For The Turkey Lovers

The holiday season is upon us again! I swear, every year goes by faster and faster it seems. I feel like it was just yesterday we talked about my Southwest Tortilla Dressing – but it was two years ago! If you didn’t try that dressing then, do it now. The recipe is online again for you at BSCENEMAG.COM and it will be the perfect accompaniment to the perfect turkey I’ll help you with this year!

So many home chefs are intimated by cooking a turkey, just based on the sheer size of the bird. But I’m here to tell you – don’t be afraid! They say, “Go big or go home” and I couldn’t agree more when it comes to this holiday tradition. A 22-pounder is the way to go … you have to remember, the best part is the leftovers! To me, the turkey always tastes better the next day. Maybe it’s all in my head, but Thanksgiving day itself can really be nerve-wracking – with visiting family, prepping the meal, making sure everything is just perfect … it’s exhausting. So my favorite part is the day after when I get to sit down with a toasted sandwich made from that golden turkey, it doesn’t get any better!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. You have to cook the turkey first. Actually you have to buy it first. As I said, pick out a big bird – 22 pounds sounds good to me. I suggest buying it about five days out so it has time to thaw completely in the fridge. Then early on Thanksgiving morning, it’s time to prep. First, get the oven heating up to 425 F and remove the giblet bag … I forgot that once and learned my lesson! Then wash the turkey. No, not with soap, just cool running water. Clean it good, inside and out. Pat dry, then coat with olive oil and a fine grind sea salt inside and out. And that’s it! You want this to be a show bird. It will be golden and beautiful. No pepper-speckled turkey sits on my table.

Place your prepped turkey in a big roasting pan and cook in the 425 F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. At this point, crank the heat down to 300 F and let the magic happen. There’s a calculated equation that will get you to the perfect turkey every time, no matter what size your bird: cook 15 minutes per pound. With our 22 pound turkey, that comes out to 5.5 hours. But you don’t just leave the turkey to its own devices, you have to help it along by basting every 20 minutes. The first couple of times, you’ll need to supplement with a few tablespoons of olive oil because the bird will not yet have rendered enough fat in the roasting pan to get a good baste. Once you see those juices in the pan, baste them back over the top of the bird – this is how it will stay moist and get some delicious flavor. If the turkey starts to brown too much, you can always cover it with aluminum foil to reduce the browning. But keep on a-basting! Once your timer goes off, remove the turkey from the oven and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before you start to carve for the big meal.

With these few tips, I guarantee you’ll wow the family this year for the holidays. And back to where I started, it sure does make for some tasty leftovers. For extra holiday cheer, mix cranberry sauce into your mayonnaise before you spread it onto the toasted sandwich. Man oh man, I’m ready!

Use this same method to prepare your Christmas or New Year Prime Rib! Buy your meat fresh (no thawing required) with bones. Trim it of excess fat and prep it in the roasting pan with olive oil, fine grind sea salt, coarse-ground pepper and a sprinkling of garlic powder. Utilize the same oven settings, the same “golden rule” of 15 minutes per pound, the same 20-minute basting intervals and voila! - a prime rib fit for this special holiday. And again, the leftovers are equally delicious!

Long known as the “Father of Southwestern Cuisine,” Chef Fearing has won accolades from such publications at Zagat, Wine Spectator, Esquire and countless more for his restaurant, Fearings at the Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. 

.... and here's the recipe for that tortilla dressing!

  TORTILLA DRESSING

1 cup of corn-bread crumbs8 flour tortillas, cut into small strips
8 corn tortillas, cut into small strips and crispy fried1/3 cup cold smoked 1/4 inch dice red bell pepper
1 small onion, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice1 stalk celery, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced1-2 jalapeno chilies, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage½ teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 cup Tortilla Soup Broth, chilled, recipe to follow1 large egg, beaten
Salt to taste

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except salt, and allow to sit for 1 hour to absorb all liquid and to blend flavors, tossing occasionally.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Season dressing with salt. Form into small balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the inside is cooked and the outside is golden brown. Keep warm until ready to serve.