Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 17Cooking the Turducken and Making the Gravy
We needed to bake at 190 F (88 C) for about 12-13 hours ... or until the interior temperature as registered by a meat thermometer measured 165 F (74 C). Our thermocouple showed the oven temperature fluctuating quite a bit during the first few hours, jumping as high as 280 F. However it settled down to 190 F thereafter. The turducken went in at 9 pm on Saturday night. A watch consisting of late night poker players removed drippings with a baster every 2-3 hours into the early morning.
By 7am the next morning, turducken smells pervaded the entire house. The skin of the turkey had turned a golden brown. The baster had to be used to remove juices every half an hour, resulting in over 1-1/2 gallons worth of drippings that sat in the fridge.
The turducken was finally tested with a meat thermometer which showed a healthy 185 F (85 C). It was pulled out of the oven shortly after 12 noon on Sunday.
Since the turducken needed to cool for at least an hour, it had to be carefully transfered out of its cooking pan, and onto cutting boards. This is tricky since there is no internal skeleton holding it up. We had to use multiple spatulas and flat kitchen gear to transplant it from the pan.
While it was cooling, we made the gravy using the pan drippings and the duck skin. We more or less followed the original Prudhomme recipe for the gravy. (Note that this differs slightly from the current Prudhomme recipe.) We ended up using 8-10 cups of dry ingredients and 16 cups of stock, and after 40 minutes of simmering, boiled it down to 4-5 cups of gravy.
# 4 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic
# 3 bay leaves
# 1/2 cup drippings from turducken, plus the reserved duck skin
# 8 cups turkey, duck or chicken stock (recipe follows)
# 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
# 4 cups peeled and chopped eggplant
# 1 cup peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
# 1 and 1/2 cups chopped onions
# 3 tablespoons grand Marnier
# 1 cup peeled and finely chopped sweet potatoes
# 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
# 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Place the drippings and duck skin in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 cups of the eggplant and saute until eggplant starts to get soft, translucent and brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onions and remaining 1 cup eggplant; cook until the onions start to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the finely chopped sweet potatoes; continue cooking and stirring for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bay leaves, 3 teaspoons of the Meat Magic and stir well, scraping pan bottom as needed.
Next, stir 1 cup of the stock into the vegetables and cook 2 minutes, then add another 1 cup stock; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup of the sugar and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another 1 cup stock and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup more stock; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add another 1 cup stock and cook 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer 13 minutes. Stir in another 1 cup stock and simmer 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and strain well, forcing as much liquid as possible through the strainer.
Place the strained gravy in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the diced sweet potatoes and 1 cup stock; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, skimming off any froth from the surface. Stir in the grand Marnier and continue simmering 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green onions, the remaining teaspoon of Meat Magic and 1 cup more stock. Bring gravy to a boil and simmer until it reduces to about 3 cups, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes about 3 cups.
By 7am the next morning, turducken smells pervaded the entire house. The skin of the turkey had turned a golden brown. The baster had to be used to remove juices every half an hour, resulting in over 1-1/2 gallons worth of drippings that sat in the fridge.
The turducken was finally tested with a meat thermometer which showed a healthy 185 F (85 C). It was pulled out of the oven shortly after 12 noon on Sunday.
Since the turducken needed to cool for at least an hour, it had to be carefully transfered out of its cooking pan, and onto cutting boards. This is tricky since there is no internal skeleton holding it up. We had to use multiple spatulas and flat kitchen gear to transplant it from the pan.
While it was cooling, we made the gravy using the pan drippings and the duck skin. We more or less followed the original Prudhomme recipe for the gravy. (Note that this differs slightly from the current Prudhomme recipe.) We ended up using 8-10 cups of dry ingredients and 16 cups of stock, and after 40 minutes of simmering, boiled it down to 4-5 cups of gravy.
# 4 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic
# 3 bay leaves
# 1/2 cup drippings from turducken, plus the reserved duck skin
# 8 cups turkey, duck or chicken stock (recipe follows)
# 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
# 4 cups peeled and chopped eggplant
# 1 cup peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
# 1 and 1/2 cups chopped onions
# 3 tablespoons grand Marnier
# 1 cup peeled and finely chopped sweet potatoes
# 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
# 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Place the drippings and duck skin in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 cups of the eggplant and saute until eggplant starts to get soft, translucent and brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the onions and remaining 1 cup eggplant; cook until the onions start to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the finely chopped sweet potatoes; continue cooking and stirring for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bay leaves, 3 teaspoons of the Meat Magic and stir well, scraping pan bottom as needed.
Next, stir 1 cup of the stock into the vegetables and cook 2 minutes, then add another 1 cup stock; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup of the sugar and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another 1 cup stock and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup more stock; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add another 1 cup stock and cook 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer 13 minutes. Stir in another 1 cup stock and simmer 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and strain well, forcing as much liquid as possible through the strainer.
Place the strained gravy in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the diced sweet potatoes and 1 cup stock; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, skimming off any froth from the surface. Stir in the grand Marnier and continue simmering 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green onions, the remaining teaspoon of Meat Magic and 1 cup more stock. Bring gravy to a boil and simmer until it reduces to about 3 cups, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes about 3 cups.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
 |
Add Comment
|
