Cooking, Entertainment, Family, Holidays

Brining That Bird

Lora Knows...

There are plenty of ways to cook a turkey, but brining seems to give me the most flavorful and delicious results. The process is more simple than you think:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups apple-cranberry juice
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 3 large sprigs rosemary
  • 1 small bunch fresh thyme
  • 4 bay leaves
  • ½ cup fresh cranberries
  • ½ cup kosher salt
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon peppercorns
  • 2 oranges, sliced

Instructions:

  1. Place 1 quart of water and salt in large pot. Bring to simmer, and then add in all the other ingredients. Continue to simmer on low for a half hour. Set the mixture aside, and let cool completely.
  2. Put the uncooked turkey into the pot, brining bag, or container of your choice. Cover and place back in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours until it’s time to prepare and cook the turkey. Make sure to turn the turkey over a few times during the brining period.

Tip: the brine is salty, so there’s no need to salt the turkey when you prepare for baking.

Cooking, Entertainment, Family, Holidays

Carving Meat

Lora Knows...

Some family traditions have relatives sharing ham, while others opt for turkey, prime rib or a meatless main course. Regardless of the choice, mastering the art of carving is important.

A few decades ago, the first Thanksgiving Dean and I shared, I wanted to show off my skills. I watched Martha Stewart carve the most beautiful roast turkey. I recorded her artistic carving on a VHS tape from a television show. I watched it, rewind, play, pause, rewind – I definitely felt ready, however that poor turkey didn’t stand a chance against me and our dull butcher knife. The following year we had purchased our first few professional knives, and Dean took over the carving.

Turkey Carving:
Cover the turkey loosely with foil and let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes before carving. Employ a specialized carving knife designed for slicing. Maintain the bird’s tenderness by cutting the meat against the grain.

Bone-in Ham Carving:
Create a stable base by trimming one to two slices from the ham’s bottom. Employ a carving fork alongside a knife to ensure stability during the cutting process. Craft thick, uniform slices down to the bone, using the knife skillfully to release slices from the bone.

Beef Roast Carving:
Secure the carving fork beneath the top rib, and initiate horizontal slices. Glide through each slice with one or two smooth motions to prevent meat shredding. Utilize the knife’s tip to cut along the rib bone, freeing each slice with precision.

Cooking

Apple Cider Pork Chops with Pear Sauce

Lora Knows...

This nourishing fall dish contains all of the flavors of the season, including apple cider, pears and cloves. It’s delicious with a seasonal salad.

Ingredients: for pork chops

  • 2 cups apple cider
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 4 bone-in center-cut pork chops
  • 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) salted butter, for cooking

Ingredients: for pear sauce

  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
  • 2 pears, cored and cut into ½ -inch-thick slices
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 6 whole cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

  1. To make the pork chops, combine the apple cider, salt, and pepper in a medium casserole pan or deep dish.
  2. Place the pork chops in the mixture, ensuring that all of the meat is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for two hours.
  3. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add the pears and cook until tender. Add flour and gently turn the pears, taking care that they don’t break. Add the chicken stock, cloves, salt, and pepper. Remove the pork chops from the cider and pour the cider into the pear mixture. Allow it to come to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.
  4. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat and cook the pork chops approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through.
  5. Plate the pork chops and generously ladle the pear sauce on top, removing any cloves

Recipe excerpted from “The Kerber’s Farm Cookbook: A Year’s Worth of Seasonal Country Cooking” by Nick Voulgaris III. All images © Lindsay Morris. Rizzoli, 2019.