Thanksgiving for Two Is A Lot Harder than Thanksgiving for Many

In years past, I've cooked the Thanksgiving meal for as many as twenty and as small as six, but this year's feast for only me and the hubs was harder to execute well. I bought the smallest turkey I could find. And miracle of miracles, it fit in my fridge without having to remove any shelves.              

However, I thought that almost ten pounds of turkey was way too much for two people, and so right away I decided to spatchcock and split the bird in half. I watched YouTube videos on how-to and luckily, so did the hubs. I took out my brine and rub kit I got on clearance last year and decided to break that down into halves as well.

And then hyperextended my back while lifting something and suffered spasms in my sciatica sometime this week at work. WOW. I've never had knee or back injuries, and I've so much more empathy for people who suffer these pains chronically. I did however, get some green ware bowls done before being unable to unload the glaze and bisque kilns. I'm fortunate that my friend, Meral will help with that this Monday after the holiday weekend and I'll be into week one with the healing (I'm giving my back as many as 4-weeks-break from any lifting if I can help it). 

Back to the turkey. I was stiff and suffering searing spasms and luckily had the Wednesday off to recover, and so the husband did all the butchering. He used garden shears to cut out the back bone and then hack the turkey in two. I bagged half and stuck it in the freezer, and reserved the backbone and neckbone and giblets for the gravy. I dissolved the spices and salt into water and buttermilk for a marinade.

I put the other half into a half sheet (or is it quarter sheet?)pan and cut stale bread into cubes and set them on a separate sheet pan to dry even further.

And rested my back but walked the dog because walking plus acetaminophen and ibuprofen and a heating pad made my back feel looser and more limber.  And so I got to prepping. I removed the turkey from the brining bag and toweled it dry. I cut sprigs of rosemary and sage and thyme from the herb garden and cut up a lemon and onion into small wedges and laid them all onto a sheet pan. I put the neck and back bones into a pot and started boiling them for stock.

Next I prepped the bird. I salted it and then layered on top of the citrus and herbs. I put knobs of butter under the skin and then dry-rubbed spices and salt on top of the skin. 

And then it was time to walk the dog. Hubs said the turkey should go into the oven at least by 3:00 to be done by 6:00, and I said that was too early. However, we went ahead and popped the bird into a 200 degree oven because we could just keep it warm even if it were already cooked. Once we got home, I got started on the dressing. Sautéed onions and celery and herbs in butter and drained some of the turkey drippings into the cast iron. Poured myself a glass of Chardonnay.

And looked on while the hubs checked the temperature of the turkey, for I had let him take over roasting duty. And before I knew it, I had to hustle to get the stuffing and apple pie into the oven and the potatoes boiling so I could mash them with butter and heavy whipping cream and make a roux to fold into the turkey broth for a gravy. I had already asked the hubs to sauté the Savoy cabbage which was the only green vegetable other than lettuce in my refrigerator drawer. 

 

There were some fails. A marinated half turkey doesn't produce enough crispy skin, nor enough golden brown pan drippings to flavor and make a gravy luxurious (though the marinade did produce a tender, moist meat which will make for awesome turkey sandwiches later). I forgot to buy my favorite cranberry orange relish from Trader Joe's and missed that fruity and tangy accompaniment. I put way too much broth into my stuffing and then tried to dry it out too fast which resulted in burning the bottom, but I saved it by putting what was not burnt into a glass baking dish to pop into the oven with the apple pie. I forgot chives and green onion to add the allium taste and pop of green I love on mashed potatoes. The hubs insisted on taking the cast iron from me before I could scrape all the burnt stuffing out of it, which then ended up on the cabbage though they didn't taste burnt. And I forgot to cook and add the giblets to the gravy, which I just threw into the bag of the other half of the turkey in the freezer. HOWEVER,

we were grateful that it was all savory and delicious if all brown and beige and white in color. And I had plenty of wine.

Enough wine to still enjoy my slice of crisp, Dutch apple pie with lots of whipped cream. T'was a good thanksgiving for two.