Poolside grilling kindles Thanksgiving spirit
Joe: I really enjoy reading your column, especially the tips on entertaining and decorating outside by the pool. Do you have any suggestions for Thanksgiving? I would prefer to be outdoors instead of cooped up inside all day. -- Susie K. from Henderson.
A: The many inquiries I receive regarding activities by the pool reveal the growing number of households who prefer the outdoors and look to get the most out of their pool areas.
Taking a page straight from the history books of our forefathers, one can re-create the first Thanksgiving by hosting the traditional turkey dinner outside. The Pilgrims along with their Native American friends held a festival to celebrate the success of their first harvest.
Celebrated chef Gustav Mauler of Spiedini in the JW Marriott shares his culinary expertise to prepare a grill-roasted turkey with sage butter and giblet gravy.
"Cooking the turkey outside on the grill will definitely open the kitchen oven for other foods such as side dishes and pastries," notes the certified master chef. "Think of the grill as a secondary oven, this will allow you more flexibility with time and preparations."
And, for those who would rather spend their time playing golf or watching football but still desire to have a private dinner at home, there are a few restaurants such as Mauler's Spiedini that offer a complete turkey dinner for you to pick up and serve to your guests.
Here are some tips, including recipes, for grilling your turkey by the pool.
Charcoal barbecue
Mound charcoal briquettes in the barbecue on lower grill rack; burn until light gray. Using tongs, carefully divide hot briquettes into two piles, one pile at each side of the rack. Sprinkle each pile with 1/2 cup of drained, soaked hickory chips. Place an empty broiler pan between the piles. Position the upper grill rack at least 6 inches above the briquettes. Adjust the barbecue vents so that chips smoke and briquettes burn but do not flame.
Gas or electric barbecue
Preheat the barbecue with all burners on high. Turn off the center burner; reduce outside burners to medium-low. Place 1/2 cup of drained, soaked hickory chips each in two broiler pans. Set the pans over the two lit burners. Place a empty broiler pan under the grill rack over the unlit burner. Position the grill racks at least 6 inches above burners.
GRILL-ROASTED TURKEY
(With Sage Butter and Giblet Gravy)
(Makes 12 servings)
2 gallons cold water
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
6 bay leaves, whole
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 (20 to 22 pounds) turkey; neck, heart, and gizzard reserved for gravy
5 cups hickory wood chips, soaked in water one hour and drained
1 to 3 disposable 9-inch-by-61/4-inch aluminum broiler pans
11/4 cups butter, room temperature
1/3 cup chopped fresh sage
2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 cups dry white wine
Preparation: Stir cold water, 1 cup salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves and rosemary in large bowl until the salt and sugar dissolve.
Line a large pot with two 33-gallon plastic bags, one inside the other. Place the turkey in the bag-lined pot, breast side down. Pour brine over the turkey; press to submerge. Twist tops of bags to eliminate air pockets and secure. Refrigerate turkey in brine for one day.
To grill: Drain turkey; discard brine. Rinse turkey and pat it dry. Blend 1/4 cup butter and sage in a small bowl; season with pepper. Starting at the neck end, slide your hand between the skin and breast meat to loosen the skin. Spread sage butter over the breast meat and skin. Sprinkle cavities with salt and pepper. Stuff the main cavity with celery and onion. Fold wing tips under; tie legs together. Melt 1 cup butter over low heat. Remove from heat; whisk in wine.
Place turkey in the center of grill rack, breast side up, above empty broiler pan. Brush turkey generously with butter-wine basting mixture. Cover barbecue and cook turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165 F, about three hours total.
Baste it every 30 minutes with butter-wine mixture and add 1 cup of drained wood chips (and 6 briquettes if using charcoal barbecue). Cover the top of the turkey with foil if it is browning too quickly. Transfer turkey to a platter. Tent it loosely with foil and let it stand for 30 minutes (internal temperature will increase 5 to 10 degrees). Serve turkey with Giblet Gravy.
GIBLET GRAVY
(Makes 31/2 cups)
Neck, heart and gizzard reserved from 20 to 22 pound turkey
4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup butter (one-half stick)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whipping cream
Preparation: Combine turkey neck, heart and gizzard, 4 cups broth, onion and celery in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer until the neck and gizzard are tender, about 35 minutes. Transfer turkey parts to a work surface and cool. Chop gizzard and heart. Pull meat from neck; chop finely.
Strain giblet broth into a large glass measuring cup. Add chicken broth, if necessary, to measure 31/4 cups.
Melt butter in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir until golden, about 5 minutes. Whisk in broth mixture, then add the cream. Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Add giblets and neck meat. Cook until the gravy is thick enough to coat a spoon, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
