I’m off to my sister’s farm in the Ottawa Valley for some home cookin’ and Thanksgiving trimmings for a few days. I’m sure she has a 75lb turkey all ready to go. For those of you who want something new this year, Lucy Waverman of The Globe And Mail has some tips on how to re-think that old-fashioned Thanksgiving turkey. She suggests if you’re in the mood for something new to cook it “butterflied”. It not only produces a juicier bird, but it means less time in the kitchen. Flattening, or spatchcocking, your turkey by cutting out its backbone allows it to cook more quickly. It also gives you the option of doing it in the oven or on the barbecue, leaving your oven free for other dishes. We did it both ways and loved the crisp skin from the barbecue, but found the oven cooked the turkey more accurately. Using the smoked paprika gives a slightly smoky taste to the oven version, which you can surround with all of the trimmings for a perfect, if unconventional, Thanksgiving menu.
Get Lucy’s recipe at The Globe And Mail here.
