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Brined, Bourbon-Glazed, Spice-Rubbed Turkey Is Deliciously Juicy

partysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:39 -0800

Last year, after reading countless turkey recipes, I finally decided on one from a somewhat unexpected source: Every Day With Rachael Ray. I didn't follow the method exactly - the magazine's recipe grills a turkey breast and I roasted a whole turkey - but I used the brine, spice rub, and glaze recommended. The resulting turkey, with a fiery brown color and slightly charred skin, was fabulously moist and super flavorful. The meat was so succulent it almost didn't need gravy. To check out the recipe, read more.

Bourbon-Glazed Spiced Rubbed Turkey
Modified From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

4 cups apricot nectar
4 cups apple juice, plus more for basting
2-1/5 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup salt
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 turkey (ours was 18 pounds)
1 cup bourbon
1 cup honey
1 cup apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons paprika
4 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 stick of butter, at room temperature

Directions

In a large pot, combine 8 cups water with the apricot nectar, apple juice, 1 cup brown sugar, the granulated sugar, salt, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and stir, then remove from the heat and let cool.
Place the turkey in the brine. Cover the turkey with foil and refrigerate overnight.
In a container with a tight-fitting lid, combine the bourbon, honey, vinegar and 1 cup brown sugar. Shake vigorously to blend; set aside.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar with the paprika, mustard, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and butter to form a paste.
Dry the turkey with a paper towel and rub the paste all over the turkey.
Roast the turkey for about 45 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue roasting, brushing with some of the bourbon glaze every 20 minutes, for about 1 hour, 15 minutes longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh should register 160 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven, brush with the remaining glaze, loosely tent and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8-10.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Glazed Steak and Asparagus

partysugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:30:42 -0700

Kick start your holiday weekend with a crowd-pleasing steak dinner. The simple glaze comes together quickly thanks to pantry staples like grainy mustard, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flanks. Select a cut of meat, such as flank steak, that cooks in under fifteen minutes. The rich sweetness of the sauce complements both the meat and asparagus, so coat liberally.

Pour a fruity red wine and let the celebrating begin! Sound like fun? For the recipe, please read more.

Grilled Glazed Steak and Asparagus
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1/4 cup oyster sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1 pound medium asparagus, trimmed
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
4 (10-inch) metal or wooden skewers (soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes)

Directions

Prepare a charcoal grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas).
Stir together oyster sauce, vinegar, mustard, and red-pepper flakes in a large bowl.
Thread about half of asparagus crosswise onto 2 parallel skewers, leaving space between. Repeat with remaining asparagus and skewers.
Brush asparagus with some of glaze, then brush steak all over with remaining glaze and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Oil grill rack, then grill steak and asparagus, covered only if using a gas grill, turning steak once and asparagus occasionally, until asparagus is tender and well browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes, and steak is medium-rare, about 10 minutes. Alternately, steak and asparagus can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over medium-high heat, 8 to 12 minutes.
Let steak stand on a cutting board 15 minutes; put asparagus on a platter and cover. Thinly slice steak across the grain.

Serves 4-6.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Honey-Glazed Pork With Wilted Greens

partysugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:00:21 -0800

Jump-start your weekend with a healthy, heart-friendly dinner. In this uncomplicated recipe, pork is complemented by peppery greens.

A simple honey, red wine vinegar, and mustard glaze coats the pork, giving it a subtle sweetness and intense juiciness. Unlike some other pork recipes, no marinating is necessary.

Pair with a glass of fruity, light red wine. For the recipe, read more.

Honey-Glazed Pork With Wilted Greens
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4 tablespoons raw honey
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
1 3/4 pounds pork tenderloin (about 2)
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 head escarole, cut into 2-inch strips
1/2 pound spinach, washed well

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Make glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon mustard, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons oil.
Place pork tenderloins in a shallow baking dish; pour glaze over pork, turning to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; season with pepper.
Roast in oven, spooning glaze over pork occasionally, until thickest part of pork reaches 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest until pork reaches 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 teaspoon mustard. Whisk until honey is dissolved. Slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon oil until emulsified. Whisk in any accumulated cooking juices from baking dish, if desired.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add fennel, escarole, spinach, and a splash of water; cook until greens are slightly wilted, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Add vinaigrette and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan, stirring just to coat greens, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat; divide among four serving plates. Slice pork about 1/2 inch thick; arrange alongside greens. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Theirs vs. Mine: Buttermilk Cookies

YumSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:01:56 -0800

The January issue of Gourmet magazine has been sitting on my counter for weeks. More accurately, the recipe for buttermilk cookies has been on my counter for weeks. They just looked so simple and charming, I knew I'd have to make them some day. Well, thankfully that day finally arrived. The cookies, which are inspired by Edna Lewis, have a slight lemon taste to them and are coated with a simple vanilla glaze. When I made my batch, I coated some in vanilla glaze and some in chocolate. These cookies were spongy and delicious, and they're definitely working their way into my regular cookie repertoire. To check out the recipe for yourself, read more.

Buttermilk Cookies
From Gourmet, January 2008

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

For Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter 2 large baking sheets.
Whisk together flour, zest, baking soda, and salt.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in batches at low speed, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until smooth.
Drop level tablespoons of dough about 1 1/2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are puffed and edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes per batch. Cool cookies on sheets 1 minute, then transfer cookies to racks.
Whisk together all glaze ingredients and brush onto tops of warm cookies. [Note, you should sift the confectioners sugar first.]
Let stand until cookies are completely cooled and glaze is set.

Note: After I glazed 2/3 of the cookies with the vanilla glaze, I whisked cocoa powder in to the glaze (you can do this to taste) and used that on the rest of the cookies.

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Sunday BBQ: Grilled Beef Sirloin and Famer's Market Skewers

YumSugar — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 05:30:31 -0700

If you're like me, you probably have a tendency to turn your meat into kabobs. However, sometimes a primal craving strikes and all you want is a nice, big, juicy steak. So why not keep your meat intact and skewer only the veggies? This grilled beef sirloin is slathered in a fragrant mustard-thyme glaze and the farmer's market inspired skewers will keep you from feeling guilty. Pair it with some garlic bread and you'll be set. Oh and did I mention that it's simple enough you could make it for dinner tonight, tomorrow or any other day of the week? To get the recipe, read more

Grilled Beef Sirloin and Famer's Market Skewers
From Beef, It's What's For Dinner
Image Source

Makes 4 servings

1 boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick (about 1-1/4 pounds)
1 medium yellow squash, sliced (1/2-inch)
1 medium zucchini, sliced (1/2-inch)
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
8 medium mushrooms
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil

For Glaze:
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine glaze ingredients in 1-cup glass measure. Microwave on HIGH 45 seconds, stirring once. Brush on beef steak.
Alternately thread vegetables onto four 12-inch metal skewers. Combine mustard and oil; brush on vegetables.
Place steak and skewers on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill steak, uncovered, 17 to 21 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Grill vegetables 6 to 10 minutes or until tender, turning occasionally.
Carve steak; season with salt. Serve with vegetables.

Nutrition information per serving:
296 calories; 11 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 5 g monounsaturated fat); 62 mg cholesterol; 362 mg sodium; 15 g carbohydrate; 2.5 g fiber; 36 g protein; 10.0 mg niacin; 0.8 mg vitamin B6; 1.8 mcg vitamin B12; 3.2 mg iron; 39.6 mcg selenium; 6.4 mg zinc.

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