Posts tagged: gravy
The Pig's Top Turkey Tips
Thanksgiving is ONE WEEK AWAY! It always sneaks up on us and no matter how well-prepared we think we are, there are some last minute questions that always come up. We're rounding up our top Thanksgiving tips for you this year to make sure you're on your game! Look no further pig-lovin' friends, we've got your Thanksgiving covered.
Don't forget how long defrosting a turkey actually takes! You can thaw your bird either in the refrigerator or cold water. If you're using the refrigerator, use the equation of 1 day to thaw for every 4lbs of meat. Short on time? No problem. Cold water thawing is much faster at a rate of 30 minutes to thaw for every pound.
No one likes lumpy gravy... Bust out the sieve or strainer! This will get all those gross lumps right out. You can also use your good ol’ blender to puree the lumps outta there.
Did you mail-order a Pig of the Month BBQ Feast, Whole Turkey, or Smoked Turkey Breast? First off, high five for being a Thanksgiving genius. You just made your life SO much easier. Now that you've got the main attractions covered, it's time to think sides that go with all the POM deliciousness. If you want to make something extra, go for the veggies. For a quick fix, grab your fav veggies, chop them up and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder or chopped garlic. Roast on a lined, rimmed baking sheet at 400 degrees until tender. Have everyone else bring the rest of the fixings and kick up you feet to watch the Thanksgiving parade.
Come on, you can do better than plain ol' canned cranberry sauce. We'll solve this with one word – ORANGE. Add about 1 tsp of orange zest and 1/2 Tbsp of orange juice (or more if you prefer). This will brighten up that plain old canned cranberry sauce so much that your guests will be asking for the recipe. Shhhhh, we’ll keep the secret for ya!
Aren't Thanksgiving leftovers the BEST? Answer = YES. The best (and safest) way is to cool everything down. Pack leftovers in shallow containers instead of big deep containers so they cool faster. Yes, it’s a bit of work with all those containers and playing refrigerator Tetris, but the small containers will help your leftovers stay fresh and take up less space in the fridge!
This is the tip that will save you countless times in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. Chicken stock is your ultimate Thanksgiving savior. Simply keep a large saucepan of chicken stock warm on the stove throughout the day. It can rescue dry stuffing, too-thick gravy, dry turkey, and countless other emergencies that pop up at the absolute worst time. Anything you have leftover can be stored or frozen for later use, or use it as a base for leftover turkey soup! Who's ready to conquer Thanksgiving? You are! Don't forget to check out our mega list of 50+ Thanksgiving tips for even more turkey day wisdom! If it's all too much and you're tired of basting a bird for 6+hours, let us do all the work and order you smoked turkey today! Ships free with code "novship"
Pimento Pulled Pork Poutine
Pimento Pulled Pork Poutine! I dare you to say that five times fast...
Tongue-tied yet? Well, this poutine is exactly what you need to untie that bad boy and get down on some serious pulled pork. Poutine is one of my all-time favorite gluttonous meals to indulge in. After years and years of eating the same go-to recipe, I've decided to shake things up a bit by adding a hefty helping of pulled pork and ditching the cheese curds for some creamy, spicy pimento cheese spread. This is quite possibly the best combo of Canada meets Southern comfort you've ever tasted.
This dish is a glorious mess that people will be swooning for on game day this Sunday. Whether you're rooting for the Broncos or the Panthers on game day, this poutine is a must-have for your Super Bowl spread.
Hint: You can even whip up some frozen fries for this dish if you'd like to save time and get to the poutine sooner!
INSTRUCTIONS: Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
While the potatoes are chilling, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in flour until the mixture is smooth. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Add beef stock, ketchup, and Worcestershire. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened, approximately 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm on low heat until ready to serve.
Pour enough oil into a dutch oven to be 3" deep. Heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 325 degrees. Drain potatoes and dry completely with paper towels. Fry the potatoes, working in small batches, until tender and just crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Cool for 20 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high and allow oil to heat to reach 375 degrees. Fry potatoes in the same small batches, until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Remove to fresh paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Add fries to an overproof baking dish. Top with the pulled pork, spreading it evenly across the whole dish.
Spoon the gravy over the fries and dollop the pimento cheese spread all over the top. Bake for approximately 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately.
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Recipe & Photos by Meghan Bassett
