Best The Big Bird Recipes

THE TURDUCKEN: BONELESS TURKEY STUFFED WITH A BONELESS DUCK AND BONELESS CHICKEN "ONE BIG BIRD"

Steps:

• For the andouille sausage stuffing: In a large bowl, mix the pork, liquid smoke, garlic, salt paprika, black pepper, chili pepper flakes, mace, allspice, ground bay leaves, sage and cayenne pepper, if using, with some cold water. In a pan or on a flat-top, brown off the sausage mixture in about 3 teaspoons of bacon fat for flavor. Once the sausage mixture is browned, chill immediately.
• For the Spinach stuffing: Melt the butter in large skillet. Add the spinach, onion, fennel seed, salt and white pepper and saute for 5 minutes until hot. Set aside to cool.
• Preparation of the duck and chicken: It is wise to de-bone the duck and chicken first for practice. Place the fresh chicken breast-side down on large cutting board. Starting at the bird's neck, you will cut through the skin along the length of the spine. Using the tip of the knife and starting from the neck end, separate the meat from the rib cage on 1 side. Disjoint the wing from the shoulder blade and reserve for stock. Work towards the thigh bone, cut through the ball and socket joint and "pop" loose using upward pressure with your hand from under the bird. Using your thumbnail, loosen the "oyster meat" (the most tender part) from the frame. With the knife, remove the thigh and leg bone, but keep the leg attached to the bird. Repeat the process on other side of chicken. When both sides are finished, the bird will lay flat. Grab rib cage by the neck area and gently pull towards back to remove the entire carcass and breast bone cartilage. Repeat the same de-boning procedure for the duck. In a well ventilated area or with an exhaust fan on high, preheat a large cast-iron pan to very hot. Rub the boneless chicken and duck with olive oil. Generously sprinkle with blackening spice on both sides. Place skin-side down in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes then turn over and repeat. Refrigerate.
• De-bone the turkey using the same procedure as the chicken and duck with 2 exceptions: The turkey wings should be left attached to the meat and the bone-in drumstick should be disjointed from the boneless thigh meat and left attached to the meat. The final product should be a flat boneless turkey (except for the wings and drumsticks).
• To stuff the turducken: Place the turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Rub the meat with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic and 1 tablespoon blackening spice. Spread an even layer of cornbread dressing over the meat about 3/4 inch thick and pat down with hands. Spread 1/4-inch layer of spinach stuffing. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the andouille sausage stuffing. On top, place 6 to 8 slices of roasted red bell peppers. Place the chilled duck, skin-side down, on top of layered stuffing. Repeat the layered stuffing as above. Arrange the chilled chicken, skin-side down, on top of the stuffed duck. Spread the remainder of the stuffing on top of chicken. Press down gently with hands to compact all ingredients.
• To truss the turducken: This may take another person's help. Lift the sides of the turkey together. Have a helper hold the bird closed while sewing the back of the turkey together using butcher's twine, making the stitches about 1 inch apart, starting at the back of turkey and working towards the neck. Be careful since the Turducken has no boney frame. Roll over breast-side-up and finish sewing the neck portion of bird. Tie off and cut twine. Now sew up the opening at the leg section of turkey. Truss the legs together with twine. For extra support, tie butcher's twine around the bird's width every 3 inches down along the bird's length. Position your hands evenly under the turducken and lift into a large roasting pan with rack inside. The pan should be at least 3-inches deep to catch drippings during cooking. Rub the entire exposed skin of the bird with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of blackening spice and salt. Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Wrap the drumsticks with aluminum foil. Place parchment paper over the entire bird. Loosely tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 200 degrees F for 12 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Remove all foil and parchment paper the last hour of roasting time and turn up temperature to 325 degrees F. Baste with the drippings. When done, remove from the oven and let set in the roasting pan for at least 1 hour. With 2 heavy duty spatulas, insert underneath and remove the turducken from the rack to place on carving platter. Remove all butcher twine, including pulling out the portion along the spine. To serve, cut the turducken in half lengthwise, then cut servings crosswise in approximately 1-inch thicknesses. Serve with gravy and enjoy.

THE SUPER BIRD

Steps:

• Cook bacon and set aside.
• Heat some butter in non-stick pan over medium heat and Grill turkey breast stack without separating until the meat is golden brown on both sides, remove& set aside.
• butter bread lightly on one side of each slice, Place in pan butter-side down.
• Place a slice of Swiss cheese on unbuttered side, put turkey on Swiss cheese, Sprinkle with salt (optional).
• Place bacon strips on breast and Stack tomato on top of bacon, Top off with remaining sourdough slice, unbuttered side toward tomatoes.
• When golden brown flip.
• After 2 mintues remove and serve, sliced into 3 equal size pieces -- Ya !

BUTTERFLIED BIG BIRD (SPATCHCOCK TURKEY)

Steps:

• Remove the innards from the turkey and reserve the neck and giblets for gravy or bone broth. Dry the turkey well with paper towels.
• Grab a sharp pair of kitchen shears and start cutting from the tail-end open cavity along one side of the backbone until you reach the neck hole.
• Once you've cut all the way through, cut along the other side of the backbone, and remove the spine. Add the backbone to the neck and giblets you're saving for gravy or broth.
• Use a knife to make a shallow cut in the cartilage on the underside of the breastbone, and use your hands to firmly push the breasts flat like an open book.
• Now, it's time to salt the bird. Use your fingers to loosen the skin away from the flesh. (Be careful but forceful; the skin is fairly elastic, and shouldn't tear unless you pierce it with sharp acrylic nails.) Rub salt directly onto the meat under the skin, as well on the outside and underside of the turkey. Loosely cover the bird with plastic wrap, and dry-brine it in the fridge for 1 to 3 days.
• On Thanksgiving Day, preheat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the lower middle position. Take the brined turkey out the refrigerator. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
• Grab your softened butter and fresh herbs. I tend to pack more sage and thyme in my quarter-cup than rosemary; it's a matter of personal preference, but I find rosemary a bit too medicinal-tasting in large amounts. Once the herbs are measured out, mince 'em, and mix with the softened butter/ghee to form an herb butter.
• Take two-thirds of the herb butter and use it to spread under the skin of the breast and thigh meat. (Another method: you can just place a dollop between the skin and meat, and smush down the skin to spread the butter evenly.) Spread the remaining herb butter on the outside of the bird.
• Lay the bird flat on the wire rack and tuck the wing tips under the turkey so they don't burn. Pour ½ cup of water into the tray. This'll keep the drippings from burning and smoking.
• Place the turkey in the oven and stab an in-oven thermometer (if you have one) into the thick part of the breast. The turkey's done when the breast meat reaches 145°-150°F, and the thigh meat is 165°F, about 80-90 minutes.
• If you see that the skin is already nice and bronzed before the meat is even close to the correct temperature, don't fret. Just place an aluminum foil bra loosely over the bird boobs before returning the turkey to the oven so they don't burn.
• When the turkey is done, take the tray out of the oven and check the temperature one last time.
• Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving it at the table.

BIG BIRD: JUMBO CHICKEN, SPINACH, AND HERB BURGERS WITH MUSHROOMS AND SWISS

Steps:

• Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Arrange the defrosted chopped spinach in the center of a kitchen towel. Wrap the towel around the spinach and squeeze out the excess liquid. Put the spinach in a mixing bowl and combine with the chicken, shallots, 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Score the meat with the side of your hand to separate into 4 equal portions. Make 4 large patties, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Drizzle the patties with oil and place them in the hot skillet. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked through.
• Preheat a second medium-size skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, twice around the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are nice and brown. Season the 'shrooms with salt and pepper. Add the wine or broth and cook until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.
• Top the big-bird burgers with the mushroom topping and the Swiss cheese. Fold each slice of cheese in half to fit the burger, if necessary. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Turn off the pan and let the cheese melt, about 2 minutes.
• Slather the tops of the buns or English muffins with a little mustard. Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and top with lettuce and tomato. Put the bun or muffin tops in place.

THE BIG BIRD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Slice tomatoes as thin as possible, generously grind pepper over the top and put into fridge to keep cool.
• In a skillet, over medium-high heat, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until crisp-tender. (I will usually start to build the sandwich while garlic and onions are cookin').
• Remove garlic onion mixture from skillet, reserving the oil.
• Layer the turkey first followed by the Bacon then pour the garlic & onion mixture over the turkey and bacon on the bottom half of French bread, drizzle oil mixture lightly over the top and then sprinkle with basil.
• Top with cheese and remaining half of bread.
• Wrap loaf in foil.
• Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes & cheese is melted.
• unwrap and remove bottom slice of bread (upside down) add the cool, peppered sliced tomatoes, close it up and eat that bird!