LAST-MINUTE THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving is different this year, but even if you've never made so much as a single fixin', there's no reason you can't still enjoy a comforting, delicious feast with those you love. It'll just be over webcam is all - which, let's face it, has its own advantages. So throw on your favorite pj's and ready the mute button for when your uncle starts talking politics, because we're exploring a new kind of Thanksgiving in 2020! One that can largely be prepared ahead of time, in about 4 hours all told.
Ingredients
Upside-down Roasted Chicken Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (4-6 lbs)
Butcher twine (or gauze)
As needed duck fat, softened (room temperature)
As needed kosher salt
As needed freshly ground pepper
1 onion, roughly sliced
12 thyme sprigs, divided
1/2 Lemon
1 head of garlic, halved
Cranberry Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup sugar + plus more as needed (adjust for tartness)
1 bag cranberries
Splash, Gran Marnier
1 orange, sliced peel and juice
1 stick cinnamon
Knob of ginger, crushed
As needed water
Brussels Sprouts Ingredients:
2 lbs brussels sprouts
As needed olive oil
As needed kosher salt
As needed freshly ground pepper
1 Package of bacon, thick-cut (not extra thick)
Apple Crumble Tart Ingredients:
For the crust:
10 oz flour
4 oz sugar
1 tsp salt
15 tbsp butter, melted
For the filling:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp. Corn starch
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Allspice
1.2 clove
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. kosher salt
5-6 medium Granny Smith apples, sliced
2 Tbsp. Butter
For the topping:
Remaining 1/3 crust dough
1 tbsp. Flour
1 tbsp. Sugar
Stuffing Ingredients:
For the croutons:
1 large loaf of sourdough bread
For the sausage:
1 lb pork
1/2 tsp. Garlic
1/2 onion
1 tbsp. Minced sage
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
For the stuffing:
1 tbsp. neutral oil
Pork sausage mixture
3 Tbsp. Butter, unsalted
1 cup chestnuts, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1.5 tbsp. Sage, chopped
1 tbsp. Thyme leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic
4 cups turkey broth
As needed kosher salt
As needed freshly ground pepper
Pan Gravy Ingredients:
1 tbsp. Neutral oil
Chicken neck
1/2 onion, quartered (with skin)
1 bunch celery leaves
2 carrots, halved
4 sprigs of thyme
5 sage leaves
1 tbsp. Black peppercorns
1 bay leaf, dried
1 (32 oz) carton turkey stock
2 tbsp. Butter, unsalted
3 tbsp. ap flour
1 tbsp. Reserved fat from chicken
As needed kosher salt
Mashed Potatoes Ingredients:
Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick (8 tbsp.) butter
As needed kosher salt
Method
Upside-down Roasted Chicken Method:
For optional dry brine, rinse and pat dry the chicken.
Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet with an inlaid grilling rack.
Cover the exterior of the chicken with a light coating of salt and pepper.
Keep uncovered and refrigerated overnight or up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Using your hand, gently separate the skin from the chicken meat without tearing it. Spread a thin layer of duck fat underneath the skin.
Coat the bird in another layer of duck fat over the skin. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. (make sure to get in all of the nooks and crannies)
Tie the thighs together using butcher’s twine or gauze (truss the bird).
Fill the cavity with half of the thyme, lemon, and garlic.
Place the chicken breast-side down on a large skillet.
Add onions and remaining thyme to fill the rest of the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully flip the bird breast-side up.
Return the pan to the oven and cook for another 30 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers 175 F and the breast skin is a deep golden brown. (If the meat is done but the skin needs more browning, turn the oven to broil for 3-5 minutes).
Remove onions and rendered fat from the pan, but keep the stuck-on fond in the pan. Reserve the fat in a separate bowl.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Cranberry Sauce Method:
Combine all ingredients, save for water, in a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick, bubbly, and the cranberries have burst.
Taste for tartness (add sugar if needed), remove orange peel, ginger knob, and cinnamon stick.
Add water if the mixture is too thick and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Let cool.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Brussel Sprouts Method:
Slice brussels sprouts in half and place in a large bowl.
Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Spread Brussels sprouts in an even layer on a baking sheet cut side down.
Lay strips of bacon across the sprouts.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Bake at 425 F for 30-35 minutes.
If the bacon isn’t crisp but the Brussels sprouts are done, remove the sprouts and cook the bacon for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Once cooled enough to handle, chop bacon into small pieces and toss with the Brussels sprouts.
Apple Pie Method:
For the crust, preheat the oven to 350 F.
Combine flour, sugar, salt, and melted butter in a bowl.
Press 2/3 of the dough mixture into the sides and bottom of a tart pan.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes. Let cool.
For the filling, combine all ingredients (save for the apples and butter) in a large bowl.
Add apples and fold to combine.
In a large skillet, heat butter on medium heat.
Add apple mixture and cook until apples are tender (about 10 minutes). Let cool and reserve.
For the topping, with the remaining 1/3 dough, add flour and sugar. Hand mix until just combined. Reserve until ready to use.
For assembly, preheat the oven to 350F.
Pour apple filling over the baked crust and top with the crumbled dough.
Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Stuffing Method:
For the croutons, cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
Spread across an even layer across two baking sheets
Bake at 200F for 1.5 hours or until fully crisp. Let cool.
For the sausage, Combine ingredients in a bowl. (Optional: refrigerate sausage meat overnight or until ready to cook stuffing)
For the stuffing, In a large dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high heat.
Add pork, stir occasionally to break apart any large chunks.
Cook until browned on all sides.
Removed pork using a slotted spoon and reserve.
Melt butter and add onion, carrots, and celery to the dutch oven and cook until tender (about 10 minutes).
Meanwhile, begin heating turkey stock in a small saucepan.
Add thyme, sage, and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup of stock if the mixture gets too dry.
Return sausage to the dutch oven, add chestnuts and croutons, stir to combine.
Add enough stock to moisten the bread.
Gently fold ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Turn off the heat and cover. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes.
Once the chicken is out of the oven, place the covered dutch oven in the oven for 7-10 minutes to crisp the stuffing.
Pan Gravy Method:
Heat oil in a large pot, add chicken neck and onion and cook until chicken is browned on both sides and onions are tender.
Add celery leaves, carrots, thyme, sage, peppercorns, bay leaf, and turkey stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until stock is reduced by 1/2 volume.
Reserve.
Mashed Potatoes Method:
Peel and cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes.
Place potatoes in a large high-sided skill and fill with cold water until the potatoes are completely covered.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Once boiling, cook for 15-20 minutes, until fork-tender (no resistance when prodded by a fork or pairing knife).
Drain and mash potatoes with a masher in the same high-sided skillet.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Once frothy, add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 3 minutes).
Slowly add the cream and cook until warmed through.
Add cream mixture to the mashed potatoes and stir with a wood or plastic spatula.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Keep warm until ready to serve, or refrigerate and reheat the next day.