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Greetings!
Thanks for being part of RainCity Cooking School. We
have grown and rebranded to become Sizzleworks. Our
new website is live, with better navigation, more
information and great new videos.
Please note that we have a new email
address if you would like to add it to your address book:
learn@thesizzleworks.com.
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Brining your Holiday Turkey
An easy way to increase flavor
Why do we brine meats, fish and poultry? To make
them moist and tender! I am captivated by the effects
of brining on protein rich foods. The salt in the brine
solution causes the proteins in the meat to unwind a
bit, or denature, trapping extra water and flavors from
the brine. The result -- a juicy, succulent, flavorful
turkey! And, it is SO easy!
Master Recipe for Brine:
- 1-1/3 cups Kosher salt
- 1 gallon water
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Optional ingredients (for more flavor)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (or less) per quart water
- minced garlic
- bay leaf
- pepper
- hot peppers or hot pepper sauce
To brine your turkey, mix enough brine solution to
'bathe' the bird in liquid. This requires a fair amount of
brine, and a vessel large enough to hold it. I like to
use a clean picnic cooler. Place the fully thawed
turkey in the cooler. Mix the brine, and pour over until
the turkey is covered. Top with a zippered bag of ice
to weight the turkey and keep it below the water line,
making sure to replenish the ice as needed.
Brine 1 hour per pound, which may mean overnight!
But a good thing can be overdone, so brine only as long
as directed. Remove the turkey from the
brine and pat dry. If you are not ready to cook yet,
refrigerate the bird until 20 minutes prior to cooking.
Again, be sure to dry the bird before cooking.
And watch for the release of our Sizzleworks' video
"Brining" for the science behind the technique, the
recipe (proportions) and a demonstration of the this
technique.
More Chef Notes
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Perfect Pie Pastry
It's all in the Technique
If you struggle to roll pastry because it sticks to the
rolling surface or rolling pin, or if you just can't get it into
the pan here are a few tips from the pros:
Most pastry recipes recommend COLD BUTTER and
ICE WATER. Be sure to follow this, as your dough will
be chilled enough to roll as soon as you have made it.
The cold dough will be much less sticky, and it will hold
together more easily. Form the dough into a ball, and
then flatten it into a disk, handling the dough as little as
possible, to avoid warming it with your hands.
Your rolling surface should be DRY and lightly dusted
with flour. Rub a bit of flour on the rolling pin as well.
Place the flattened pastry disk in the center of your
surface. Begin to roll from the center out. Roll toward
you, then away. Lift the dough, slide and rotate it 90
degrees. Then roll toward yourself, and away. Continue
rolling, sliding and turning. You may need to
occasionally add a bit of flour to the rolling surface.
When dough is desired size and thickness, hold the
rolling pin near one edge. Fold the edge of the pastry
over the rolling pin. Hold the pin above the pastry and
carefully roll the pastry onto the rolling pin. Transfer to
the pan unrolling the pastry sheet from one side to the
other. Shape and chill in the freezer at least 15 minutes.
Watch for the upcoming release of Sizzleworks' video
"Pie Pastry, which provides my tried and true recipe
and an excellent demonstration of this process.
More chef tips. . .
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Sizzleworks will continue to offer the best quality hands-
on instruction in a small group setting. Join us for a
class, or get together with a group of friends or
colleagues for a fun-filled, memorable and delicious
event.
Buon apetito,
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Sizzleworks will soon open the doors at our new
school in Bellevue, the week following Thanksgiving.
Our move will allow us to better accomodate our
students and corporate clients, with a larger, well-
equipped kitchen. We appreciate all of the support
that you have given us over the past 6 years, and
invite you to drop in and see our new school.
Chef Carol can be with you anytime you are engaged in
culinary endeavors -- in the kitchen, at the store or just
relaxing. Our new collection of culinary videos will guide
you through meal preparation. We will be releasing the
videos shortly -- but you can be one of the first viewers
of our featured video "Onions -- Preparation."
