Friends

I've been having a bit of stress trying to figure out how to cook a turkey.

The inner chef in me wants to go all Food Network and brine a turkey and roast it all fancy-like.  I've been doing research on turkeys, and you really shouldn't brine a regular ol' turkey from the grocery store because they are injected with a solution that already includes salt.

Brining is where you soak your meat in a salty solution (that also includes other flavorings, and usually sugar) to break up the connective tissues (or something like that) in your meat, allowing it to be juicier and have more flavor once it is cooked.  This isn't just a theory.  I brine chicken and pork ANY TIME I cook it and the difference is obvious.

Anyhow, soaking an already salted turkey in a salt solution will result in what?  An incredibly salty turkey.

So I toyed with the idea of taking a plain ol' frozen turkey from the grocery store, and thawing it, then brining it, but decreasing the salt in my brine by half.  But that still makes me nervous because it is entirely experimental, and I don't want to serve a nasty salt lick to 15 people.

Another idea I had was to take a plain ol' frozen turkey from the grocery store, and thaw it in the sink, in water, hoping that osmosis would remove some of the salty solution from the plain ol' turkey.  Using this method, I thought I might re-fill the sink with fresh water every 6 hours or so, to get as much salt out of the turkey as possible.  And then brine it, but still decreasing my salt by half.

I'm still uncomfortable with the idea.

With the help of some friends, I have discovered where I can purchase a turkey that has not been injected with junk.  However, for the turkey I want it is $85.  I would pay that in a heart beat, if I could guarantee that I wouldn't mess up the turkey.  Either way, Lance is uncomfortable paying that much.

So here I am, back at square one, wanting a super moist, super flavorful, gourmet turkey, but not  a decision on what turkey to buy or how to cook it.

I've gotten some great tips from Tearsa, a co-worker of mine, that I might end up using if I can't find a cheaper non-injected turkey.

Some other friends on Facebook have given me good ideas of where to purchase turkeys, but I am still looking into price on those.

I found a great turkey at Whole Foods for around $50, but the closest location is in Cottonwood Heights.

I think Lance is getting frustrated and doesn't understand why I just won't cook a plain ol' turkey from the grocery store.  I'm not sure I understand why I don't want to either.  It's not that I'm too good.  It's not that they aren't good enough.  I guess I just want to try something different.  I like experimenting with techniques and flavors with food and I want Thanksgiving to be a wonderfully amazing dinner.  Maybe no one else that I am eating with really cares.

Either way, I'm thankful for all the friends who have been patient with my questions and who have given me tips and advice.  And if you're reading this, and have more tips and advice, please do share!

Other things I am making for Thanksgiving are:

• Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce
• Candied Yams (I don't have a recipe... basically yams or sweet potatoes, lots of butter, lots of brown sugar, cinnamon, and toasted marshmallows on top)
• Butterbeer

I feel it's a sin that I'm not making gravy out of the turkey drippings...or adding turkey drippings to the stuffing, but Lance's sister, Laura, wanted to make the gravy (she's also doing the potatoes), and Nicole wanted to make the stuffing.