I want to share with you the only turkey recipe you will ever need.
It's the world's simplest, fuss free turkey that comes out juicy and tender every time.
Want to know the secret?
(Besides the obvious... It has to be a HEAL Farms turkey OF COURSE)
My secret weapon is to use an electric roaster!
It's self-basting so the turkey comes out super juicy and saves me SO much time Thanksgiving day.
Plus, it frees up space in the oven for the other items I have to cook that day.
No more fussing over constantly basting that turkey or juggling around side dishes in the oven that can't fit.
Do yourself a favor and get an electric roaster, it's seriously worth it.
Note: This same recipe can be used in the oven as well, you will just want to baste your turkey at least every 30 minutes throughout the cooking time. And the turkey will need to be covered once it has browned.
With that said, let's get into these delicious recipes I want to share with you to help make your Thanksgiving meals one of the best ever.
Easy Fool-Proof Turkey
Ingredients:
1 HEAL Farms Turkey
2 sticks of butter (room temperature)
3-4 sprigs of your choice of fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano are most popular)
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional- 3 to 4 cups of broth (Broth in the bottom is not necessary in an electric roaster, but I like to add it to give myself extra drippings for gravy making later. I use a pack of our turkey wings and/or giblets to make the broth)
Optional- a couple cut carrots, celery stalks, lemon, extra spices, and an onion are optional to put inside the cavity while cooking to add flavor.
Directions:
Things to do ahead of time:
Make sure your turkey is completely thawed. I recommend putting it in your refrigerator 4-5 days before Thanksgiving day.
Mix butter, chopped seasonings and garlic. Let set for at least 3 hours for flavors to combine before using.
Allow turkey to come to room temperature by taking it out of the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking.
Optional- Remove the the neck and giblets and boil in about 4 cups of water to create the broth.
Day of Instructions:
Preheat electric roaster to 400 degrees.
Remove giblets from the cavity (if you haven't already) and pat turkey dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the breast, spreading the herb butter mixture under the skin.
Spread herb butter all over the outside of the skin and in the cavity.
Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the outside to taste.
Tie drumsticks together with twine and carefully place it in the roaster breast side up.
Tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent them from burning.
I recommend using a wired thermometer to avoid having to lift the lid to check the temperature which will cause the heat to be lost and result in a longer cooking time.
Optional- Pour broth into bottom. (As mentioned, this is not necessary in a electric roaster, but I like to give myself extra broth for future gravy making.)
Cover with lid, and roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
Without opening the lid, reduce temperature to 325 and continue roasting until the turkey is completely cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees at the deepest part of the thigh.
Time depends on the size of your turkey. Estimate 8-10 minutes per pound. So anywhere from 2-4 hours.
Let stand for at least 30 minutes or more before carving to allow juices to seal in.
Serve and enjoy!
Turkey Gravy (with paleo option)
After the turkey is done cooking, I will use the drippings/broth to make the most amazing gravy.
Ingredients:
4 cups of broth (use the drippings from the turkey for the best flavor)
4 tablespoons of butter
4 tablespoons of flour (I use arrowroot starch for the paleo option)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat.
Add flour or arrowroot starch and whisk continually until smooth.
Once smooth, slowly pour in WARM (not cold) broth a small amount at a time and whisk continuously. (It will be lumpy at first, but keep whisking and it will smooth out)
Once you've added all the broth and gravy is smooth, continue cooking and whisking occasionally until you reach desired thickness. It gets thicker the longer you cook it.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
5 lbs of potatoes (I prefer Yukon Gold)
1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons)
8 oz. block of cream cheese- this is the secret ingredient that makes them insanely delicious!
1/2 to 1 cup of milk.
Salt
Directions:
Wash potatoes, peel if desired, and dice into 1 inch pieces.
Place them in a pot and fill with cold water to cover about 1 inch above the potatoes
Add 1 tablespoon of salt.
Bring to a boil over medium to high heat.
Boil until fork tender, about 12-15 minutes.
Strain out water and return to pot.
Add in butter and cream cheese and cover with a lid so they soften. (I cut them in chunks so they melt faster).
Use potato masher or a mixer to mash the potatoes.
Add 1/2 cup of milk, salt and pepper and mix well. Add more milk if desired to get the consistency you want.
Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with fresh herbs and pads of butter for serving.
Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
12 oz. bag of cranberries
2 oranges (to yield 1/2 cup OJ and 1/2 for grating)
1 cup of HEAL Farms honey (can use maple syrup or 1.5 cups of sugar)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice (not full)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 or 2 apples peeled and diced (small pieces)
Directions:
Use food processor or blender to completely blend 1/2 of an orange (peel included, just chop off the end).
Put grated orange, 1/2 cup of orange juice, and 1 cup of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
Add cranberries, honey, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
Boil on medium to high heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The last 5 minutes, stir more frequently to prevent scorching.
Pour into food processor and pulse a few times.
Pour into a bowl and mix in the diced apples. (Note- apples are not cooked).
Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Best when done the day before.
Paleo Sweet Potato Casserole
This recipe can easily be doubled and put into a larger baking dish. Cook an extra 10 minutes for a larger dish. I recommend covering the top for the first 15 minutes so the topping doesn't get burned.
Ingredients:
3 cups of cooked mashed sweet potato (Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour)
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
1/3 cup of melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of milk
Topping:
1 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons coconut flour
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup raw pecans, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs together.
Mix in the melted butter, pure maple syrup, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add mashed sweet potatoes and mix well.
Add the milk and beat with electric mixture until smooth.
Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish (2 quarts).
In a separate bowl, mix topping ingredients and sprinkle topping over sweet potato mixture.
Bake for 25-30 minutes and enjoy!
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
This recipe can also be doubled for large parties.
Ingredients:
1 to 1.5 lbs of brussel sprouts
5 slices of uncooked bacon, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove ends of brussel sprouts and chop in half if they're large.
Add the trimmed brussel sprouts and chopped uncooked bacon to a large sheet pan.
Drizzle the olive oil and maple syrup over the top and mix to coat.
Once coated, spread everything out evenly on the sheet pan.
Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping/tossing half way through.
Transfer to serving dish and serve warm.
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