Brine For Turducken Or Any Other Fowl Food

THE TURDUCKEN: BONELESS TURKEY STUFFED WITH A BONELESS DUCK AND BONELESS CHICKEN "ONE BIG BIRD"

Steps:

• For the andouille sausage stuffing: In a large bowl, mix the pork, liquid smoke, garlic, salt paprika, black pepper, chili pepper flakes, mace, allspice, ground bay leaves, sage and cayenne pepper, if using, with some cold water. In a pan or on a flat-top, brown off the sausage mixture in about 3 teaspoons of bacon fat for flavor. Once the sausage mixture is browned, chill immediately.
• For the Spinach stuffing: Melt the butter in large skillet. Add the spinach, onion, fennel seed, salt and white pepper and saute for 5 minutes until hot. Set aside to cool.
• Preparation of the duck and chicken: It is wise to de-bone the duck and chicken first for practice. Place the fresh chicken breast-side down on large cutting board. Starting at the bird's neck, you will cut through the skin along the length of the spine. Using the tip of the knife and starting from the neck end, separate the meat from the rib cage on 1 side. Disjoint the wing from the shoulder blade and reserve for stock. Work towards the thigh bone, cut through the ball and socket joint and "pop" loose using upward pressure with your hand from under the bird. Using your thumbnail, loosen the "oyster meat" (the most tender part) from the frame. With the knife, remove the thigh and leg bone, but keep the leg attached to the bird. Repeat the process on other side of chicken. When both sides are finished, the bird will lay flat. Grab rib cage by the neck area and gently pull towards back to remove the entire carcass and breast bone cartilage. Repeat the same de-boning procedure for the duck. In a well ventilated area or with an exhaust fan on high, preheat a large cast-iron pan to very hot. Rub the boneless chicken and duck with olive oil. Generously sprinkle with blackening spice on both sides. Place skin-side down in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes then turn over and repeat. Refrigerate.
• De-bone the turkey using the same procedure as the chicken and duck with 2 exceptions: The turkey wings should be left attached to the meat and the bone-in drumstick should be disjointed from the boneless thigh meat and left attached to the meat. The final product should be a flat boneless turkey (except for the wings and drumsticks).
• To stuff the turducken: Place the turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Rub the meat with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic and 1 tablespoon blackening spice. Spread an even layer of cornbread dressing over the meat about 3/4 inch thick and pat down with hands. Spread 1/4-inch layer of spinach stuffing. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the andouille sausage stuffing. On top, place 6 to 8 slices of roasted red bell peppers. Place the chilled duck, skin-side down, on top of layered stuffing. Repeat the layered stuffing as above. Arrange the chilled chicken, skin-side down, on top of the stuffed duck. Spread the remainder of the stuffing on top of chicken. Press down gently with hands to compact all ingredients.
• To truss the turducken: This may take another person's help. Lift the sides of the turkey together. Have a helper hold the bird closed while sewing the back of the turkey together using butcher's twine, making the stitches about 1 inch apart, starting at the back of turkey and working towards the neck. Be careful since the Turducken has no boney frame. Roll over breast-side-up and finish sewing the neck portion of bird. Tie off and cut twine. Now sew up the opening at the leg section of turkey. Truss the legs together with twine. For extra support, tie butcher's twine around the bird's width every 3 inches down along the bird's length. Position your hands evenly under the turducken and lift into a large roasting pan with rack inside. The pan should be at least 3-inches deep to catch drippings during cooking. Rub the entire exposed skin of the bird with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of blackening spice and salt. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Wrap the drumsticks with aluminum foil. Place parchment paper over the entire bird. Loosely tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 200 degrees F for 12 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove all foil and parchment paper the last hour of roasting time and turn up temperature to 325 degrees F. Baste with the drippings. When done, remove from the oven and let set in the roasting pan for at least 1 hour. With 2 heavy duty spatulas, insert underneath and remove the turducken from the rack to place on carving platter. Remove all butcher twine, including pulling out the portion along the spine. To serve, cut the turducken in half lengthwise, then cut servings crosswise in approximately 1-inch thicknesses. Serve with gravy and enjoy.

TURDUCKEN MOIST AND FLAVORFUL GOOD EATS!

Steps:

• Day before serving. Mix the brine ingredients in a very large stainless steel pot add 2 dozen ice cubes. Set aside.
• De-boning the birds:.
• Rinse the birds and remove the necks and any giblets, saving for stock.
• Place the turkey, breast side down, on a clean flat surface.
• Using a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp boning knife, cut the backbone from the turkey. I left about 2 inches of backbone near the bottom of the spine which help with support of the birds.
• Using the tip of a knife and starting from the neck end, gently separate meat from rib cage on one side. Be careful not to cut through the breast skin.
• Cut through the meat to expose the shoulder blade; cut meat away from and around the bone, severing bone at the joint to remove shoulder blade.
• Disjoint wing between second and third joints. Leave the wing bones and keep the wing attached to the meat.
• Continue separating meat from frame, working toward the thighbone and being careful to keep the "oyster" (pocket of meat on back) attached to skin, rather than leaving it with the bone.
• Cut through ball-and-socket joint to release the thighbone from the carcass (bird will be open on one side). Keep the leg attached to the meat.
• Repeat boning procedure on the other side of the bird.
• Carefully remove the carcass and use it to make stock for your gravy.
• You should end up with a flat boneless (except for wings and legs as in photo) turkey with the skin intact in one large piece. Rinse and put the boned turkey in the brine.
• Repeat the deboning process on the duck and the chicken, but debone both stumps of wings and leg drumsticks. Cut through flesh at the thinnest point and trim around these bones with a knife until they can be removed. (Since they have little meat, you can cut off the entire wings and add them to the stock pot.) Both the chicken and duck will be stuffed inside the turkey and need not be kept "perfectly" intact.
• Trim skin and fat from the birds. Ducks, in particular, have a lot of excess fatty skin that should be saved to render fat to be used for other recipes. I suggest removing all the skin from chicken and duck. They don`t crisp up and give it a mushy texture and mouth feel. Add the chicken and duck to brine adding ice cold water to completely cover, place top on and chill till the morning.
• At least 11 hours before dinner, assemble the Turducken. Rinse and dry birds.
• Spread the turkey, skin down, on flat surface, exposing as much meat as possible.
• Spread some of stuffing over the turkey in an even layer approximately 3/4 inch thick.
• Place duck, on top of stuffing.
• Spread more stuffing in an even layer over the duck.
• Arrange the chicken over the stuffing.
• You`ll need someone to hold the birds closed while you sew up the seam.
• Carefully lift the sides of the layered birds, folding the sides of the turkey together. Using cotton thread and a needle going through some of the chicken and turkey skin.
• Since the turducken has no skeleton, it must be trussed up or it may fall apart in cooking.
• Tie 4-5 pieces of cotton string around the bird, width-wise to act as skeletal support.
• Turn the bird over and place in a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan so it is breast side up and looks like a "normal" turkey.
• Tie the legs together just above the tip bones. Secure the wings close to the body.
• Mix fresh herbs of your choice in melted butter.
• Pour butter over turkey.
• Generously season with pepper, salt and paprika.
• Pour beer in pan.
• Cooking:.
• In a 225 degrees F preheated oven .
• Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan in the center of the oven and bake for 3 hours because I know you want to peek so go ahead and baste it while you are there. After 6 hours pour the pineapple (if using) over the turkey and continue baking until a meat thermometer inserted through to center reads 165 degrees, approximately 9 1/2 hours, though cooking times will vary depending on the size of the birds and amount of stuffing used.
• Save pan drippings for an amazing gravy.
• Remove the trucking from the oven and let rest in the pan for an 1/2 before serving.
• Meanwhile make gravy as you like.
• To serve cut bird in half.
• Carve crosswise so each slice reveals all 3 meats and stuffing's.

BRINE FOR TURDUCKEN (OR ANY OTHER FOWL)

Steps:

• This is a no cook brine. Wash, peel and cut up the onions, garlic, and all the herbs. A rough chop is fine. Mix up and set aside in a big bowl.
• Zest the oranges and lemons in big chunks with a potato peeler. Add to the bowl of veggies and set aside.
• Remove the pith from the zested lemon, cut it up and add it to the veggies.
• Pour the juices, salt, honey, and sugar into a big pot. Squeeze the zested oranges in as well. Discard the orange solids.
• Use an immersion blender to dissolve the salt, sugar, and honey into the juices.
• Add ice and keep blending. (Were it not for the salt, this could be a base for some sort of cocktail.)
• Throw in the peppercorns and juniper berries, and blend just a second or two more. You don't want to crush these spices too much.
• Put half the onion & herb mixture in the bottom of a brining bag. Divide the other half between the two other brining bags.
• Trust me on this - brine the birds separately.
• Put the de-boned turkey in the bag with the most veggies, and the other two birds in the other two bags.
• Pour half the slush into the turkey bag, and divide the other half between the duck and the chicken.
• Tie the bags up tight so that there's no air. Refrigerate 6-8 hours or overnight.

BASIC ALL PURPOSE BRINE FOR MEATS, CHICKEN, AND TURKEY

Steps:

• Makes 1 quart- make up additional amounts of brine if needed until meat is submerged.
• Stir ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Continue stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Allow to cool.
• Place meat or poultry in a food safe plastic bag inside another container for support and leakage control (oven roasting bags are a fine choice- NOT garbage bags).
• Pour cooled brine into bag, and squeeze out as much air as possible and seal with a twistie tie.
• Refrigerate for 3-4 hours for 3 pounds meat (such as pork ribs), 5-6 hours for a nice roasting hen, or 12-24 hours for a turkey, 12 hours being for a small one and the longer time for those turkeys around 20+ pounds.
• Discard brine before using and pat meat dry.
• If using poultry, you may want to add citrus fruit such as oranges or lemons, additional fresh herbs, or cloves of garlic into the cavity.
• Prepare meat as desired- roast, bbq, etc.