Make the most of your turkey bits
Not trying to cook a whole bird? There are all sorts of ways to savor a good bit of turkey. We get our turkeys from Garden Gate, a small, sustainable operation run by husband and wife duo Beth and Doug Rinkenberger. They grow a little bit of everything, and Doug actually also does a lot of deliveries for a handful of local farms we also love, which means we can often get goodies we wouldn’t have access to otherwise. The turkeys they raise are incredibly well-fed and pastured.
turkey wings, roasted with sunflower oil, Chi-racha, soy, honey, rice vinegar, mustard, garlic glaze on a rice bowl w/ ferments and a side salad, just out of the frame, made from shaved watermelon radishes, carrots, onions and spinach
looks small in a photograph, but 1 package of wings, drums or breasts absolutely serves 4 or more in real life
TOM’S HOMEMADE TURKEY STOCK
We think that most things made at home are better than store-bought and turkey stock is certainly one of those things. Roast a package of turkey wings. Eat the meat or save it for a sandwich later. Save the drippings for gravy. Saute a minced onion, then add some salt, pepper, garlic, and a chopped carrot, let that cook a bit, add water, add bones, simmer until it’s delicious.
USE THAT STOCK TO MAKE A GRAVY
Gravy requires stock or broth and you better believe it’s incredibly amazing made from broth that is made from scratch. Here’s a guide. Add some fresh sage from Smits right at the end for a true treat!
TREAT IT JUST LIKE CHICKEN
Turkey is similar enough to chicken that it can take on almost any chicken seasoning like a pro. Korean style? Yep. Smothered in paprika and baked? Absolutely. Slow cooked in your favorite vinegary sauce until it’s pulled turkey bbq? You betcha.
*Want the whole bird, anyway? Garden Gate also supplies to a great butcher in Oak Park called Carnivore - we just realized we’ve been living on his turkey already for months, now. He has just a few whole birds left - some ready for you to do your magic and some incredibly succulent smoked turkeys that are ready to be warmed (and can also be eaten cold).