One would assume that of the numerous From the Butcher articles that we have written, one of them would explain the fundamentals of the most important cooking technique for meat - roasting.  Well, everyone knows what happens when you ass-u-me.  To say this topic is long overdue is an understatement.  For this article, we chained together our Head Butcher and our Head Chef, each a mastermind in their own right, for a period of time that seemed like an eternity.  Below is the brilliant result - a lot of detail without giving any detail at all.

After reading the newsletter and becoming familiar with the fundamentals, don't forget to print out The Ultimate Roasting Chart and place it on your cookbook shelf.

NECESSARY DISCLAIMER: An astute reader will quickly realize that the internal temperatures for cooking meats that are listed in this newsletter differ, often by 20 degrees or more, from temperatures listed in almost all published cookbooks, listed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and listed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  The temperatures we suggest are merely our opinion derived from having cooked thousands of roasts ultimately learning how to achieve succulent, and in our opinion, safe results.  However, in no way do we pretend to know more than the experts at the CFIA or USDA and we encourage everyone to experiment with overcooking, uhh, cooking roasts to the internal temperatures listed by the above mentioned knowledgeable government organizations.   

Roasting Fortune's Wheel: Some Perspective on Cooking

By Ryan Donovan, Head Butcher

My memory of learning to ride a bike is like most peoples: a long stretch of sidewalk, a possessed front tire that would not stay straight, a cold fear in my bones and my older brother pacing alongside for safety. But at the end of a long day and a big box of Band-Aids, I had tamed the wild beast and gained entry into the elitist fraternity known to me at the time: that of the select few boys on my street that could ride a bike. It was with those boys that I discovered other streets with their own boys, and sometimes girls, that also rode bikes. Many of us rode bicycles and it seemed to be a pedestrian skill. It is one of each person’s first cognizant memories. Sure, we can walk and talk by that time, but who remembers those moments. The first bike ride is a moment of individuation: it is a personal plateau on the mountainside of adulthood that, once reached, will forever be the new base camp.

Learning to roast is to an adult what learning to ride a bike is to a child. To learn properly you will have to endure physical pain and enlist the help of a mentor. It will require the right tools, most likely hand me downs. It will take at least a weekend of constant reapplication. When you begin, you will be afraid of getting hurt; deep burns from red hot cast iron pans, sizzling fat splashing onto your exposed skin. It will not work perfectly the first time and you will ask your mentor if you can forfeit. Indeed, the first time will go so poorly it will become a life memory. Progress in learning may seem unnoticeable until that final attempt when your roast finally works out perfectly. And like riding a bike, no one will need to tell you that it is working. You will know right away. You will know while it is happening. Your whole being will beam with a pride that is entirely new. From this point forward, you will be part of an important group of people that relish their mealtimes, challenge their dinner guests, pare down their arsenal of unnecessary culinary gadgetry regifted to them as stocking stuffers. Once you can roast, you will be able to slow roast, pan roast, oven roast, bake and barbecue with a previously unknown prowess. Like a child with a bike, your universe becomes larger.

I have been riding a bike since I was young, and still if I borrow a friend's bike it feels wobbly for the first few seconds: as though the application is the same in principle but there is a small variance to be overcome with each subtle change. This is true of roasting as well. A pork loin roast is similar in application to a leg of lamb but both are different from a wild turkey or a duck. What is important about roasting is that you remember the basic principles and use your fundamental knowledge to understand what is new. Your roasting technique will demand adaptation. I almost died the first time I rode a bicycle with hand breaks. I understood how they worked, but when I was rolling into the intersection I panicked, flailing my legs in backwards rotation to no avail. Each time you reapply your knowledge base, through failure, your knowledge base assimilates new information and you become smarter about what you are doing. This is why cooking often is more fun than cooking rarely.

No matter how good you are; things will go wrong. I still overcook meat. I still carve my meat too early, mostly because I cannot wait to eat. I overcooked my holiday turkey by about an hour and a half. But in each instance I know what I did wrong, and moreover, I could sense something was amiss even while I was cooking. Even the best cyclist is prone to getting door-prized, especially in Toronto. In both cooking and cycling, circumstances may arise that are not within your control. But if you have mastered the skill set, you can understand the circumstances and mitigate the damage. Most importantly, no experience will be so horrific that you are not anxious to try again. The first occasion after a blunder or a spill is to be approached with chivalry and pride: it is an opportunity to reaffirm what you know and what you love. True cyclists relish their opportunities to ride around and the best cooks relish their opportunities to roast.

You will know you are roasting properly when for the first time you roast something new to you, using only your instincts to guide you, and it works out perfectly. This is like the first time you take your bike out on your own, without your brother, and go down neighborhood roads that you have not gone down before and still make it home in one piece. Food, like your bike, should be used to explore. Be adventurous, be daring and visit new places. This may work out poorly for some time. But when you learn to make it home again, having done it all on your own, you will never get lost again.

I thought long and hard about how to lay out a basic set of roasting instructions. I read my favorite chefs and authors for guidance. They all say the same thing, except each is different enough to feel the privilege of being right. For the most part, they did not say anything I would not say here except to say that I would say less. Roasting, like riding a bike, is so simple it defies written explanation. Suffice to say: you should buy a cast iron pan and get to know your oven. Once you know how to do it, you can take the real test: give up some of your time to show someone else how to do it. That will put you and them in much better standing than any written set of instructions.

Brillat-Savarin once wrote that we can learn how to cook but we must be born knowing how to roast. I always liked this quote when I was young because it conferred upon me some sense of elitism: if I could roast I was special. Now I believe otherwise. Roasting is an application like many others: research, practice, deconstruct, and repeat. Roasting is a skill to be acquired through diligent reapplication. It requires a modicum of scientific understanding, a great respect for ones equipment and a dash of brazen attitude. These are all things that can be acquired. Brillat-Savarin also wrote that a meal that ends without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye. He is an observant and cute writer and an important historian of food: but he is not a very encouraging teacher. We most certainly can learn how to roast. And once you learn, you never forget.

The Fundamental Principles of Roasting

by Jonathan Abrahams, Head Chef

There are three fundamentals to roasting:

• Searing
• Cooking
• Resting

Once these fundamental principals are learned, you will be able to conquer any challenge a roast may present. From large bone-in joints, to small, tender, cuts for two, these principals will take you on a journey of culinary self discovery. What seemed impossible to attain, becomes almost second nature. To help on your journey here’s a hint; fundamentals one and three, in theory, never change. Only step two will vary and with a little planning and a strong vision, roasting is easily mastered. Please consider the three fundamental principals as general rules which will serve you well. The happenings of your kitchen are like much of what you do in life. So find comfort in knowing that there are exceptions to every rule.

Searing

Why sear? Do we sear at the beginning or the end of the process? These are the most common questions posed to me on a daily basis. Searing was once widely thought of as the way to keep moisture from escaping during the cooking process. This has been proven false. Read the experiments conducted by Herve This on moisture loss during cooking and it becomes clear that regardless of searing, moisture loss is inevitable and is directly linked to the temperature and time a roast spends in the oven. So, why sear? Because it tastes good. When we sear we are browning the outside of the meat at a high temperature, causing a change in natural sugars through a process referred to as The Maillard Reaction. Why we find this browning to be so agreeable to our palates is still up for debate. Many scientists believe it is a part of our genetic history passed on to us by our ancient ancestors who discovered it was easier to digest cooked, rather than raw meats. Suffice to say, searing is a matter of flavor and not one of moisture.

Usually, when we sear, our meat is cold from the fridge and will therefore lose less moisture than a roast at room temperature. There are some exceptions to this rule. For example the roast duck recipe that follows suggests the searing to be done at the end. This is due to the very slow roasting process, the thick layer of fat that is in between the skin and meat of the duck and the varied ratios of crispy to juicy that people prefer. Whether we are searing on the stove top in a cast iron pan before roasting, or starting in a very hot oven before reducing our heat and continuing to cook, our end goal should be the same: to add that sublime flavor that we all love.

Cooking

I wish there was a set of definitive rules to guide you through this leg of the roasting journey. It would make my job a lot easier. I’m often asked, “How long should I cook this three pound roast for?” In order to answer this question, I must first bombard the customer with a few questions of my own. Is it beef, pork or lamb? What cut of meat is it? Boneless or bone in? Gas or electric? Conventional or convection? Most importantly, how do you like your meat prepared, rare or medium?

After these questions are answered, I can usually come pretty close when giving a cooking time on a roast. This comes from many years of experience and experimentation. I will always suggest having a probe thermometer on hand as an invaluable tool. The best part about having a thermometer is that you will always need it.  As you become more skilled, it will still be an invaluable tool.

Sometimes you can skip the cooking process altogether and go straight from searing to resting. This is where knowledge of different cuts comes into play. A three pound tenderloin roast, in my opinion, is best served rare. Searing in the oven on a very high heat for half an hour and then letting it rest for twenty minutes is usually sufficient for such a thin, tender, lean roast. Whereas a three pound inside round roast, which has a considerably larger girth than the above mentioned tenderloin, would require about 45 minutes cooking time at 325 F after searing on the stove top. The same rest time would follow.

I tend to do all my cooking of roasts at 325 F. I’ve found over the years that a little less heat and a little more time really makes for a juicier finished product. The reasoning is simple; cooking meat dries from the outside inward. As the heat increases in the center of the roast, the collagen (fibrous tissue that sheathes muscle fiber cells) contracts and expels moisture towards the outer parts of the roast while locking in the moisture at the very core of the roast. If the dry air of the oven is excessively hot the moisture nearer the edges will evaporate too quickly and the roast becomes tough and dry. In the recipe for the pork shoulder I make an exception and cook at 350 F. This is due to the cut of meat being used. The pork shoulder has a sufficient amount of fat to withstand the higher temperature and ensure that the stuffing reaches a proper temperature without overcooking the meat. It is also because pigs do not have necks, but that is another issue.

The chart that follows is a simple guide. Think of it as another tool to aid you in your quest for perfection. The chart focuses only on the tasks you must consider with your oven. Understanding oven temperatures and internal temperatures will buffer your mistakes while you are learning. Searing in a pan will become second nature and the patience you need to rest your meat will only come with practice. The chart below will help you set your oven temperature and determine when to remove the roast from your oven.

Resting

I cannot stress enough how important this stage of the process is. In fact I would say this is the most important part of the whole process. Most professional cooks practice this whenever they roast, even if they don’t know the reasons why. Whether it’s a little pork tenderloin or an entire hip of beef, resting is essential to the tenderness and juiciness of the finished product.

The reason is this: As described in the cooking section, the center of the roast has retained moisture due to the shrinking of the collagen. Based on experiments by Herve This, we now know that the cooked center loses more juice while resting than do the outer parts: the outer parts having been subjected to the dry oven air, have very little left to lose. The resting allows the meat to redistribute the juices from the center outwards so that the drier outer parts regain their tenderness. It should also be considered that most roasts will lose at least a sixth of their weight in moisture during the roasting process. The longer a roast is cooked will also result in the collagen breaking down and more moisture to be lost.

No amount of resting can bring back moisture that’s already evaporated. This won’t trouble those who desire a well done roast. For those of us who believe there is nothing finer than a rare or medium-rare roast, this is something to pay close attention to. If you carve a roast 10 minutes after removing it from the oven, you will have a pool of moisture on your carving block. If you had waited an additional 10 minutes, all of that moisture would have remained in the meat.

Four Different Roasts

by The Healthy Butcher

Beef Sirloin Tip Roast

• 1 three lb sirloin tip roast
• ½ bunch thyme
• ¼ bunch rosemary
• ½ bunch parsley
• ¼ bunch oregano
• ¼ C canola oil 
  

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Pick your herbs and chop them finely. In a mixing bowl, combine enough canola oil and herbs to make a paste. Generously season your roast with salt and pepper then coat the roast with the herb paste. On the stove top, heat a pan over medium heat.  Add a little oil and then sear the meat on all sides. This is an excellent and challenging exercise in searing - your goal is to achieve a golden crust, without burning the herbs.  Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Remove the roast from the oven when the internal temperature reads 125 F. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.

Technically speaking, this is called a pan roast. The entire cooking process happens in one pan that starts on the stove top and finishes in the oven before resting on the counter. It is imperative to use a heavy bottom pan that does not have a plastic handle, which would melt in the heat of an oven. Having a cast iron pan is essential to pan roasting and one of the most important tools that you will ever buy for your kitchen.

Pork Shoulder Roast

• 1 five lb boneless pork butt roast, butterflied
• 3 C cubed day old bread
• 1 apple, diced
• ½ carrot, diced
• ½ stalk celery, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• ¼ lbs bacon, cut into lardoons
• ½ C walnuts
• ¼ bunch sage
• ¼ C white wine
• 1 C chicken stock
  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Toast your bread in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. On your stove top, render the bacon fat over a low heat. After a few minutes, add the carrots, celery and onions. Sautee the vegetables for 5 minutes, until they are tender enough that you would enjoy eating one. Add the apples, walnuts & sage and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the white wine to the pan and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and let the liquid warm through. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper until it tastes good to you. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and allow for it to cool.

Spread the butterflied pork shoulder out onto a sheet tray. Fill the roast with the cooled stuffing and close it back up with butchers twine. On a stove top, heat a heavy bottom pan to a medium high heat. Season the roast with salt and pepper. Add some oil to the hot pan and then sear the roast on all sides. Transfer the roast to a clean sheet pan or roasting tray and roast it in the oven for approximately 1 hour. Remove the roast from the oven once the internal temperature is 150 F. Allow the roast to rest for 20 minutes, during which time the internal temperature will rise to 155 F.

The best insurance policy you can have when you are learning to roast is knowing the internal temperature of what you are cooking and also what the desired temperature is for each thing you are roasting. Every recipe will tell you (or should tell you) the desired internal temperature for the moment you should be removing the meat from the oven.

Roast Chicken

• 1 four lb Chicken
• ¼ C parsley, chopped
• ¼ C basil, chopped
• ¼ C tarragon, chopped
• ¼ C chervil, chopped
• 1 Tsp. lemon zest
• 1 Tsp. garlic, minced

Preheat your oven to 450 F. Mix the herbs, lemon and garlic together in a bowl. Loosen the skin of the chicken from the flesh by slipping a finger underneath the skin. Start at the top of the breast and then the other. Then do the same thing from the bottom end of the breasts. Move to the thigh and repeat. Once you have loosened the skin all around the bird, travel around again, this time delicately sliding the herb mixture between the flesh and the skin.

Season the bird with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on a pan and slide it into the oven. Roast for approximately 20 minutes until colour begins to appear. Turn the temperature down to 350 F and finish roasting for another 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven at an internal temperature of 160 F and allow the bird to rest for 20 minutes, at which time the internal temperature should be 165 F.

Roast Duck

Slow roasting a duck makes for a crispy skin and meat that is moist and juicy. One reason home cooks may have abandoned roast duck is that they perceive a high degree of difficulty in getting it right. Granted, roasting duck requires a few more steps and more trips into the oven. But with roasting, the degree of difficulty will never increase because the basic principles still apply. Roasting duck requires more focus and attention on your part, but the results are outstanding.
 
Preheat oven to 250F, and place a rack in the center of the oven. Remove the neck and giblets from the duck. Trim the duck with a sharp knife, cutting away the large deposits of excess fat and skin that hangs at both ends of the duck. Don’t discard the fat! The duck fat can and should be rendered and used to fry or roast vegetables. Rinse and pat dry.

Salt the cavity and the skin of the duck. Pierce the skin of the duck all over in 20 to 30 places with a sharp metal skewer (or if you must, a fork). Hold the skewer almost parallel to the duck while piercing it to avoid puncturing the duck meat. You only want to pierce the skin. Place the duck breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan and place in oven. After 1 hour, prick the duck thoroughly on one side, turn it over, and prick thoroughly on the other side. Continue to roast with the newly turned side up. Repeat this process every hour.

After 4 hours of roasting, prick and turn once again. This time increase the oven temperature to 350F. Continue roasting, pricking and turning once for an additional 30 to 90 minutes. The amount of additional roasting time at 350F is up to you... Do you want a juicier finished product or a crispier finished product? If you roast the duck at 350F for 15 minutes on one side, prick and turn, then roast for 15 minutes on the other side, the duck will be very juicy and slightly crisp. If you roast the duck for 30 minutes on one side, prick and turn, and 30 minutes on the other side, the duck will be juicy and crisp. If you roast the duck for 45 minutes on one side, prick and turn, and 45 minutes on the other side, it will be pretty juicy and very crisp. The 30min/30min method is probably a great compromise. (Chef’s Secret: The duck is done when the drumsticks are soft when pressed.)

About the Butcher

The Healthy Butcher is located in Toronto, Canada and is Toronto’s source for the best tasting and largest selection of Certified Organic meat, specializing in all cuts of locally grown beef, lamb, pork, chicken, bison, elk, duck, ostrich, Cornish hen, quail, goose, and other premium meats.  The store also offers a wide selection of gourmet prepared foods created by their in-house team of chefs always seeking local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. 

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Read about Peter's book in our spotlight of Knife Skills Illustrated

The following article is a must-read for anyone wishing to become better acquainted with their knives, any chef's most valuable tool.

Note: All of the images in this article are linked to videos of Peter explaining the knife sharpening techniques further - at the very least, watch the videos; they are worth their time in gold!

Your Edge (and How to Keep it)

by Peter Hertzmann

When you visit a doctor with an ailment, the doctor will ask questions and maybe run a few tests before making a diagnosis. If you come to me and ask me to sharpen your knives, I will also ask you a few questions and maybe run a couple of tests. And once we agree on the condition of your knives, we will have to work out a treatment plan. This may include sharpening, but it may also include changing the way you use a knife.

First we have to agree that we cannot agree as to what the word sharp really means. Although we tend to use the term sharp as an absolute, this is not the case. The states of sharp and dull blend together seamlessly and form a continuum. A particular knife may be dull to me and sharp to you, or vice versa. Do you agree?    

Next, when you use a knife, do you slice or chop? More specifically, do you use your blade in a sawing motion with a light downward pressure or do you try to push your knife downward through the food you are cutting? Under a microscope, the sharp edge of a knife will appear rough, not smooth. The roughness can have a number of configurations, depending on how the blade was last sharpened; all will be rough enough to appear somewhat like the blade of a saw. When a knife is used in a motion similar to a saw, i.e., pushed back and forth, it will feel much sharper than if you try to push it through the food. Your knife may not need sharpening as much as your technique may. And if you chop with your knife instead of slice, the edge will dull faster.

Assuming that you use the proper technique, I next have to ask: Are your knives made from a material that can be sharpened easily? Most knives of moderate to good quality are nowadays made from high-carbon stainless steel, a material with enough hardness to take an edge. High-carbon steel blades, the type that stain, can also be sharpened very nicely. But the soft, plain stainless-steel blades common in some grocery-store kitchen knives are virtually impossible to sharpen. (There are also knives with ceramic blades that come from the manufacturer very sharp; if they become dull, only the manufacturer can sharpen them.)

Do you take good care of your knives? Why should I sharpen your knife if you don't make the effort to keep your knives sharp? Do you always cut against a wooden cutting board? The softer the cutting board, the easier it is on the knife. I prefer an end-grain wooden board made from a relatively soft wood, but even an edge-grain hardwood board is acceptable. I am not a fan of plastic boards, and I definitely recommend against the use of glass, marble, metal, and bamboo cutting boards. (I also don't like lightweight cutting boards of any material-that can slide on your work surface-but this is more for safety than for maintaining the sharpness of your knife.)

When you use your knife, do you keep it clean by wiping off any food or grease clinging to it? I do this with a damp towel folded over and placed flat on the table. After you finish using your knife, do you wash it with hot water and dry it immediately with a towel? You should. Good knives should never be placed in the dishwasher - even if the manufacturer says that you can. Dishwasher soap can erode the cutting edge and seriously dull a knife. Also, you should never just place your dirty knife in a sink or a pan of soapy water or leave it to dry in a dish rack; this is for safety more than a matter of maintaining sharpness.

How do you store your knives? Are the cutting edges protected in storage? I prefer individual plastic sleeves that slip onto each blade, and then I store my protected knives in a drawer. But there are many other systems that will also protect a knife and maintain its sharpness. Knives should never be stored loose in a drawer with their blades unprotected. It is also best not to store them with the blades resting on their cutting edge.

Now that we know you are using your knife properly and taking good care of it, I will assume that your knife really is dull. But what is dull? It's the state where each of us, as individuals, determines that our knife is not sharp. There can be a couple of reasons why you think your knife is not sharp. The most common one is that the very tip of the cutting edge is pushed or rolled over to one side or another. For a cutting edge that is ground to a fine angle, the absolute edge may actually be a burr produced by the grinding process or a previous sharpening; for blades with heavier edges, it will be just the little pieces of metal that stick out after the grinding. Those little pieces of the edge that make it resemble a saw blade don't work very well when pushed to one side or another, and the burr can be rolled to one side, too.

Steeling A Knife

If all that is needed is just a straightening, the job calls for a "steel." This is that round rod that your father used to slide the carving knife over a number of times before massacring the Thanksgiving turkey. Nowadays, steels are also available with a flat cross-section and with a very fine abrasive coating. All the steel does is straighten the cutting edge - even those with the fine abrasive coating. They are not designed to remove metal from the blade - only straighten the edge.

When used properly, a steel can restore the knife's edge to one that, when used properly, will feel sharp to you. But what is properly? Use of the steel can be a problem as well as a solution. To work effectively, the knife's cutting edge must slide along the steel as close as possible to the angle to which the edge is ground. Most manufacturers do not publish the grinding angle they set on their knives. And if your knife has been sharpened since it was purchased, it may have been reground to a new angle. Sometimes this second condition is an advantage because it may be easier to determine the grind angle by looking at the sharpening machine. Once you know the grind angle, you're ready to start steeling, or honing, your knife.

I have seen three principal methods of steeling and many variations. My preferred method is with the steel held in your non-knife hand, pointed away from your body horizontally and about 45 degrees from being parallel with your shoulders. Hold your knife in a pinch grip, with the cutting edge directed toward your body.
 

Click to view video

Knife Sharpening - Method 1 - Using a Stone

Click to view video

Knife Sharpening - Method 2 - Using a Fixed Angle Rod    

Click to view video

Knife Sharpening - Method 3 - Clamping the Blade

Click to view video

Knife Sharpening - Method 4 - The Ozitech    

Click to view video

Knife Sharpening - Method 5 - Electric Knife Sharpener

Click to view video

About the Butcher

The Healthy Butcher is located in Toronto, Canada and is Toronto’s source for the best tasting and largest selection of Certified Organic meat, specializing in all cuts of locally grown beef, lamb, pork, chicken, bison, elk, duck, ostrich, Cornish hen, quail, goose, and other premium meats.  The store also offers a wide selection of gourmet prepared foods created by their in-house team of chefs always seeking local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. 

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A Short History

The turkey is native to North America.  Long before the Pilgrims landed and started the Thanksgiving tradition, Native Americans of the Southwest had already domesticated the local Mexican breed.  Fattened with corn, these domesticated birds fed the Native Americans, and supplied feathers for garments, blankets, baskets, and ritual objects.  Tribes of the Plains and East hunted turkey with bow and arrow.  Turkeys were brought back to Spain by priests who explored the New World with the Conquistadors in the 1500s.  Once introduced to Europe the turkey quickly became a favorite.  Charles IX of France, for example, is said to have chosen turkey to celebrate his wedding in 1570.  Throughout Europe, turkeys provided a reliable source of meat, and were a common sight in the poultry yard, along with chickens, ducks, and geese.  

The English settlers brought domesticated turkeys back to the new world with them when they settled New England in the early 17th century, not realizing they occurred in the wild there.  By the early 1900's, there were fewer than 30,000 wild turkeys left due to hunting, deforestation and the westward movement of the pioneers.  Happily, federal laws, reintroduction efforts, and conservation have brought the numbers back to about seven million wild birds in the forty-nine states.

The appetite for turkey and the standardization of large scale farming has resulted in the modern commercial turkey which has dominated the market for the last 50 years.  Breeds like the Broad Breasted Bronze and the Large White are bred to produce a lot of meat quickly.  They are larger with a higher percentage of both white meat and meat-to-bone than organic, heritage, or wild birds. This is due to breeding, diet (most of these birds are fed growth hormones and antibiotics), lack of exercise, and water-processing. These birds cannot mate because of the unnaturally large breast, shorter breast bones and legs.  They cannot walk normally, and have very little muscle as a result.  Sadly, these are the turkeys most of us are familiar with, and few have tasted turkey as nature intended it.  

Heritage Pedigree

What sets Heritage Turkey apart from the flock, are these criteria: they must be able to breed naturally, live seven to nine years, and grow slowly.  They are old standard breeds, not modern experiments.  Today, there are only seven Heritage breeds including Standard Bronze (actually a cross between the Narragansett and Eastern Wild breeds developed by early settlers in Rhode Island in the 1700's), Bourbon Red, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black Spanish, Narragansett and White Holland.  

Our Heritage and Wild Turkeys are fed natural whole-grain diets, without any antibiotics or hormones, and are raised free range. The freedom to exercise means they have more muscle than conventional birds.  Processing is often by hand instead of machine. The result is a more intense turkey flavor with less white meat and a leaner texture that requires a tad more care in preserving moistness.  Especially in the Wild Turkeys, the breast meat will be darker than conventional turkeys.  Brining, barding, and basting are common techniques in preparing a tasty heritage bird.

These birds also tend to be smaller. In fact, Heritage Turkeys are largely unavailable in sizes over 20 lbs, and Wild Turkeys rarely grow over 10 lbs.   When deciding what size to serve, a good rule of thumb is to have one pound of turkey for each person.

Organic Turkeys are a delicious alternative to the heritage or wild birds.  They are raised on certified organic whole-grain diets, and given lots of room to move around.  The key difference between commercial and organic birds is their feeding program, farm environment, and processing.  You will find no antibiotics or growth hormones in the diet of these turkeys. They, too, will have more muscle than conventional birds, giving their meat a more intense flavor.

Preparation is the Key

With their richer tasting meat and moister overall texture, it's easy to assume that preparation techniques for Heritage or Wild Turkey are exactly the same as those used for commercial birds. Nothing could be further from the truth.  The fact is that these birds are leaner with a higher percentage of dark meat.  This natural balance of dark to white meat actually makes preparation easier.  Since white meat always cooks faster than dark, the closer the ratio, the easier it is to roast evenly.    

The breast meat is smaller (after all, it hasn't been artificially enlarged) and needs protection during cooking. Covering the breast meat with aluminum foil, or cheesecloth soaked in cooking oil, while cooking is strongly advised.  Remove the covering about 30 minutes before the turkey is done so the breast will brown.  Frequent basting is a must, unless you rub Truffle Butter or olive oil under the skin over the breast, which makes the birds self-basting. Because they are leaner and tend to be smaller, cooking at low temperatures for longer time is also suggested.

by Ariane Daguin, Owner, D'Artagnan

About Ariane Daguin and D'Artagnan

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Sizing your Turkey

To figure out how big of a turkey you need (in pounds), multiply the number of guests by 1.3, then round up. For example: For 11 guests, your turkey should weigh 15 lb (11 x 1.3 = 14.3). Keep in mind that if you're buying a fresh turkey from a quality butcher shop, you may have to suck it up and buy a turkey larger than you need for the one dinner… Why? Farmers grow flocks of turkeys for thanksgiving at the same time (i.e. they are hatched together), and farmers tend to use this occasion to sell larger birds - generally 15-25 lbs.

But don't fret, buying a larger turkey means more leftovers. Freeze the extra cooked turkey and you'll have quick dinners for some time… the options are endless - stir-fry dishes, pizzas, fajitas, chilis, sandwiches, salads and soups are only a few. If you are on a budget, consider purchasing a half-turkey (this option also yields phenomenal results when brined), a large chicken, or a duck.

Brining

DON'T SKIP THIS STEP.  This is the key to achieving The Perfect Turkey. Yes, it involves a little planning. Yes, it involves a little extra work the day before. Trust us, it's worth it. The brine not only brings out the turkey's flavor, but is vital for juiciness and texture.

Brine Recipe

• 1½ cup kosher salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 bunch fresh sage
• 3 tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground
• 2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled

Clean the turkey by removing the giblets and any pin feathers. Rinse well under cold tap water.  Heat ½ gallon of water in a pot, add all brine ingredients into the water, and stir until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.  Chill the brine mixture in the fridge.  Add another ¾ gallon of cold water to the brine. 

For the steeping, you can use a deep roasting pan, casserole dish, or other container big enough to house the turkey and place it in your fridge. Or, if you're like most people and don't have such a container in your arsenal, use two heavy-duty, unscented garbage bags (not made of recycled materials), and put the turkey with the brine in the doubled-bag. Then, you can place the bagged-and-steeped turkey in an ice cooler with a significant supply of ice to ensure the turkey stays cold. The goal in either method is to submerge the bird completely, therefore add more water if needed. If you're using a roasting pan and the turkey is not completely submerged, turn the turkey every few hours and cover with plastic wrap each time. If you're using the garbage bag method, squeeze out as much air as possible and close each bag separately. Make sure to place a bag of ice or other weighted object on the top of the turkey to ensure it stays submerged and does not float to the top.

Brine for 24 hours. Before seasoning or stuffing, remove the turkey from the brine, rinse with cold water, and dry with paper towels.

Seasoning, Stuffing and Gravy

There is no shortage of stuffing and gravy recipes in cookbooks and on the internet.  But what it comes down to is this - if you are going to stuff The Perfect Turkey or make a gravy, we recommend following the recipe that your Mom uses, your Grandma uses, or the one your Aunt Fill-in-the-name uses year-after-year. Seriously, turkey at Thanksgiving is a comfort food - use a recipe that closely resembles what you associate stuffing and gravy to taste like during this occasion. That recipe will yield the best results for you and your family.  Be sure to stuff the turkey right before cooking (not the day before) to avoid the growth of bacteria in your stuffing.

We do, however, strongly suggest the following buttering of your home-made turkey:

Make a herb butter by blending the following ingredients in a food processor:

• 8 tablespoons (one stick) softened unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon

Before cooking your turkey, slide a small rubber spatula between the skin and the breast meat to separate them. Use a spoon and your fingertips to spread about half of the herb butter evenly over the whole breast area. Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the bird. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty - the fat from the turkey combined with the butter will leave your skin feeling soft and supple. ;-)

Season the inside of the cavity with salt, pepper, and two quartered onions.

Roasting

Pre-heat your oven to 325ºF (163ºC). Higher temperatures may toughen protein and cause shrinkage. Although not essential, a cup or two of stock added to the bottom of the roasting pan increases moistness. A thermometer is essential for accuracy in cooking a large turkey.

Roast the turkey, breast-side up, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165ºF (74ºC) for an unstuffed turkey or 175-180ºF (80ºC) for a stuffed turkey. (See roasting chart below for approximate roasting times). Yes, we know that 165ºF doesn't jive with other recipes you'll find which call for 180-185. At 180º, you will have successfully achieved cardboard turkey - congratulations. At 165ºF, turkey is moist and succulent. A temperature of 165ºF is enough (actually 160ºF is enough) to kill contaminants, including salmonella. Plus, keep in mind that the internal temperature will continue to rise several degrees while the turkey is resting for the recommended 20-30 minutes before carving. A stuffed turkey, unfortunately, requires a higher thigh temperature to ensure the stuffing has reached 165ºF - check this with your thermometer as well.

For larger birds (i.e. 15lbs and up), cover the entire pan with a loose tent of aluminum foil for the first 1½ hours, then remove to allow the turkey to brown.

Basting the turkey is always a good idea, but limit the number of times you open and close your oven (once an hour is sufficient). Opening the oven will alter the length of cooking time. Remove turkey when cooking is completed and let stand 25 minutes to allow the juices to set.

Approximate Fresh Turkey Roasting Times @ 325ºF in a Conventional Oven
(every oven is different - convection ovens will reduce the time needed - use this table as a planning guide only; measure the thigh temperature 45 minutes before the estimated time in the table and gauge at that point how much more time your turkey will need.)

Carving

Grasp the tip of one drumstick with your fingers and pull the leg away from the body. Cut through the skin and meat between the drumstick-thigh piece and body. This exposes the joint where the thighbone and backbone connect. With the tip of a knife, disjoint the thighbone from the backbone by cutting through the joint. Repeat on other side.

To separate the thigh and drumstick, cut through the joint where the leg and thigh bones meet. Repeat on the other piece. Hold the drumstick vertically by the tip with the large end down. Slice meat parallel to the bone and under some tendons, turning the leg to get even slices. Next, slice the thigh meat by cutting slices parallel to the bone. Repeat with the remaining drumstick and thigh.

To carve the breast meat, make a deep horizontal cut into the breast above each wing. This cut will be the end point of the breast meat slices.

Remove the wings by cutting through the joint where the wing bone and backbone meet.

To continue carving the breast meat, beginning at the outer edge of one side of the breast, cut slices from the top of the breast down to the horizontal cut as shown. Make the slices thin and even. Finally, smaller slices can follow the curve of the breastbone. Repeat on the other side of the breast.

Final Words

The Perfect Turkey, an organic specimen than is brined and roasted according to the above instructions, will impress any gourmand - guaranteed. Don't forget to match the turkey with a couple of nice wines. A big chardonnay, or a medium-bodied zinfandel should pair well with the turkey, cranberry sauce, and other traditional side dishes.  And enjoy the leftovers as much as the dinner!
 

About the Butcher

The Healthy Butcher is located in Toronto, Canada and is Toronto’s source for the best tasting and largest selection of Certified Organic meat, specializing in all cuts of locally grown beef, lamb, pork, chicken, bison, elk, duck, ostrich, Cornish hen, quail, goose, and other premium meats.  The store also offers a wide selection of gourmet prepared foods created by their in-house team of chefs always seeking local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. 

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