest (Reserve lemons for slicing)
Fresh cracked black pepper
2T Kosher Salt
1 Stick Butter, Unsalted
Generously season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper, to taste. Combine all of the ingredients well. Rub the butter and seasoning mixture under the skin of the turkey. Add lemon slices under the skin of the turkey if desired. Tie the legs together loosely to hold their shape, and tuck the wing tips under.
Don't forget! Stay with us over the Thanksgiving holiday with our "Home for the Holidays" package and we'll provide the pie!
Book your "Home for the Holidays" package HERE!
