Chef Chat: Turkey Talk

By David Feder and Diane Toops


'Tis the season for turkey talk. Americans eat more of these birds from Thanksgiving through Christmas than at any other time of year. But what of the professional chef’s who find their days off a “busman’s holiday” with the responsibility of preparing the traditional repast? Well, you don’t know until you ask! Join us as some of our favorite experts tell us how they like to prepare the great gobbler.

J. Hugh McEvoy (Chef J), CEC, CRC, ASB
Executive Director of Global Culinary Development
East Balt Inc.
Chicago, Paris, London
and Director of Alternative Nutrition
Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago

I grew up on Cape Cod — just minutes from where the Pilgrims landed in the Mayflower. Thanksgiving dinner is the most important meal of the year in my family. Now my personal focus is on “gourmet nutrition.” My holiday meals are built around at least five colors of vegetables (pumpkin, broccoli, carrots, two colors of beet and two types of beans) plus a complete protein. We love to include a variety of wild mushrooms and fresh baked breads, too. We vertically roast an organic turkey – never brined – to a golden brown. The wonderful caramelized flavors and textures developed during vertical roasting are one of the joys of our Thanksgiving. And, by focusing on the vegetables as star attractions in their own right, the meal is perfectly healthy and well balanced. Of course, then come the desserts!

In praise of turkey: American's favorite holiday entree is high in protein, low in fat and an inexpensive source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and B-vitamins.

Chef Andrew Hunter
President of Recipe Development &
Merchandising Solutions
San Francisco. Calif.

My family's Thanksgiving tradition includes everyone, from child to grandparent, in the preparation of the turkey. We cut out the central bone cavity and stuff the bird back in shape with a savory dressing. It's like a ballotine with the leg and thighbones intact. This year, we are stuffing the turkey with steamed tamales, roasted green chilies and onions, and basting it with a blend of smoky chili powders, brown sugar and melted butter. We carve the turkey from left to right so each guest gets stuffing between two slices of breast.

Ray Sierengowski, CCE, CCC
Corporate Research Chef/Lead Scientist
Kellogg's Advanced Innovation Team
Battle Creek, Mich.

Last year our family cooked two medium-size turkeys — one traditional oven roasted and the other deep fried. This year, we plan on making “Turducken.” Turducken is a Cajun delicacy of stuffing wrapped in a boneless duck that is wrapped in a boneless chicken then it's stuffed in a partially deboned turkey. The trio is roasted for approximately 9-10 hours at 225ËšF. It takes all day to make, but it is well worth the wait. If you’re bored with the same old turkey year after year, this is definitely the recipe to try.

Scott Brown, CCC
Corporate Chef
Ocean Pier Inc.
Scoudouc, New Brunswick, Canada

Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated the second Monday in October. Here’s what I did this year: First, I brined the turkey for 24 hours in a solution of 8 liters (about 2-1/4 gallons) water, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup sea salt. Brining makes for a very moist turkey. Then I rinsed the bird thoroughly and completely deboned it, leaving it in one piece with the skin intact. (This is called a "dodine" in French classical cooking.) I chopped the bones and used them to make a bed for the turkey, along with celery, carrots, and onion, bay leaf and thyme. The turkey was completely stuffed with wild mushroom cornbread stuffing and re-shaped with the stuffing to its natural form (to look as if it had the bones in). I stitched it closed, loosened the skin, and rubbed herbs and butter underneath. I seasoned the outside of the skin, topping it with chilled pieces of butter. Finally, I roasted the turkey at 425ËšF for the first 45 minutes to crisp the skin, then slow roasted at 300ËšF until done. I followed with a rich sauce made by deglazing the pan of roasted bones and vegetables with port wine, water and herbs and simmering until ready.

The Truth About Turkey How about some turkey facts? Turkey is high in protein, low in fat and an inexpensive source of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium and B-vitamins. It’s also a great source of the natural sedative tryptophan, so now you know why everyone falls asleep after holiday dinners. Recent fossil evidence shows that turkeys have roamed the Americas for ten million years, and the Aztecs are believed to be the first to domesticate the turkey. Christopher Columbus brought turkeys back to Europe, and by the 1500s turkeys were being raised domestically in Italy, France, and England for royalty and the aristocracy. And although these birds are known to flutter more than fly, did you know a turkey once flew to the moon? Turkey and all the trimmings was the first meal eaten on the moon by astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin. — Costa Magoulas, BA, CEC, CCE, Coordinator of Culinary Operations Volusia County Public Schools Daytona Beach, Fla.

Michael R. Parr