When selecting turkey,
cooks have a lot of choice.
Gone are the days of dried-out breast meat,
under-cooked thighs, andmeat so tasteless you
simply thinkof it as "protein." Today, delicious,
flavourful, juicy turkeys raisedwith careby local
growers await you—Organic, FreeRange, Natu-
rallyRaised, Heritage.Myadvice: always choose
anAir-Chilledbird. Discerning chefs love theway
a roasted, air-chilled bird cooks, with a crispy
skinon theoutsideand tender, juicymeat on the
inside. Avoid factory farmproductionwhichoften
have beengivenantibiotics andareusually sold
frozen, withwater added.
The more Free Range raised the bird is, the
harder it is toget the sizeyoumight bewanting.
FreeRange tend tobe smaller and ifyou’rewant-
ing a larger bird, Natural Raised ismost likely the
one for you.
Most of us prepare awhole turkey twice a year,
and it’s generally prepared the same way over
and over—in the oven. There was a short term
fad of the deep fry, but that just changed a
healthy protein into almost a fast food. I now
turn to my BBQ to save the day and as I have
been doing with chickens for years, splayed is
the only way I cook whole birds. Since most of
the bones are removed, carving is simple and
clean and the skin has amore consistent finish
and there is nomess. Thepresentation is special
anddoing it on theBBQ saves kitchen spaceand
frees up your oven for accompaniments such as
biscuits, roasted vegetables or apple cobbler.
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FreeRun, Natural Raised turkeys are
raisedmedication free, given plenty
of natural light and more than
enough room to move freely. They
are fed vegetable based rations
(96% cornand soybean)which con-
tain no growth hormones and are
100% free of animal by-products.
Brine...
Onegallonofwater
1Cupkosher salt
1Cupbrown sugar
Handful crackedpepper
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
Findmore recipes and order products online at blackangusmeat.com or visit the shop... 207484Highway 26, Thornbury 519.599.2334
Directions foran18pound turkey...
1. Have your butcher remove the back bones, breast and thigh bones.Once splayed it will
weight approx.15 lbs, andyouareonlymissingbones, so it doesnot increase the sizeof bird
youneed, nor cost. Save thebonesand trim for stock.
2. Prepare thebrine - combineall ingredients inpotand simmerovermediumheat until the salt
and sugardissolve. Remove fromheat andadda trayof icecubes.Oncecooleddownplace
turkey inapanandcoverwithbrine, store in the fridgeover night.Make sure thebird is com-
pletely submerged.
3.PrepareaBasteusing4ozButter, rosemary, thymeandsage inequalamounts, crushed fine.
Warmbutterandmixwithherbs. Place inametal containeron thewarming rackof theBBQ.
4.When ready toprepare, remove thebird frombrineandpat it dry. Lightly salt the skinand
then lightlybaste.
5. Set theBBQat 350°andplace thebird skin sidedown for 5minutes or until the skin starts
tobrownnicely. (You canplaceadrippanunder thegrill to save thedrippingsaswell.) Turn
thebirdover, skin side up, andmove it to theother sideof grill, inorder to cookwith indirect
heat for10mins.Cook forapprox2.5hours,or10minutesperpound,until internal temperature
reaches165° - bastingevery30minutes.
6. Rest birdon cuttingboard covered for tenminutes, split it down themiddle, then slice from
topofbreast down.Youwill findvery littleof themeatwill bediscardedas it hasalreadybeen
removed from thebone, so saving the leftovers isnot achore.
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TALKING
TURKEY
ESCARPMENT
®
EPICURE
with
Sean Kelly
