Thanksgiving 2015 – Quick and Easy Wine and Beer Pairings

THANKSGIVING WINES & RECIPES

Dustin Mitzel, Happy Harry’s General Manager

Here are a few picks to take the frustration out of selecting wine for your Thanksgiving gathering!  If you want to try something different, you can always pair Ciders and/or Beer with the traditional Thanksgiving main dishes too!  Cheers!

SWEET (Turkey/Ham)

Martin Allegro Moscato

Alexander Vineyards Gewurtz Gewurztraminer

Magner’s Pear Cider

DRY (Turkey)

A-Z No Wood Chardonnay

Custard Chardonnay

Blue Moon Belgian White (Beer)

SOFT RED (Turkey/Ham)

Goerges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Nouveau (super soft red)

Dreaming Tree Pinot Noir

DRY ROSE (Goes with Turkey, Beef or Ham)

A-Z Dry Rose

DUSTIN’S “FOOD FOR THOUGHT” RECIPE SELECTIONS FOR THANKSGIVING

Alton Brown’s Thanksgiving Turkey w/Brine process

 Ingredients

• 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• Canola oil

Directions

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you’d like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 loaf cornbread, cubed (about 6 cups)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 (12 to 14 pound) fresh turkey
• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 8 strips smoked bacon
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

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 sauté 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.

Sausage Apple Stuffing

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

 Ingredients

• 2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 cups water
• 2 (14 to 16-ounce) bags of your favorite dried cornbread stuffing mix, recommended: Arnold’s
• 1 pound pork sausage (not links)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 medium apples, cored, sliced
• 2 to 3 cups homemade giblet stock or low sodium canned chicken broth

Directions

In a large pot melt 2 sticks butter in water. When melted add dry cornbread stuffing stirring to incorporate liquid, set aside.

In a large saute pan set over medium-high heat melt 1 tablespoon butter and add sausage. With a wooden spoon break up sausage and saute until lightly browned and cooked through. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. In the same pan melt remaining butter and saute onions with the garlic, celery, thyme, and sage until onions are translucent and celery is crisp tender. Add walnuts and saute for 1 minute. Add apples and saute for one minute more. Remove from heat. Combine cornbread stuffing with sauteed ingredients and stuff turkey. Roast turkey as usual.

Alternatively: fill a 10 by 15 by 2 inch pan with the stuffing, moisten with the giblet stock, and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven, covered with foil for 1/2 hour. Remove foil and bake until top is lightly browned, about 15 minutes more.

Home Sweet Potato Home Au Gratin

Recipe: Robert Irvine

Ingredients    

• 1 cup milk
• 1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 12 sweet potatoes, depending on size), peeled and sliced thin with a mandolin
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Gratin:

• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks, plus more for baking dish
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Cheddar

Directions

In a large saucepan combine milk, cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Gently fold in sweet potatoes. Bring to a simmer and allow sauce to thicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 3-quart baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs, butter and Cheddar to make the gratin topping. Transfer the potato mixture to the baking dish and sprinkle with the gratin topping. Bake until the potatoes are cooked through, about 35 to 45 minutes.

Serve in the baking dish, garnished with chopped parsley