Brine, Baby, Brine

Thanksgiving next week – are you getting ready?  I’m not cooking yet, just thinking, thinking…  To brine or not to brine, that is the question.  Downside – you can’t stuff the turkey (although I prefer it unstuffed, so works for me).  Upside – crisp skin, moist flesh, great flavor.  I say brine. The recipe for herb-roasted turkey and gravy I follow is here.

Dishes that so far make the Thanksgiving ’08 cut include said turkey, simple savory stuffing, do-ahead sour cream mashed potatoes, and spiced cranberry relish mold.  My aunt Mary is bringing a not-overly-so sweet potato dish, Marge her to-die-for pies.  I’m still considering which vegetable I’d like to make.  Texturally, it needs to be something with body/crunch, I’m leaning toward brussels with a bit of bacon.  Have yet to nail down an appetizer concept as well – no matter what, simple, light, crunchy, something like olives, crudités, nuts.  Stay tuned…

Moderate it: one more plus in the brine column – stuffing baked outside the bird has half the calories of stuffing baked inside.

Stuffed only with aromatics

Nice…