Cider-Brined Turkey Breast

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We will, of course, have a feast on Thanksgiving Day, but the Silver Fox and I shared a more traditional meal with friends back in September. Knowing that an overseas assignment would keep them from celebrating at home, we decided to have a Pilgrim feast for them before they left. I packed the meal with old-fashioned favorites but gave each of the courses a slightly modern twist, and, because we were all dieting, I cut back on calories wherever I could. The star of the show was a large turkey breast that I decided to soak in a spiced apple cider brine. The brine produced a moist and nicely flavored bird that deserved the place of honor it was given at the table. I used a fresh turkey rather than one that had been injected with a solution that might make it too salty. As an added precaution, I rinsed the bird and then covered it with cold water and let it sit for about 15 minutes to assure that salts that might have accumulated on its surface were washed away. Because we like poultry with really crisp skin, I dried the bird and let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for several hours before putting it in the oven. To heighten the apple flavor I worked a tablespoon of apple juice concentrate into the butter I used to coat the bird. If you also enjoy crisp skin, it is important not to baste the turkey once it goes into the oven. If you remove it from the oven when its internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, it will not be dry. At this time of year it's easy to find turkey parts that can be used to make a flavorful gravy well ahead of serving. I generally make a quart of gravy and add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of good apple cider to half of it, giving folks a choice of apple or a standard savory gravy from one simple preparation. I've never found Thanksgiving dinner hard to make, but it does require exquisite planning. The dinner I made for our friends was quite lovely and over the next few days I'll be sharing some of my favorite holiday recipes with you. I thought I'd start with the turkey. Here's how it's made.

Cider-Brined Turkey Breast...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Brine
4 cups water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves
3 crushed garlic cloves
2 bay leaves, broken into pieces
4 quarter-size slices fresh ginger
Peel and juice of 1 orange
Peel and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
1 teaspoon whole allspice, coarsely cracked
1/2 gallon unsweetened apple cider, chilled (8 cups)
Turkey
8 to 10-pound fresh turkey breast

Directions:
1) Place water, salt, sugar, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, crushed garlic, bay leaves, ginger, orange and lemon peel and their juices in a large saucepan. Coarsely crush peppercorns and allspice and add to ingredients in pan. Bring mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in apple cider and cool to room temperature. Submerge turkey in brine, adding additional water as need to cover. Chill for 12 to 24 hours.
2) Remove turkey from brine. Rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry. Transfer to a large baking pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, for several hours. This allows skin to dry and will allow it to crisp as it cooks.
3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer turkey to a heavy roasting pan. Cover skin with softened butter or olive oil. Add one cup of water to bottom of pan and place turkey in hot oven. Cooking time will vary depending on size of turkey breast. Check wrapper and cook according to weight. Roast until internal temperature at thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees F. Allow turkey to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

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Mulled Cranberry and Cider Punch

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a simple, but festive, holiday sipper for those occasions when you want to provide a non-alcoholic alternative for children and guests who are teetotalers. It is really simple to make, and while it was first prepared for a large gathering, you can reduce the quantity of ingredients and serve it for a family holiday brunch. This is best prepared several hours before serving. While it can be poured immediately, time gives the ingredients a chance to blend and mellow, and greatly improves the flavor of the finished punch when it is warmed. You can add spices to taste, but be careful to limit the amount of cloves you use. They can add a bitter taste and will spoil the punch if you use them too freely. I think those of you who try this will enjoy it. It would be a perfect drink to serve at a tree trimming party. The recipe appears below. Before I close, I wanted to thank the very special folks who are responsible for the photo blog, Knapkins. They have created a beautiful site and taken away the need for participating blogs to submit photos for publication. They do the hard work and free us to concentrate on our own blogs and recipe creation. It's like having a second pair of hands to help with the work. I really hope you pay them a visit and see how tastefully they do what they do. You can visit their site, here.

Mulled Cranberry and Cider Punch...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 cups apple cider
6 cups cranberry juice
3 cups orange juice
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Optional: red food coloring

Directions:
Several hours before serving, combine all ingredients in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for several minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit at room temperature for several hours. Reheat before serving. Yield: 20 to 24 servings.








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Apple Cider Donuts and the Halloween Donut Game

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Among my favorite memories of childhood are the block parties we had to celebrate Halloween. They were festive affairs that began with a parade and ended with a bonfire of fiercesome proportions, at least to those of us who had not yet reached the four foot mark. Tucked between the parade and bonfire were the games and challenges that we've all come to associate with Halloween. My favorite was the donut game. October weather in Chicago was iffy and getting drenched while bobbing for apples was not my cup of tea. I could handle wet, but wet and cold was beyond the pale. Besides, I liked donuts way more than apples and in short order became a champion at the donut game. Now, for those who have never played, the object of the game is simple. You try to eat donuts that are hung from a bar by strings of varying length. The only trick is that you can't use your hands to assist in the task. Hands must at all times be clasp behind the back and any infraction disqualifies you from the game. Back then we knew nothing about political correctness and things were called as they were seen. If you used your hands you were a cheater and were thusly labeled. Onerous, but then they were harsh times. While it is easy to see the connection between apples and the season, I've never really understood how donuts came to be included in festivities. I recently found an explanation that makes some sense of it. Fall was the traditional season for hogs to be put down. That meant cooks had plenty of rendered fat in which the donuts could be fried. I, for the life of me, can't find an explanation for the use of cider in donuts. Someone, somewhere, obviously thought it was a good idea and they were right. Cider donuts have a dense yet tender crumb that we've come to associate with cake donuts that are made with baking powder rather than yeast. The hint of spice and tang of buttermilk make them perfect for this time of year and for Halloween games. The donuts can be glazed if you like, but I prefer mine with a just a sprinkling of sugar. I know you'll like these. Here's the recipe.

Apple Cider Doughnuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Lauren Dawson

Ingredients:
Donuts
1 cup apple cider
3-1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat or nonfat work fine)
Vegetable oil for frying
Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider

Directions:
1) To make donuts: Place apple cider in a saucepan over medium heat and slowly reduce quantity to about 1/4 cup, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool.
2) Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
3) Beat butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Add eggs, one at a time beating just until incorporated.Reduce speed to low and gradually add cider reduction and buttermilk, mixing just until combined. Add flour and mix just until dough comes together.
4) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and sprinkle them generously with flour. Turn dough onto 1 sheet and sprinkle the top with flour. Flatten dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if dough is still wet. Transfer dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Remove from freezer. Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Place cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto second sheet pan. Refrigerate doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes.
5) Add enough oil to a deep-sided pan to measure a depth of about 3 inches. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees.
6) To make glaze: While cut donuts are chilling, make glaze by whisking confectioners' sugar and cider together until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
7) To fry and assemble: Add a few doughnuts to oil, being careful not to crowd pan, and fry until golden brown, about 60 seconds. Turn doughnuts over and fry until other side is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Drain on paper towels. Dip top of still warm doughnuts into glaze or granulated sugar and serve immediately.Yield: 18 donuts.









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Red Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wanted to feature a fall holiday drink that can be enjoyed by children and adults who do not use alcohol. This one is very easy to do and only a witch's brew could be more seasonally appropriate. The drink has two ingredients: really good apple cider and cinnamon red hot candies. The two are heated together until the candies melt. That's all there is to it. This is tastiest when served warm.

Red Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 quart apple cider
1/4 cup cinnamon red hot candies

Directions:
Place apple cider and cinnamon candies in a large sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until candies have melted. Serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Apple Cider Milkshake Recipe - Amanda’s Cookin
Pumpkin Spice Hot White Chocolate Recipe - The Luna Cafe
Hot Caramel Apple Drink Recipe - Real Mom Kitchen
DIY Sparking Beverage Recipe - Elana’s Pantry
Pumpkin Chai Smoothie Recipe - Group Recipes
Warm Cacao with Cinnamon Recipe Made With Almond Milk and Agave - Rawmazing Raw Dood

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.