Turducken 2010
My friend Bob Kane, who runs Kane’s Market in Simsbury, CT asked me to assemble instructions on how I prepare his famous Turducken’s and the incredible gravy that goes along with it. (Bob will create a custom turducken for anyone – you get to specify the size and the type of stuffing you’d prefer – and he ships them anywhere).
Here are two posts I’ve done in year’s past on my turducken cooking experiences:
http://www.michellelabrosseblogs.com/2008/12/a-thanksgiving-mulligan-turduckin-take-2/
Here is a printable version of the Turducken cooking instructions:
And if you just want the directions without having to download anything – here they are as well:
Turducken – www.kanesmarket.com – 860-930-3723. Directions by Michelle LaBrosse – www.everydaypm.com
Prepping Turducken
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Get a large oven roasting cooking bag. Line the bag with flour, pepper, salt, rosemary. You will use this for the gravy.
3. Rub butter over the turducken and salt. Use a good salt – such as a himalayen pink salt.
4. Place in the large oven roasting bag and secure the back. Poke a couple holes on the TOP of the bag (you want to be able to keep the juices in the bag for the gravy).
5. Place in a large roasting pan, put a meat thermometer into the center of the turducken and place in the oven.
Prepping Gravy
1. Making the base – While the turduckin is roasting, simmer turkey giblets (neck and accessories but not the liver) with all the leaves from one celery stalk, a tbs of whole peppercorns, and 1 tsp of salt in a 2 quart sauce pan filled with water. Cover and have on very long temperature. It will be on the stove a long time – check periodically to insure you don’t run it dry.
Cooking Turducken
6. Cook until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees (depends on the size how long this will take – estimate 5 hours).
7. Take out of oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes – covered.
Making the Gravy
8. Take the drippings out of the bag and use to make gravy. Use the bag to hold the drippings to transfer into the gravy liquid. Mix the drippings in with the base that has been simmering on the oven while the turducken was cooking.
9. Making the roux – this is the gravy thickening agent . use ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup flour (white pastry flour is best – but I’ve done it with fresh milled flour as well and it came out just fine) with ¼ tsp pepper and ½ tsp salt for the rouge. It will be very thick and clumpy. Use a two to three quart sauce pan (avoid using a Teflon and aluminum pans). Keep the temperature on low to medium low.
10. Starting with ½ cup of the base and pan drippings liquid, gradually mix the pan drippings into the roux – stirring with a wire wisk.
11. Add the drippings into the gravy in ½ cup increments, whisking to break up any lumps and to form a nice smooth gravy.
12. If the gravy is too thin, keep whisking, and let some of the liquid evaporate – keep the temp at low or medium low.
