Thanksgiving Turkey In A Crock Pot With Sage And Bacon Food

SLOW-COOKER TURKEY WITH SAGE AND BACON

Steps:

• Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place turkey in cooker. Sprinkle with garlic pepper. Place potatoes and carrots around turkey. Mix bacon, gravy, flour, sage and Worcestershire sauce in small bowl; pour over turkey and vegetables.
• Cover and cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.
• Serve turkey with vegetables and gravy.

MAPLE-ROASTED TURKEY WITH SAGE, SMOKED BACON, AND CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack.
• Combine the butter and sage in a mixing bowl, mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated and the butter has flecks of green in it; season with salt and pepper.
• In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the sage butter, add the onions, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine, season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the breast and legs, and slip pieces of the sage butter underneath; massaging it in as you go. Fill the bird with the cornbread stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan, and put into the oven.
• Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes. The turkey should take about 3 hours to cook (i.e. 15 to 20 minutes per pound.) If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil. About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste for another hour or so. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat.
• Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles. Serve the gravy with the maple-roasted turkey and cornbread stuffing.

SLOW COOKER THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain and crumble.
• Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray. Place turkey in the slow cooker. Season with garlic pepper. In a bowl, mix the bacon, gravy, flour, Worcestershire sauce, and sage. Pour over turkey in the slow cooker.
• Cover slow cooker, and cook turkey 8 hours on Low.

ONE-PAN, ONE-POT THANKSGIVING DINNER

Steps:

• Marinate the turkey: If the turkey breast comes tied, untie it. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Season the turkey all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, then rub with garlic and thyme leaves. Place turkey on a plate or in a container, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24.
• Place a rack in the top third of your oven and another rack in the bottom third. Depending on your pace, you might want to have two timers at the ready.
• As the turkey marinates, start the sweet potatoes: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap potatoes individually in two or three layers of foil so they don't leak, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on the top rack until very soft when you squeeze them (use oven mitts), 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let potatoes cool in the foil and reserve the sheet pan for the turkey.
• While the sweet potatoes bake, make the cranberry sauce: In a medium pot, combine sugar, orange juice, 1/4 cup water and cinnamon stick or star anise. Bring to a simmer and add cranberries. Cook until the cranberries burst and the sauce starts to thicken, 12 to 18 minutes. It will be thin, but will thicken as it chills. Transfer to a serving dish and let cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until serving. Remove cinnamon stick or star anise before serving.
• Clean out the pot and make the gravy: Melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until pale golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the flour and cook until the flour turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the wine and cook until it mostly evaporates, another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in 2 cups stock, letting it simmer until thick, 4 to 6 minutes. If the gravy gets too thick, add more stock as needed. Season with salt to taste. Transfer gravy to an insulated container, like a lidded coffee cup or Thermos, to keep warm.
• Make the stuffing in the same pot: Melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until soft and just starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in thyme and sage and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in bread and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup broth, egg, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Fold gently into bread mixture, letting the bread absorb the liquid. If the mixture seems dry, add more stock a little at a time, using up to another 1/4 cup. Dot the surface of the stuffing with a few thin pieces of butter. Cover pot with a lid (or foil) and bake the stuffing on the bottom oven rack until lightly springy, about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown, another 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer stuffing to the top of your stove, off the heat, and re-cover to keep it warm until the turkey is ready. Wash the bowl and set aside for the sprouts.
• While the stuffing bakes, roast the turkey: Brush or spread the mustard all over the turkey, then brush with the mayonnaise. Wrap the turkey in bacon and place on a rimmed baking sheet pan. Roast turkey on the top oven rack for 20 minutes.
• Put the brussels sprouts in the medium bowl and toss with enough olive oil to coat, coriander and a pinch of salt. Add the brussels sprouts to the sheet pan with the turkey. Continue to roast until the sprouts are golden and tender, and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey registers 145 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes longer (for a total roasting time of 40 to 50 minutes). If the turkey is done before the sprouts, use tongs to transfer it to a cutting board and lightly tent with foil. Leave the sprouts in the oven until done. (If the bacon isn't as brown and crisp as you like, broil the bacon-clad turkey - but not the sprouts - for 1 to 3 minutes.) Allow meat to rest 10 minutes before slicing.
• Finish sweet potatoes: Cut a long slit in the top of the sweet potatoes, leaving them in the foil. Push their ends toward each other so that the middle opens up. Use a fork to mash their centers. Then mash 1/2 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon molasses and some grated nutmeg and salt into each potato. Divide the marshmallows among potatoes and place on the sheet pan after the turkey is done. (The potatoes can share the pan with the brussels sprouts if they need more time.) Bake for about 5 minutes while the turkey rests. Serve.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY IN A CROCK POT, WITH SAGE AND BACON

Steps:

• Spray 5 to 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place turkey in cooker. Sprinkle with garlic pepper. Place potatoes and carrots around turkey.
• Mix bacon, gravy, flour, sage and Worcestershire sauce in small bowl; pour over turkey and vegetables.
• Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 8 hours.
• Remove turkey and vegetables, and thicken gravy as necessary with cornstarch or flour. Dig in!