Red Beans And Rice

If you read my article on the 'common bean', then you known that the combination of red beans and rice provides a complete protein source that is both healthy and nutritious. The other thing that I love about this dish is that it is minimalist pantry friendly and is extremely affordable to make. Beans and rice dishes are popular in a wide variety of countries and cultures because they are not only filling, but it is very affordable to make. Most recipes for red beans and rice call for some form of meat to be added to the dish, whether it be smoked sausage, ham, chicken, rabbit or whatever you can shoot and bring home doesn't really matter. In fact, if you want to leave the meat out and go vegetarian this dish will still provide a complete protein source for your family.

This particular dish is very popular in the southern United States especially in Louisiana and East Texas where we live. A Cajon and Creole tradition, there are many variations on this recipe. Last week I was making my cornbread dressing to put in the freezer in anticipation of thanksgiving and I had an extra eight ounces of breakfast sausage so I decided in true 'Culinary yoU' fashion to use the leftover sausage to make my version of a quick, easy and cheap version of red beans and rice. I have included directions for cooking your red beans in both a pressure cooker or a dutch oven, allowing you to choose the method that best works for you.

Red Beans and Rice

Now in traditional Cajon and Creole cooking celery, onions, and bell peppers (known as the trinity or trifecta) are sauteed in butter or oil and are a major component of gumbos, jambalaya, dirty rice, red beans and rice as well as a wide variety of other dishes. I do not have any bell peppers in the garden right now, but I have a ton of banana peppers so I used them in place of the bell peppers. So don't fret if you have to do a couple of substitutions, cooking on a budget means using what you got in the pantry and the fridge especially leftovers. My original recipe calls for using 1lb smoked ham cubed, and 1lb of smoked sausage cut into ½-inch slices, so if you want to make a more traditional red beans and rice then use both of these as opposed to the breakfast sausage.

1lb or dried kidney beans

8 ounces breakfast sausage

2 quarts of water

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 onion, diced

1 large green or red bell pepper, diced

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 teaspoons of dried parsley or 2 tablespoons freshly chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Carefully pick though your dried beans and remove any small rocks or other debris. Then cover the beans with cold water about 4 to 5 inches above the top of the beans and soak them overnight. The beans will absorb a lot of water and expand so make sure you cover them well. In the morning rinse them throughly and place them in your pressure cooker or large dutch oven and add the 2 quarts of fresh water.

Diced the onions, celery and bell peppers and set aside. Then in a large sauté pan, brown your ham and sausage (in this case I used 8 ounces of uncooked breakfast sausage) and remove from the sauté pan leave the oil or grease to sauté your celery, onions and peppers in. Sauté your vegetables just until the onions are translucent, then add the contents of the sauté pan and the remaining herbs and seasonings to the pressure cooker or dutch oven that contain the beans and the water. Do not add the meat at this time, we will add it just before serving.

Chef's Note: You can add the ham pieces to the beans when cooking, but some pre-cooked smoked sausages will develop a 'mealy' texture when cooked for long periods of time or when pressure cooked as the fats in the sausage are cooked out. That is why I add my cooked meats at the end of the cooking process.

Pressure Cooker Instructions

Place your 10lb weight on your pressure cooker, or of you have a Fagor set the dial '2' (12lbs) and bring the cooker up to temperature. Then cook the beans for 30 to 40 minutes and remove from the heat. Once the pressure has been released, take a potato masher and slightly mash some of the beans or us a spoon and mash some of the beans on the side of the cooker. The beans should be smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings the way you like them, then add you meat and cook on low for 10 minutes or until the sausage, ham, or other meat is hot. Serve over hot rice.

Chef's Note: Red beans cooked in a pressure cooker do not have to be pre-boiled as the pressure in the cooker will destroy the phytohemagglutinin toxins that are contained in the beans during the cooking process. For more information of the toxins in red beans see my article 'Beans, Beans The Musical Fruit! An Inexpensive and Healthy Protein Source'.

Dutch Oven or Stockpot Instructions

Bring the beans to a boil and boil for 30 minutes (per USDA recommendations), then reduce the heat and simmer until done (30minutes to 2 hours). Once the beans are soft, take a potato masher and slightly mash some of the beans or us a spoon and mash some of the beans on the side of the cooker. The beans should be smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings the way you like them, then add you meat and cook on low for 10 minutes or until the sausage, ham, or other meat is hot. Serve over hot rice.

Cost Breakdown

Red beans and rice is an inexpensive meal that is not only filling, but healthy (if you use less fatty meats) in addition to being downright cheap. This recipe cost me approximately $2.63 for six to eight servings, that $0.33 per serving (for eight servings) and $0.44 per serving (for six servings). 1lb dried red beans $1.00 (1lb bag $1.00 Dollar Tree), 8oz dried rice $0.24 (20lb bag $8.92 Walmart), 8oz breakfast sausage $1.29 (16oz package $2.58 Save-A-Lot), plus $.10 for miscellaneous herbs and spices. I do not know about you, but I think that is a whole lot of bang for your buck!

Now adding 1lb or smoked ham and or 1lb of smoked sausage would bring the cost up considerably, however making it vegetarian brings the total cost down to $1.34. Thats $0.22 for six servings and $0.17 for eight servings, and now you understand why beans are such a vital part of the diet of many cultures around the world.

Conclusion

Beans are a cheap source of protein, and when mixed with a carbohydrate such as rice, they are a complete source of healthy protein. Due to the fact that dried beans are easily stored and are readily available in most countries around the world you can find some form of a bean and rice dish in just about every culture. Here in the United States, particularly along the gulf coast states, red beans and rice has been elevated from a necessary staple to more of a comfort food status as we became more prosperous as a nation.

However, if you are struggling to make ends meet and need to stretch your food dollars, then red beans and rice can be a important part of your menu rotation. It's cheap, east to make and a downright delicious dish that I am sure your family will enjoy. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

Related Articles On Our Blog:

Beans, Beans The Musical Fruit! An Inexpensive and Healthy Protein Source'.

Homemade 'Ranch Style Beans': Come Get Ya Some!

Additional Resources On The Internet:

United States Department Of Agriculture: Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook:Phytohaemagglutinin. Food and Drug Administration. 2012. Retrieved 20November2015.

Cornbread Dressing

Mom never stuffed a turkey with dressing for Thanksgiving when I was growing up, it was always cooked in a foil pan made with cornbread. I remember mother pulling a big bag of leftover frozen cornbread from the freezer and watching her and my grandmother get the dressing ready to go in the oven. Although the turkey cooking duty has fallen to me over the last few years, every year my mother still makes cornbread dressing for thanksgiving, and each year it is a little different. I once asked her about her recipe and she told me she just throws it together with whatever she has. It is always different, but it always good. While I am all for spontaneity in the kitchen, my culinary training caused me to cringe slightly when she told me this. After all how can you consistently reproduce a product if you just throw things together “willy nilly”? I know, I know, I just said “willy nilly”, but my point is you at the minimum need to have a good base recipe to start with, one that you can build upon and modify to suit your own tastes and that of your family.

So to that end, this year I decided I would work on streamlining my basic cornbread and sausage dressing recipe loosely based on one that my mother had made a few years ago. The good thing about cornbread dressing is that, generally you use the same herbs and spices you would for a traditional stuffing, and coming up with a basic recipe which both I and my wife like was pretty straight forward. I hope you will enjoy this dressing as much as my wife apparently did as she could not stop eating it...[GRIN].

Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread dressing is a good use for any leftover cornbread that is not eaten in the first few days after it is made. In anticipation of making dressing, any leftover cornbread we have goes right into the freezer to make dressing with although we do not really have much leftover cornbread. If you do not have any leftover cornbread, then you will have to make a batch. You can either make it form scratch using my 'Jiffy Style Southern Cornbread' recipe or use any pre-made box or package cornbread mix.

Dressing Recipe

1 recipe cornbread, crumbled

8 ounces breakfast sausage

2 cups chicken stock

2 large eggs

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon sage

½ teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon marjoram

¼ teaspoon rosemary

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Brown breakfast sausage in skillet, then add celery and onion and saute until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

Crumble cooled or leftover cornbread in a large mixing bowl then add dried herbs and spices and mix completely. Then add 2 cups of chicken stock and combine mix well, taste, and add additional salt, pepper to taste. Here is the one step where you have to decide if you like your stuffing more wet or dry. If you like a wetter stuffing add enough liquid until you find the consistency you like. If you like a drier stuffing use less. I think 2 cups works well, and if it is to dry, well there is always turkey gravy to go on top right? Personally I would rather have my dressing a little dry then too wet.

In a small bowl whip the eggs with a fork until combined then add the eggs to the cornbread dressing and mix completely. Pour dressing into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until done.

In this particular recipe I use 8 ounces or half a package of breakfast sausage, I put the rest of the breakfast sausage in my red beans and rice recipe which I will post of the blog when I get the chance. My grandmother used breakfast sausage in her dressing, my mother generally adds some leftover chopped chicken to her dressing along with a few boiled eggs diced up small. If you do not want to add any meat that is fine, after all this is your dressing make it as you wish.

Conclusion

I hope you will enjoy making this quick and easy cornbread dressing. As noted in the pictures, I made this dressing about a week before Thanksgiving and placed it in the freezer to be cooked on Thanksgiving day. Of course I had to bake a small batch to try and my wife who generally only like her mother's cornbread dressing kept eating it, so that is a good sign.

Cornbread dressing is also a good way to enjoy small amounts of leftover chicken and rabbit, simply substitute them for the sausage in the dressing and it makes a complete casserole type meal. You do not have to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy this recipe, and using leftovers really helps to stretch your food dollar. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

Related Articles On Our Blog:

'Jiffy' Style Southern Corn Muffin Mix

'No Fuss' Oven Roasted Turkey

All About 'Common' Beans

While beef may be the most common source of protein for many Americans, most of the world gets their protein from the legumes. While beans and peas come in wide variety shapes and sizes, in this article we will be examining the most popular types of 'common' beans found on your local grocers shelves here in the United States. That is not to say that these same bean varieties are not found in other countries, in fact many of them are staples in ethnic cuisines such as those from Mexico, India, and Africa. However, the focus of this article is to look at those beans which most of us here in the United States see while visiting our local supermarket.

Dried beans, peas and other legumes are grown through out the United States and South America, but the majority of the 'common' dried beans today come from Mexico and India. Which makes sense as beans make up the majority of the protein consumed by the citizens of both these countries, especially India which has a large vegetarian population. The origin of the bean does not matter, rather it is the financial and medical benefits of incorporating more beans in your diet that is important. Dried beans are both inexpensive and healthy, and they are an important part of the minimalist pantry. So if you are on a budget or just want to stretch that food dollar, then adding some beans to your menu rotation is a no brainer.

'Common' Bean Varieties

Black beans and other beans such as cannellini beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and pinto beans are all identified by their known scientific name or classification 'Phaseolus vulgaris'. Also referred to as 'common beans' as they all originally came from a common bean plant from South American somewhere in Peru.

Black Beans – Sometimes called 'black turtle beans' are smaller than pinto beans, but similar in shape. They are popular in Latin cuisines as well as in Cajun and Creole cooking. They tend to have a more meaty texture than red kidney or pinto beans and because of this are used in a variety of vegetarian dishes. Popular dishes include: Cuban black beans and rice, black bean soup, black bean and corn salsas, and they are a common component of 'veggie' burgers.

Cannellini Beans – Are a white Italian kidney bean, a cousin if you will to the red kidney bean. They are commonly used in soups and salads, especially in Italy. Popular dishes include: Three bean salad, minestrone soup, Italian wedding soup, and pasta e fagioli (pasta and bean soup).

Great Northern Beans – Are a large white bean with a flatter shape more similar to a lima bean. The can be substituted for most other white beans in recipes and are more commonly used in dishes that require baking such as baked beans. Popular dishes include: White bean chili, three bean salad, ham and bean soup, and any other recipe that calls for white beans.

Kidney Beans – Commonly called 'red beans', they are often sold as 'light' and 'dark' varieties, regardless of the color, the flavor and texture of the cooked bean is the same. They get their name from the fact that their shape is similar to that of a kidney. Popular dishes include: red beans and rice, chili con carne, and chili or ranch beans.

Navy Beans – Sometimes called 'Yankee Beans', the navy bean is a small white bean similar in size to the black bean, and is the smallest of the white beans. Like the black bean, it has a more meaty texture and dried beans take longer to cook than some of the other common beans. Popular dishes include: baked beans, pork and beans, and navy bean soup.

Pinto Beans – The most popular dried bean consumed in the United States, it is slightly smaller than the kidney or 'red' bean and is sometimes called the 'speckled bean'. They are a staple throughout the southern United States and northern Mexico. Popular dishes include: pinto beans and cornbread, chili con carne, bean beans, and they are the primary component in refried beans.

Of all the 'common' beans, dried and raw kidney beans both red and white (cannellini) have high levels of phytohemagglutinin which can make you sick when they are not properly cooked. Because of this toxin, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that dried kidney beans should be boiled for a minimum of 30 minutes to completely destroy the toxin. According to the USDA, cooking kidney beans in a slow cooker (crockpot) is not recommended without first boiling them for 30 minutes as slow cooking seems to increase the levels of phytohemagglutinin by up to five times their original level. It should be noted that canned kidney beans you find on your local grocers shelves do not have to be boiled as the toxins were destroyed during the canning process and can be safely eaten straight out of the can. Symptoms of phytohemagglutinin toxicity include: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Having said all that, the risk is minimal, and non-existent if you simply boil the beans for 30 minutes before reducing the heat to a simmer to cook them.

Purchasing Beans And Peas

More Americans purchase commercially canned beans than any other type. One look at your local Walmart and you will see almost half an isle just devoted to beans. While this may be the most convenient, it is also the most expensive option when purchasing beans. Buying dried beans is the most inexpensive option you will find when looking to purchase beans and this is the way that I buy most of my beans. The most common dried beans you will find on grocery store shelves are cannellini beans (white kidney beans), pinto beans, kidney beans (red beans), black beans, great northern beans, and navy beans.

While most of us purchase our dried beans at out local grocers, a good inexpensive source for dried beans is your local dollar store. Where we live 'Dollar Tree' sells 12oz bags of red (kidney), 1lb bags of black beans and 2lb bags of pinto beans for $1.00. Prices vary at Walmart and the Dollar Tree is usually cheaper, however buying your red beans at Walmart actually saves you 5% versus Dollar Tree. The key here is to shop smart, remember, the dollar store is not always cheaper.

Dried Black Beans 1lb bag ($1.00 at Dollar Tree, $1.72 at Walmart), a 42% savings.

Dried Pinto Beans 2lb bag ($1.00 at Dollar Tree, $1.64 at Walmart), a 61% savings.

Dried Red beans 12oz bag ($1.00 at Dollar Tree, 1lb bag $1.22 at Walmart), a 5% loss.That means they are cheaper to buy at Walmart.

If you live near an ethnic market you may find dried beans sold in bulk which can save you a significant amount of money. In my area of East Texas, I have found it cheaper just to buy a 20lb bag of pinto beans at Walmart than it is to go to the Mexican market when purchasing pinto beans. However, you may find significant saving by shopping for dried beans at ethnic markets in your neighborhood.

When buying fresh unshelled beans you need to figure that your final yield will be about 40 – 50% of the gross weight of the beans that you purchase (about a half a pound for every pound you buy). Fresh Lima beans for example have about a 40% yield after being shelled. Although your yield may vary depending on the variety of beans and peas you are purchasing. Just remember to plan ahead when purchasing fresh raw beans.

Beans, Beans, The Musical Fruit

We have all heard the rhyme when we were kids 'beans beans the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot.' The simple fact is that beans contain raffinose sugars, and it seems that humans (me and you) are missing the essential enzyme required to break down those sugars. The bacteria in our digestive system however loves these sugars and rapidly consumes them producing hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas which you eventually you have to release much to the joy of little kids, but not so much for adults (although some people find farts funny, just saying). Anyway, because of the gas producing potential of eating beans, many people avoid adding beans to their diet. The simple step of slowly increasing the amount of beans you eat over several weeks can help in overcoming this problem of flatulence.

Grandma always said that if you soaked your beans overnight and cooked them in fresh water it helped to reduce 'the farts' as she called it. This is how she cooked her beans and it is the way I learned to cook beans and still do today. According to The University Of Michigan website of Integrated Medicine, they list the following steps that you might try to help decrease the amount of intestinal gas produced from dried beans, peas, and lentils.

• Rinse your beans thoroughly and never cook beans in the water they've soaked in overnight. It's loaded with the gas-causing raffinose sugars.
• Mix 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda into the water used to soak the beans in overnight. It helps leach out raffinose sugars, reducing intestinal gas.
• Natural fermentation, a process that takes place during soaking, will also reduce intestinal gas. Soak beans at room temperature in water with a spoon full of vinegar for 8-10 hours in order to reduce raffinose sugars.
• Slow cooking in a crock pot over several hours can reduce the amount of flatulence causing compounds. Not recommended for kidney beans.

Looks like grandma was smarter than I thought as she soaked her beans overnight and then cooked them in fresh cold water. Now, I will admit I have not tried any of the other tips listed on the University Of Michigan's website but go for it and leave a comment on how it worked for you. The only comment I have about their tips is, do not try and reduce the raffinose sugars by combining the vinegar and baking soda together in your soaking water as the chemical reaction can make quite a mess. It's not dangerous, but it could be messy. So again choose one or the other, but do not combine the two.

Nutritional Analysis

Beans, peas, and lentils are a great source of protein, and in many cultures around the world they are the primary source of protein due to their ability to be dried, and the fact that they are generally inexpensive. While the caloric content may vary slightly depending on the specific type of beans you are preparing, on average a ½ cup cooked dried beans contains about 100 calories of which 72% are carbohydrates, 20% is protein, and 8% are fats. While they are a great source of protein and fiber (about 8 grams each for a ½ cup serving), they are not a complete source of protein by themselves as they lack certain essential amino acids.

By adding additional plant based proteins or carbohydrates, you can create a balanced meal with the necessary essential amino acids and protein needed to provide your body with a complete, healthy, energy source without destroying your food budget. Meals such as pinto beans with cornbread, red beans and rice, flour or corn tortillas with refried beans, and any number of beans and bread or rice type meals served through out the world. Many Americans associate such meals as 'poor people' food and would not consider them as a primary source of protein or a complete meal and this is unfortunate because they are actually a complete source of proteins, carbohydrates and amino acids that are inexpensive, affordable and taste great.

Conclusion

Legumes are a great delicious and inexpensive source of protein for anyone trying to make ends meet, and they are a staple in the minimalist pantry. Even if you are not on a food budget, eating beans can help you lower your cholesterol. In addition, they are loaded with antioxidants and are rich in phytochemicals that may help to reduce the risk of some cancers (lung, blood, and colorectal). They are a low glycemic index food which means that they cause less swings in blood sugar levels which can lower the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity as well as reducing insulin resistance in people with diabetes.

If my father had his way he would eat pinto beans and cornbread just about everyday. As it is, my parents eat it at least three times a week. It was one of the staples my father grew up with on the farm, and it is one of my favorite meals as humble as it sounds. In fact, we eat a lot of beans and rice and cornbread in our home as it is inexpensive, easy to make, and is a healthy alternative for meat based proteins.

The bottom line, is eating beans and other legumes is a win, win situation. They are inexpensive, delicious, and amazingly good for you. Who would have thought that eating a homemade bean burrito would have been a complete source of protein and amino acids. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

References:

The University Of Michigan: Integrative Medicine. Retrieved 18 November 2015.

United States Department Of Agriculture: Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook:Phytohaemagglutinin. Food and Drug Administration. 2012. Retrieved 20November2015.

Other Money Saving Articles On Our Blog:

Buying More With Less: Strategies To Stretch Your Food Dollar.

Spices: Save Up To 80% By Shopping At Your Local Ethnic Supermarket.

Cheap Ground Beef Can Be Just as Healthy as Lean.

The Minimalist Pantry Series On Our Blog:

The Minimalist Pantry (Phase 1): Dry Good Essentials.

The Minimalist Pantry (Phase 2): Canned Goodness.

 
The Minimalist Pantry (Phase3): Finishing Up.

Southern Style Pecan Pie

Whether you pronounce it is 'pee-can' or 'pa-con', here in the south, you cannot have Thanksgiving without a pecan pie. I am not going to lie to you, as pies go, this one is probably one of the most unhealthy pies you can make, but it is so delicious. If you are a diabetic you better break out the insulin as a pecan pie is essentially nothing but sugar, butter, eggs, and pecans.

I am going to be up front with you on this one, I do not think you can make your own pecan pie cheaper than you can buy one at the bakery at you local grocery store. The 1 ½ cups of chopped pecans alone will cost you $2.97 (Fisher Chopped Pecans 16oz or 4 cups for $7.98 at Walmart). However, the flavor and texture of a homemade pecan pie is far superior to any that you can buy for about the same price. Another great thing about this pecan recipe is that you can make it ahead of time and freeze it until you are ready to serve it. This pie will be going into the freezer until Thanksgiving which is only seven days from now.

Pecan Pie

I used a pre-made 9” Great Value deep dish pie crust from Walmart, cost me less than $1.00 and I had them in the freezer. Normally, I would make my own pie crust, but time is in short supply right now so hey, I went for convenience. If you want to make your own pie crust, King Arthur flour has a great recipe with illustrations of how to make a 'Perfect Flaky Pie Crust'. This is almost the same recipe as the one I use and the instructions are nice so check it out.

The Recipe

1 ½ cups pecans, chopped

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 flaky pie crust

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and make pie crust per “Perfect Flaky Pie Crust” recipe instructions, or you can use a ready made unbaked 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie crust.

Combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla in a small saucepan and bring to a bowl, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Add the eggs one at a time and beat with a wire whip by hand until thoroughly combined (you could do this in your stand mixer if you wish).

Chef's Note: When your filling is still warm you may need to temper your eggs before mixing them into the warm filling. Personally, I pour the hot filling into the bowl of my stand mixer and allow to cool to room temperature, then using the paddle attachment, I add the eggs and salt and beat until smooth. Makes it easy, as I do not have to temper the eggs, but there are more dishes to do...

Place the chopped pecans into your unbaked pie crust, and pour the filling mixture over the pecans, place the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes or until set. To test if the pie is done, take a knife and insert it into the middle of the pie, if it comes out clean, the pie is ready.

After about 30 minutes of baking time has elapsed, you may want to place a pie crust ring on your pie if you have one to prevent the edges of the crust from burning. If you do not have a pie crust ring, then simply cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil. However be careful when removing the pie from the oven, the filling will still be liquid and if you get any on your skin it's like liquid napalm and could cause a bad burn. 

Once the pie has been throughly cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature, or heated up, by itself of with vanilla ice cream, there's no bad combination.

Variations

The following are some of my favorite variations, if you are adding a liquor such as rum or bourbon, you want to add it to the sauce with the butter and sugar. The alcohol will burn off in the cooking process leaving your with the flavor of the bourbon or rum. The flavor component is what we are looking for here, not the actual alcohol.

Chocolate Pecan Pie – Add 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate to the saucepan with the butter, sugar and corn syrup.

Parrot Head Pecan Pie – Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons Meyer's Dark rum to to saucepan with butter, sugar mixture and heat per directions.

Southern Comfort Pecan Pie – Add 2 tablespoons Southern Comfort or bourbon to saucepan with butter, sugar mixture and heat per directions.

Conclusion

Whether you make your own pie crust or use a pre-made one, this pecan pie is a delicious addition to your Thanksgiving feast. There is nothing like a good 'ol pecan pie to warm the cockles of your heart. This pie is guaranteed to be a hit during the holiday's and at all your family gatherings. In addition to the original recipe, try some of my favorite variations on this southern classic that I have listed in this article, I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

Related Dessert Articles On Our Blog:

The All-American Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie

The Neiman Marcus $250 Chocolate Chip Espresso Cookie

Key Lime And Lemon Pie: Two Pies One Technique

Additional References:

King Arthur Flour: Perfect Flaky Pie Crust

Saving Money: Let's Talk Turkey!

Yes I know, I have probably started out every article I have written this month about how the holidays are coming and shown you how to make some delicious deserts as well as cook a turkey. Today, however, I wanted to talk to you about how you can purchase and preserve 50 to 60 pounds of meat for less than $20.00. I know it sounds like some sort of crazy scheme, but it is really the result of our free market economy. The thing is you just have to be prepared for the opportunity when it arises.

Hold on, don't stop reading yet, I promise you I am going to get to the heart of the matter in just a second. Every year, turkey farmers raise more turkeys than Americans can eat to help us celebrate our day of Thanksgiving. As a result, as we get closer to November 28^th the prices for whole turkeys get cheaper. Last year the day before thanksgiving we purchased three whole 10 – 14 pound frozen turkeys for $0.29 a pound, the day after thanksgiving I purchased a 10 – 12 pound turkey for $0.19 a pound. That's four birds total combine weight 51.4 pounds for a total of $15.08 (12.3 + 13.1 + 14.1 = 44.5lbs x 0.29 = $12.91) (11.4 x 0.19 = $2.17).

I am not saying that every year you will find a turkey for $0.19lb, but I can almost always find them marked down to $0.29 to $0.49lb. The bottom line is that your local grocer clears out their frozen bunker space and fills them with a wide assortment of whole frozen turkeys that they generally only sell during the month of November. Let's face it, turkey is not a big seller the rest of the year and shelf space in the grocery store sells at a premium. So each year after thanksgiving, grocery stores have to move any leftover turkeys that did not sell at ridiculously discounted prices.

Just to compare prices, according the the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2014, the average price for an 8 to 16 pound hen, or female turkey was $1.18lb. For a 16 to 24 pound tom, or male turkey the average price was $1.16lb. I am sure that 2015 prices will be a little higher. As an example using 2014 prices, if you can only find turkeys on sale for $0.49lb, you would still be saving 59% off the normal price of a bird. If you can find a really crazy sale and get them for $0.29lb that would be a 76% savings versus the normal price. With those kind of savings you cannot afford not to buy a few whole turkeys.

Storing Whole Frozen Turkeys

So you find turkeys on sell for a fantastic low price, so how do you store them? The simple answer is to leave them the way you found them, frozen. According to Butterball, a frozen whole turkey will keep in the freezer for 2 years. Some other purveyors of turkey indicate that frozen turkey's are good for 2 to 3 years, although most recommend that you cook them with 7 to 8 months. Now, I don't know about you but that is a long time. Which is great, because if you have the storage space you can purchase several frozen turkeys at super low prices significantly reducing your food cost. Btw, the turkey I roasted in my article 'No Fuss Oven Roasted Turkey' I actually cooked in August of this year was purchased in November 2013 (20 months old) and it tasted great.

Canning Turkey

The great thing about canning turkey, chicken, rabbit and other meats is that it does not take up space in your freezer, and you do not need any form of electricity to keep the meat preserved. Most of the time when I can my cooked turkey by itself, I can it in water with a little canning salt. It is a light simple brine which allow me to use the turkey in other recipes in place of chicken or rabbit. I also have several recipes (mostly soups and gumbos) in which I substitute the turkey for chicken. So I start getting my canning supplies and recipes out a few days before I decide to cook a whole turkey in anticipation of canning leftovers. If you have the equipment and supplies, canning is a great way to preserve turkey, chicken and other meats and like my grandparents and great grandparents that lived on the farm, it is one of the ways I preserve cooked and ready to eat food for my family.

Conclusion

Now I know cooking whole turkeys is a cumbersome job, and I personally think that is why so many Americans overlook purchasing whole frozen turkeys during the rest of the year. I mean after all, how many of you are burned out on turkey just a few days after the thanksgiving holiday? Well I know I usually am, having said that if you can purchase whole turkeys on sale at incredibly low prices (50 to 70% off), then you need to get a few. Canning and freezing and leftovers will provide your family with an inexpensive great tasting form of protein that can really be important when you shopping on a budget.

If you are not sure what to do with any leftover turkey you have, remember it can used in any type of recipe that calls for chicken or rabbit. Off the top of my head I can think of a few that are minimalist pantry friendly such as: King Ranch chicken, chicken spaghetti, chicken and rice soup, chicken gumbo, chicken noodle soup, and chicken fried rice. There are an endless supply of recipes at your fingertips in which turkey can be substituted for chicken not only our blog but also on the rest of the internet. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

Other Money Saving Articles On Our Blog:

Buying More With Less: Strategies To Stretch Your Food Dollar.

Spices: Save Up To 80% By Shopping At Your Local Ethnic Supermarket.

Cheap Ground Beef Can Be Just as Healthy as Lean.

The Minimalist Pantry Series On Our Blog:

The Minimalist Pantry (Phase 1): Dry Good Essentials.

The Minimalist Pantry (Phase 2): Canned Goodness.

 
The Minimalist Pantry (Phase3): Finishing Up.

Key Lime and Lemon Pie

The holiday season is among us, with Thanksgiving just two weeks away and Christmas next month, I generally try and start getting my desserts ready ahead of time when possible. One type of dessert that I find is easy to make ahead of time and store in the freezer until needed are pies. In this article I am going to teach you how to make two similar but deliciously different pies that I am sure both you and your family will enjoy. I am talking about Key Lime and Lemon pies both of which can be prepped and baked and sitting on a rack in your kitchen to cool in less than 30 minutes.

The great thing about these two pies is that they freeze extremely well. Take them out a few hours before you need them add your whipped topping if you want and pop them in the fridge a few hours before serving. Now you could serve these pies at room temperature, but my family prefers them served cold.

The Recipe

This recipe is easy to follow, and you can make multiple pies at one time. The ingredients are the same for both the Key Lime and Lemon pies with the exception of the juices. For a Key Lime pie use lime juice, for a lemon pie substitute lemon juice and 1 drop of yellow food coloring instead of the green. You can make your own graham cracker crust with the recipe below or purchase a pre-made one from the grocery store. If you want to make a meringue topping for your pie, save the 4 egg whites and follow the directions listed under 'meringue topping'.

Homemade Key Lime Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust

1 (14 ounce) can condensed sweetened milk

1 graham cracker pie crust

4 ounces key lime juice

4 large egg yolks

1 drop green food coloring (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees at this time.

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix completely with a wire whisk or fork if you do not have a whisk until completely combined. I combine the egg yolks and condensed milk together first, then add the juice. Pour the pie filling into a cooled graham cracker pie crust and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until set (in my oven 15 minutes is perfect).

Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Once the pie is cooled, refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream topping just before serving.

To store them in the freezer place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the cooled crust and cover and place in the freezer until needed. Take the pie out 1 to 2 hours before serving and top with whipped topping just before serving.

Chef's Note – If you have any concerns that this pie does not bake for very long, don't fret, this is how it is supposed to be....You see a Key Lime pie does not actually have to be baked. Rather the acid from the limes will cause a chemical reaction in the condensed milk causing the pie filling to thicken. A Key Lime pie is only baked today because of the danger of salmonella poisoning related to the use of raw eggs. While you may be familiar with the neon green version of Key Lime pie found in many restaurants. A traditional Key Lime pie does not have green food coloring added during the cooking process, or it should have a rather muted color is more similar to that of it's cousin the lemon pie.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

8 ounces graham cracker crumbs

2 ounces butter, melted

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar and mix well. Melt butter and add to the graham cracker crumb mixture and combine thoroughly with your hands. Pat the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and place in the oven and bake for 8 minutes at 325 degrees. When the pie crust is done, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees, the temperature in which the pie will be baked.

Topping Your Pie (Whipped Cream or Meringue)

When I made these pies I used 'Cool Whip' whipped topping because it was on sale and it was just as cheap to use it as it was to make my own. Now, I prefer my key like pie with a whipped topping, as opposed to a meringue, but you may want to try making your own whipped topping and or meringue for either of these pies so I have included the instructions below for each.

Whipped Topping

The trick to making a good and fast whipped cream topping is to make sure you use a metal bowl if possible and make sure that it is cold before starting. So put the metal bowl you want to use in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before making the topping. It takes only two ingredients to make your own whipped topping. This recipe will top a border on two pies, or cover one 9" pie completely.

8 ounces heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Once the bowl has cooled, add the heavy whipping cream and sugar and mix with your whisk until the mixture forms stiff peaks. When ready, you can top your completely cooled pie right away and keep any leftover topping in the refrigerator for later use. Do not add the home made whipped topping to your pie until is has been completely cooled (after refrigeration) or it may begin to loosen as it does not have any emulsifiers.

Meringue Topping

If you desire to make your pies with a meringue topping then you need to add the meringue to the pie will it is still warm. Once you remove the pies from the oven increase the heat to 375 degrees, and begin to make your meringue. If you try and put a meringue topping on a pie that has been cooled or refrigerated, you may find the meringue does not adhere to the pie filling very well and easily slides off the slices when cut to be served. This recipe is for one 9" pie.

4 egg whites

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

pinch of cream of tartar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Place on the top of the key lime or lemon filling and bake in the oven for an additional 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees or until the meringue is set and is golden brown in color.

Cool the pie and then place in the refrigerator until ready to be served. If you like the 'Lemon Ice Box Pie' at Chick-Fil-A, then this is how they make theirs. I worked there for four years when I was in high school and college and this is a great tasting pie.

Cost Breakdown

Pre-made graham cracker crust $1.00 at Dollar Tree. Borden sweetened Condensed milk $1.49 (on sale at Walmart), 4oz lemon juice $0.31 (Great Value Lemon Juice 32oz bottle $2.48), four egg yolks $0.66 (Dozen eggs $1.99), and 2oz whipped topping $0.24 (8oz container $0.94) for a border topping, 4oz whipped topping ($0.47) for a complete topping. I get my eggs from my chickens so I cannot put a price on them, but they are not free when you figure in the cost of feed. But for this article I used local price for a dozen eggs. Total cost to make your own key lime pie at home varies depending on your topping choice and the amount you put on the pie. Without topping it is 31% cheaper to make your pie at home, with whipped border it is 26% cheaper, and with complete whipped topping it is still 22% cheaper to make at home than to buy it pre-made. On top of that, I can guarantee you making it at home will taste better.

Edward's Key Lime Pie with Meringue ( 9”) $4.98, at my local Walmart.

Marie Callender's Key Lime Pie with Whipped Topping Border (9”) $4.97, at my local Walmart.

Homemade Key Lime Pie (9”) $3.46, without topping.

Homemade Key Lime Pie with Whipped Topping Border (9”) $3.70.

Homemade Key Lime Pie with Whipped Topping On Whole Pie (9”) $3.93.

Adding a meringue topping only costs you the price of the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar $0.02 (granulated sugar is $0.06 per ounce) as you are using the four egg whites that you separated from the egg yolks.

Ingredients List

I have tried to make this article short, but if you want another good reason why you should make these pies at home just look at the ingredients found in the pre-made frozen pies versus the one you could make at home. In this article I cheated and used two pre-made graham cracker crusts that we bought for $1.00 each, so I have listed the ingredients for those as well. So if you want the minimum of preprocessed chemicals and assorted junk, you need to make your own pie crusts as well.

Edward's Key Lime Pie Ingredients – Reduced Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk (Milk, Skim Milk, Sugar, Vitamin A Palmitate), Water, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel Oil And Coconut Oil), Sugar, Corn Syrup, Vegetable Shortening (Palm Oil And Soybean Oil), Egg Yolks, Contains 2% Or Less of: Modified Food Starch, Lime Pulp, Sodium Bicarbonate, Lime Oil, Lime Juice Concentrate, Salt, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Dextrose, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sodium Citrate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Caseinate (A Milk Derivative), Polysorbate 60, Soy Lecithin, Lemon Pulp Cells, Xanthan Gum, Beta Carotene (For Color), Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Silicoaluminate, Sorbitan Monostearate, Lemon Oil, Guar Gum.

Marie Callender's Key Lime Pie Ingredients – Sugar, Water, Lime Juice, Nonfat Milk, Enriched Wheat Flour (Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening (Soybean Oil And/Or Cottonseed Oil And/Or Palm Kernel Oil), Milk Fat, Margarine (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean And Cottonseed Oils, Water, Salt, Mono And Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Artificial Butter Flavor, Beta Carotene (Color), Vitamin A Palmitate), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Molasses, Whey (A Milk Product), Modified Food Starch, Whole Wheat Flour, Citric Pulp Cells, Dextrose, Sodium Caseinate (A Milk Product), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Baking Soda, Salt, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Monostearate, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Beta Carotene (Color). Contains: Wheat, Milk, Soybean. This Product Is Manufactured On Shared Equipment With Other Peanut, Tree Nut And Egg Containing Products.

Pre-made Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients – Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Sugar, Graham Flour, Corn Syrup, Contains Two Percent Or Less Of Molasses, Salt, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Cornstarch, Malt, Soy Lecithin.

Homemade Key Lime Pie Ingredients – Graham Cracker Crumbs, Butter, Sugar, Cinnamon, Sweetened Condensed Milk (Milk, Sugar), Egg Yolks, Lime Juice.*

* If you make your own graham cracker crust.

Conclusion

Making pies ahead of time and storing them in the freezer during the holiday season can cut down on some of that holiday stress that many of us experience when family and friends come together to celebrate. Making your own pies at home can help you save a significant amount of money, up to 31% as opposed to buying ready made 'thaw and serve' lemon or key lime pies. In addition, making your own pies gives you total control of the ingredients that goes into them, just take another look at the difference in the ingredients listed above.

Anyway, I hope that you and your family will enjoy both of these easy to make and delicious pies during the holiday season, I know our family does. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

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Oven Roasted Turkey 'Food For The Holiday's'

The time for giving thanks is upon us again which is kind of ironic as we should be giving thanks everyday for the people in our lives that are most important to us, but often we get so involved in our own little world that we often take our friends and family for granted. However, since the mid 1940's the fourth Thursday of the month has been a national holiday here in the United States where we are reminded that we should slow down and take the time to thank God for the blessings of family, friends, and prosperity that he has bestowed upon us. It is a time to get together and share or good fortune and bounty with our friends, family. Yes, it is time to eat turkey, talk politics, and watch football!

I know, I know, some of you have been tortured over the years with dry overcooked turkey that was as tough as shoe leather that you chewed with a smile praying silently to yourself that if God has any mercy, then aunt Martha will not be cooking the turkey next year. Our maybe you are silently sulking in the kitchen because the turkey you worked so hard to prepare just came out wrong and well, your embarrassed. That's ok, because in this article I am going to teach you how to roast turkey that will have both you and your family fighting over the leftovers. To do this we are going to follow three easy steps. The first step includes brining the turkey to add moisture and flavor, the second step is cooking the turkey low and slow (325 degrees) in a covered pan or bag to preserve that moisture, and the third and final step is allowing the meat to rest sufficiently before carving to help redistribute the juices throughout the meat. If you follow these three easy steps you will have a perfectly roasted turkey everytime.

Thawing Your Bird

If you are like most of us, you will purchase a turkey from your local grocer that is frozen. Before you can brine your turkey, it has to be thawed. The only truly safe option to thaw your bird is to place it in the refrigerator several days before you wish to brine it. Now, depending on the weight of the turkey, it could take up to 5 days for a frozen turkey (20 to 24lb bird) to thaw in the refrigerator. Fortunately, must of us will purchase a 8 to 14lb turkey which will thaw in about 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. I place my turkey in the same pan in which I will be roasting it in and place it in the fridge to thaw before brining. Once the turkey is thawed, do not forget to remove the neck, giblets, and the sauce packet if there is one before beginning the brining process. Keep them if you want to make gravy, but I generally just feed the neck and giblets to the dog that way everyone gets to enjoy thanksgiving.

The Brine

This recipe is for two gallons of brining liquid which should be sufficient for any turkey under 16 pounds. An 18 to 20 pound turkey may need 3 gallons of brine. When brining your turkey, place the turkey in your container breast side down and add the brine, there should be enough liquid to cover the bird completely. To ensure optimum flavor, I believe that the turkey should be brined for 24 hours, so you must plan accordingly. This is my basic all-purpose turkey brine, it is simple, easy and a good foundation to build on. This is what I use every time I cook a turkey whether roasting in the oven or deep frying. If you want to add dried fruit, oranges, apples, or a variety of other spices and aromatics to this brine feel free to do so, just make sure you keep the water, salt and sugar ratio the same. For more information on brining chicken, rabbit, or turkey check out my article 'Brining: Adds Flavor and Juiciness to Chicken, Turkey, and Rabbit' on our blog.

Basic Turkey Brining Recipe

2 gallons of water

1 cup kosher salt

½ cup brown sugar

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

While your bird is thawing in the fridge, measure out two gallons of water, then remove 2 quarts (64 ounces) and place in a medium sized saucepan. Add all the ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and stir to ensure that the salt and sugar are thoroughly dissolved. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool. Combine the cooled concentrated 2 quarts of brine with an additional 6 quarts (192 ounces or 1 ½ gallons) of water to the container in which you are going to brine your turkey and place it in the fridge so that it is nice and cold and ready to use when the turkey is completely thawed.

Remember the turkey needs to be kept cold during the brining process or those nasty bacteria may begin to grow and multiply. I place my birds in an old Styrofoam cooler with the brine and place it in the fridge. If you do not have a cooler, any type of container will do as long as the bird can be completely submerged in the brine. I have used plastic 5 gallon buckets with good success as well, you just have to have enough shelf space for something that tall.

Chef's Note: I know some people have used plastic bags for brining, but I have to admit I have not. You need to take care if you wish to use some form of plastic bag as a gallon of water weighs approximately 8 pounds, add a 12 to 14 pounds turkey (total weight 20 – 24 pounds) to that and it you are not careful you could end up with quite the mess in your fridge and kitchen if the bag breaks.

The turkey should be turned at least once during the brining process, however, I usually turn my bird every six hours to insure that the brine can infuse into every part of the bird. When the 24 hours are up and your ready to start cooking the bird, make sure you rinse it with cold water to remove any residual brine from the turkey. Remember the cavity of the bird may contain liquid so make sure it is rinsed and drained thoroughly.

Chef's Note: You do not want to use a self basting turkey for this process as self basting turkeys already have a flavored liquid infused into the turkey. Brining a self basting turkey could result in a bird that is too salty to eat.

Roasting The Turkey

As I have mentioned before, a brined turkey is a juicy and succulent turkey, and when cooked properly should never be dry. I have been roasting chicken and turkey's for many years and I must admit I started out pretty much following the standard 'Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook' (circa 1962) instructions for roasting a turkey, but often found the cooking times were way to long as they generally included cooking times for stuffed turkeys. Because I do not stuff my birds, it takes less time to bake a whole turkey. Below I have listed the approximate cooking times and techniques that I use when roasting a whole turkey, they are simple, concise and they work.

Once the bird has been brined, remove it from the brine and rinse it throughly. I then generally cut up one large onion into chunks and place it in the cavity with 2 cloves of garlic. You can add additional aromatics if you wish, but I like to keep it simple. I then place the turkey in my enamel ware roaster and place it in the oven. I have included three variations on how to roast your turkey below. The oven temperature and times are the same for all methods, but there are slight variations in technique depending on the type of pan and method you use.

Inverted Baking Rack (No Lid)

I do have a roasting pan with a 'V' rack that allows you to place the turkey breast down, but it does not have a lid. I was given this roasting pan as a gift, I tried it once, but I prefer to cook my turkey's in a covered roasting pan with a lid. I have not used it since, I guess I need to send it to Goodwill, but I haven't gotten around to it. So what is the advantage, of placing your turkey, breast side down, well in theory this allows the turkey to self baste in it's own fat and juices keeping the breast from drying out. To roast a turkey using one of these racks you cook the bird breast side down until the last 45 to 60 minutes, then you flip it breast side up to finish it and allow the breast to brown. Once you flip the bird over you may want to brush the breast, legs and thighs with some melted butter to help the skin brown up and crisp. If the skin and top of the legs begin to brown too much you can cover them with foil. Personally, this is more work than I want to do on thanksgiving, turning a 12 to 14lb bird that is almost completely cooked is a messy affair. For me it is simply not work the effort, but if you have one of these pans and have never tried it, go for it. Many people I know swear by these but they they are not for me.

Covered Roasting Pan

This is my preferred method, I use a plain old blue two piece (top and bottom) enamel ware roasting pan without a rack. To keep the turkey off the bottom of the pan, I rough cut some onions and stalks of celery (4 – 5 inches in length) and line the bottom of the roasting pan with these aromatics. I know this is old school country cooking, but this method is easy and there is no pesky rack to clean when the turkey is done. In addition, it allows me to remove the celery and the take my emulsion blender and puree the gravy and onions in the bottom of the pan to make brown onion gravy with. If you have a covered roasting pan with a rack then use it. I do not, and have never felt the need to buy one as my old turkey roaster has never let me down.

If you are using a covered roasting pan, place the turkey breast side up and bake. After about 90 minutes remove from the oven and take a ½ stick of butter peel back part of the paper and rub it all over the turkey breast legs and thighs and return it to the oven (you can melt the butter and brush it on if you prefer). Remove the turkey from the oven during the last 20 to 30 minutes and coat again with butter. Return it to the oven, if you want a browner crispier skin then leave the lid off the roasting pan, otherwise cover it and put it back in the oven.

Brown Bag Method

When I was quite a bit younger, I used to roast my turkey's in an old aluminum roasting pan stuffed into two brown paper bags (i.e. double bagged) that you stapled shut and then placed in the oven. My grandmother roasted her turkey's using this method, they owned a country grocery store and paper bags were in abundance. I called this the “bag it and forget” it method. Take your turkey and brush the whole turkey with melted unsalted butter (btw, I use unsalted butter in all my cooking) then place it in your pan, then slide the pan into the brown paper bags, fold and staple shut and cook using the guidelines as listed below depending on the weight of your turkey. Until about 15 years ago this was my preferred method, but it is hard to find large grocery store paper bags these days, so I started using an old enamel ware turkey roaster. 

This method requires the least fuss, like I mentioned you simply bag it and forget about it. Just in case you wondered paper does not burn until it reaches 451 degrees so there is no chance of starting a fire when cooking a turkey this way using the times and temperatures listed in this article. Now, the USDA does not recommend roasting your turkey this way due to the unknown quality of the inks and glues used in making paper grocery store bags. Do as you wish, it never hurt us when I was growing up and If I could still get the large paper grocery store bags I would roast my turkeys this way.I keep looking but everyone here has gone to plastic....Bummer cause this method is very easy.

Cooking Times And Checking For Doneness

Below, I have listed the cooking times that I use to estimate the amount of time it will take to roast a whole unstuffed turkey in the oven. Every oven is slightly different, and you will see that there will be some variation in the cooking time depending on the size of your turkey and the accuracy or efficiency of your oven. The best method to determine whether your turkey is done is to check the internal temperature of the meat with a thermometer. Insert your meat thermometer into the meat of the thigh being careful not to touch the bone, it should read at least 170 degrees F, then check the breast and make sure it reads at least 165 degrees F. You should begin to start checking the turkey for doneness when it reaches the minimum cooking time as indicated below. Remember that a turkey is a large bird and it will continue to cook once it is removed from the oven so your internal temperature may increase by 5 degrees before it starts to cool. Testing for doneness using the 'paper bag method' requires you to stick the thermometer through the paper bag to test the meat. Finding the breast is easy enough, but you may have to do some feeling around to find the area between the thigh and the leg. So what do you do when you do not have a meat thermometer? Well you will need to make a small cut between the thigh, the leg, and the breast and check the color of the juices. If the juices are clear, then your turkey is done, if you see any pink or red colored juices then the bird needs to go back in the oven until the juices run clear. 

You will note that I cook my turkeys on low heat and for a longer amount of time. Cooking low and slow is the second step that will help to ensure that your turkey is nice and juicy. The following table should help you to determine how long you will need to cook your individual bird regardless of the type of pan or method you choose.

8 to 12lbs, 3 hours to 3 hours and 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

12 to 16lbs, 3 hours and 30 minutes to 4 hours and 45 minutes at 325 degrees.

16 to 20lbs, 4 hours and 45 minutes to 5 hours and 30 minutes at 325 degrees.

20 to 24lbs, 5 hours and 30 minutes to 6 hours and 30 minutes at 325 degrees.

Once you know the turkey is done, the next step you need to follow to ensure your turkey maintains it's moisture is to allow it to rest. This is an important step that is often overlooked by many home cooks. Meats such as roasts, steaks, and poultry benefit from being allowed to rest or sit undisturbed for about 20 minutes to allow the juices and moisture in the meat to redistribute themselves equally throughout the meat before cutting or carving.

Conclusion

Timing is important if you what to have your turkey ready for thanksgiving. You need to give yourself plenty of time to get the bird ready, or you and your family might be eating something else that day. Remember your average turkey 10 to 14lbs will take 2 to 3 days to thaw, add one day for brining. That means you need to get your turkey in the fridge 4 days at a minimum before thanksgiving, 5 days would be better. Keep in mind, the bigger the bird, the longer it takes to thaw.

While this recipe is pretty basic, you can add additional aromatics (apple, lemons, cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise etc...) to your brine if you want but it is important to maintain the same water to salt and sugar ratio.We would like to wish you and your family a blessed thanksgiving. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

Related Articles On Our Blog:

Brining: Adds Flavor and Juiciness to Chicken, Turkey, and Rabbit