"BBQ MADE SIMPLE-THANKSGIVING SPECIAL-VOLUME 2"
A Subscriber based Monthly Newsletter
From your friends at TexasBBQRub.com
For Everyone Who Enjoys Cooking on Grills and Smokers
Take just a couple of seconds and send this to 5 of your friends
right now. They will thank you for it.
As I promised you in the last newsletter here is a special recipe
newsletter for November 2012. This will add a few recipes to your
list. We have included the recipe for smoked turkey, beer can
turkey, fried turkey, smoked ham and a recipe for Texas Style
cornbread dressing with a couple of different twists to the
dressing that you might want to try out.
Just a quick note to all of our newsletter family. Have a Happy
Thanksgiving from Carrie, Blake, Mike and Bill and if you are
traveling to be with friends and family please be safe.
COOKING THE BIG BIRD - TURKEY
Smoking a turkey is a fantastic way to cook a turkey. You don't
have to hold off smoking a turkey on just the Thanksgiving and
Christmas holidays, smoke it any time you wish. This is an easy
and fun thing to cook anytime of the year. Of course the costs of
the birds are a little higher during the off seasons but you can
still find a nice bird to cook at around a buck a pound out of
the prime turkey seasons.
Important points to remember about smoking a turkey
Food safety is a primary concern when smoking a turkey. Turkeys
are great for smoking but it is usually best to choose a whole
turkey weighing 10 to 12 pounds for your best results. Larger
turkeys stay in the danger zone of bacterial growth too long when
you choose a turkey that weighs above 12 pounds. Remember the
safety zone is below 40 degrees and above 140 degrees. Larger
turkeys placed on the pit will stay in the range between 40 and
140 degrees just a little longer than we like to expose meat to
bacterial growth. So be careful.
Never stuff a turkey you are going to smoke on the pit. Again, it
takes too long for the stuffing to reach the safe temperature
range due to the slow smoking temperatures you are using. So keep
the dressing/stuffing for the oven.
To thaw a frozen turkey there are three recommended ways you
should thaw the turkey. First, if you buy a frozen turkey, keep
the bird in the freezer until you begin the thawing process. Thaw
a turkey under refrigeration, in cold water, or in the microwave
oven.
" * *Refrigeration- Allow about 24 hours per 5 pounds to thaw in
the refrigerator
" * *In cold water- allow approximately 30 to 45 minutes per
pound to thaw in cold water. You will need to change the cold
water about every 30 minutes or so. NEVER USE WARM OR HOT WATER
to thaw a turkey. And always change the water every 30 minutes.
Once the turkey has thawed out you may refrigerate it. Keep the
temperature of the turkey under 40 degrees until you are ready to
use it.
" * *Microwave- Follow the directions of the microwave's
manufacturer, as each microwave oven is different in the power.
One point is that once you have thawed a turkey using the
microwave oven you cannot put it back in the refrigerator and
store it. You have to use it immediately.
If you elect to use a fresh turkey, which is preferred, you will
need to store it under 40 degrees until you use it. Don't try to
keep it for several days, always get the fresh turkey the day
before you will need it. You should check with your butcher or
store to see if you can order the fresh turkey in advance then
pick it up as late as you can before cooking.
How much turkey to buy?
How much turkey do you need? Generally, you will need one pound
of turkey for each person you are going to serve. This will allow
for a meal with some leftovers for the next days turkey
sandwiches.
Remember too, that we are going to see some great deals on
turkeys during the holiday periods so buy two or three and keep
them frozen. A frozen turkey will keep for up to one year. So buy
a couple of extra this holiday season and then you will have a
couple to cook during the year. They are great during the summer
when we start thinking about turkey but the price has gone up and
we don't feel like spending the money for one then. You can also
buy a couple and try cooking them in different ways to see what
you like the best. Smoke one on the pit and then either cook one
the conventional way in the oven or try frying one.
OK Let's Smoke a Turkey - It is Easy and Taste Great
What you will need:
1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
1 bottle Italian Dressing - I prefer Wishbone
1 cup of Texas BBQ Rub (original or Texas Wild are my
preferences)
1 or 2 onions (optional)
3 stalks of celery (optional)
3 whole cloves of garlic (optional)
1 Reynolds turkey-cooking bag (optional)
1) * Clean turkey - wash the turkey inside and out, remove the
giblets from the cavity of the turkey. Set aside to dry or pat
dry if you wish. If your turkey comes with a built in internal
meat thermometer remove it.
2) * Take the bottle of Italian dressing and pour it into a glass
pan or bowl. To this add ½ cup of Texas BBQ Rub and mix well.
(You should have a nice looking mixture that turns a light brown
color) Work some of the Italian-Rub mix under the skin of the
turkey without removing the skin. Use your fingers to get the
Italian-Rub mix into all the areas under the skin of the bird
(try not to tear the skin). With the remaining Italian-Rub mix
coat the outside and inside of the bird.
3) * Apply the remaining ½ cup of Texas BBQ Rub over the
Italian-Rub mix on the outside of the bird.
4) * Your smoker should be set up for indirect smoking at a
temperature of 225 degrees to 250 degrees.
5) * If you are using the celery, onions, and garlic cut the
celery stalks into two or three pieces and put in the cavity of
the turkey before smoking. The onions can be cut into quarters
and placed in the cavity. The garlic should be used to your taste
but cut the cloves and place in the cavity as well.
6) * I personally use a Reynolds turkey cooking bag and place the
turkey in the bag. Follow the directions that come with the bag
except I cut about 10 slits in the bag when using it for smoking.
The bag will allow for a nice smoke flavor (but not too much
smoke) and it will help speed up the cooking time a bit and help
maintain great moisture for the turkey. The bag will also keep
the turkey from turning a really dark brown color. If you use the
bag you can place some celery, onion and garlic in the bag.
Put the turkey on the smoker and there will be no need to baste
the turkey. Cook at 225 to 235 degrees until the internal
temperature of the turkey reaches 160 to 165 degrees. Check the
internal temperature of the turkey in the thigh area. Approximate
cooking times will be 5 to 7 hours. The cooking time is basically
twice as long as a traditionally cooked turkey. When the turkey
reaches 160 degrees take off the smoker and set aside for
approximately 20 to 30 minutes before you carve it up.
Beer Can Turkey
Another option for those of you who like to cook beer butt
chicken is to try a beer butt turkey. Use a can of Fosters beer,
the big can to set up the turkey on. Use Italian dressing to
cover the outside of the turkey and cover with Texas BBQ Rub. Set
it up on the pit and cook until the internal temperature reaches
160 to 165 degrees.
Order Texas BBQ Rub right now so you will have it in the pantry
for smoking that turkey and to have on hand for the holidays. You
can order it at Product Catalog [Texas BBQ Rub] . Trust me you
will love it and our 100% money back, no questions asked
guarantee is the best in the industry. You owe it to yourself, so
go ahead and order some now. You have nothing to lose, if you
don't like our rub, just send us and email and we will cheerfully
refund the money you paid for the rub.
Our 2 videos on Smoking a Turkey
If you missed the last newsletter we prepared 2 videos on smoking
a turkey. I ran out of time to do a new video on the smoked
turkey and also did not get time to do the smoked ham video. They
will be coming; we just have been busy shipping out rub and
getting ready for Thanksgiving.
Video # 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoBlzlw_K88
Video # 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDvYOMrRVUs
Pass these links on to friends that you think will be interested
in smoking a turkey.
Glazed Smoked Ham
This is a great way to take one of those ready to eat store
bought cooked hams and make a really special ham for the
Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. The combination of Texas BBQ
Rub and either honey or Texas Pepper Jelly
(Habanero and Jalapeno Jellies at Texas Pepper Jelly) makes this one a special treat.
What you will need:
1- cooked ham (like you get at the store)( I like to use a spiral
cut ham so you do not have to score it like the recipe says)
1 cup of honey
¼ cup of Texas BBQ Rub Original or Grand Champion rub
1 cup of pineapple juice
6 oz of Coke or Dr Pepper soda (do not use the diet versions)
Optional - 4 oz of Texas Pepper Jelly Habanero and Jalapeno Jellies at Texas Pepper Jelly
(my choice is Pineapple Habanero for the ham)
Preparation for this ham is so easy.
For the Smoker
Prepare your smoker and get your fire up to cooking temperature.
Total cooking time will be approximately 4 hours at 200 to 220
degrees. You don't have to cook this ham you are just warming it
up.
Place the ham in an aluminum pan so it can sit in it while it is
cooking. Take the store bought ready to eat ham and score the ham
with a cris-cross pattern down into the ham about 1 inch. (If you
are using one of the spiral cut hams you can skip this cutting of
the ham.) *Mix together the 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice, ½ cup
of honey, and 1/8 of a cup of Texas BBQ Rub and pour over the top
of the ham. Place the ham on the smoker uncovered and cook for
about 2 1/2 hours. After 2 ½ hours, pour the 6 oz of Coke or Dr.
Pepper over the ham and cover the ham in foil and cook for
another hour.
For the final glaze, mix ½ cup of pineapple juice 1/8 cup of
Texas BBQ Rub, ½ cup of honey and pour over the ham for the last
1/2 hour of the cook.
As an alternate for the final glaze you can use 4 oz of Texas
Pepper Jelly over the top of the ham and cook for 1/2 hour. You
can also use the Texas Pepper Jelly on the table as a sauce to
put directly on the ham for those that want to really take the
ham to the next level. Just put a tablespoon on your plate and
dip the bite size pieces of ham directly into the jelly for a
great taste addition.
If you are smoking the ham the day before and just want to heat
it up, you can prepare the ham up to the last glaze part of the
recipe and the next morning you can take the ham out of the
refrigerator, place in the oven at 225 degrees and heat the ham
for about 2 to 3 hours. During this time add the final glaze and
you will have the ham ready when you are ready to eat.
In the Oven
You can do this same ham in the oven and the only thing you will
be missing is the smoke flavor added by the smoking process but
this is some great ham. If you would like to add some smoke
flavor to the oven cooked ham you can do so by adding about ¼ cup
of liquid smoke to the first mix and this will add some smoke
flavor to the ham. Not as good as cooking on the smoker but it
will work if you are cooking this in the oven.
BILL'S HOMEMADE CORNBREAD DRESSING
A good cornbread-dressing recipe is hard to find. I am going to
share with ya'll the best cornbread dressing I have ever made. I
will be making this Thanksgiving to go along with our fried
turkey.
What you will need:
* * * *3 cups of toasted breadcrumbs
* * * *3 cups of cornbread
* * * *About 1/3 cup of butter or margarine
* * * *Salt and pepper
* * * *3 bell peppers
* * * *2 onions
* * * *5 or 6 stalks of celery
* * * *2 or 3 fresh jalapenos (optional)
* * * *3 eggs
* * * *1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning
* * * *3 to 4 cups of chicken (turkey) broth
* * * *A 9x9x4 inch pan (I use a ½ size aluminum pan)
Note: All ingredients in this recipe should be added when they
are cool (not hot) in order for the recipe to work.
To make the breadcrumbs, toast white bread slices and pinch off
pieces of bread approx ¾ of an inch big. After you have pinched
the bread apart put in baking pan and let cool down. I use almost
an entire 1½ pound loaf of bread for this.
Bake the cornbread (I use cornbread mix) and this recipe usually
takes two batches of cornbread. Let the cornbread cool down
before you break it up and add to the bread in the baking pan.
Mix the bread and cornbread in the pan.
TIP: You can cook the cornbread and toast the bread the day
before and put in the refrigerator and use the next day.
Cut up all of the vegetables (bell peppers, onions, and celery
and the jalapenos if you add them) and sauté them in a pan with
the butter or margarine. Cook them till they are tender. Set them
aside so they cool all the way down. Once they have cooled down,
stir them into the bread/cornbread mix.
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them. Add the beaten eggs to
the bread/cornbread/vegetable mix.
Add the poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
You are now ready to add the turkey (chicken) broth to the mix. I
love to use either the turkey broth I have made with the neck and
gizzards of the turkey or the best to use is the actual broth
from the baked turkey itself. This takes a lot of broth so I
always make broth with the neck and gizzards of the turkey so I
have plenty on hand. You can always buy chicken broth at the
store and use it but it just does not have the flavor of the
natural broths. Add enough broth to the mix to make the mix turn
mushy. Then add a bit more so the dressing will not dry out
during cooking.
Bake the mix at 400 degrees for a total of about 2 hours. The
first 1 ½ hour covered with foil and the last 30 minutes
uncovered. Remember you are only getting the dressing hot so
watch it carefully so it does not dry out.
A COUPLE OF VARIATIONS OF THE ORIGINAL DRESSING
Here are a couple of variations to the original dressing for some
exciting taste. I add approximately 3 tamales to the bread mix to
add a nice Mexican taste to the dressing. Or I will add
approximately 12 raw oysters to the original dressing and cook
them into the mix.
Another idea is to add some sausage to the cornbread. Take about
1 pound of your favorite breakfast sausage or if you have some
good venison sausage laying around you can use that as well. Cook
the sausage in a skillet and drain. Let the sausage cool before
you add it to the bread mix. This makes a great tasting dressing.
Heck, think about what you might want to add to your dressing to
add a different taste to the meal.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all of us at Texas BBQ
Rub.
Enjoy your family and friends this Thanksgiving
Bill
A Subscriber based Monthly Newsletter
From your friends at TexasBBQRub.com
For Everyone Who Enjoys Cooking on Grills and Smokers
Take just a couple of seconds and send this to 5 of your friends
right now. They will thank you for it.
As I promised you in the last newsletter here is a special recipe
newsletter for November 2012. This will add a few recipes to your
list. We have included the recipe for smoked turkey, beer can
turkey, fried turkey, smoked ham and a recipe for Texas Style
cornbread dressing with a couple of different twists to the
dressing that you might want to try out.
Just a quick note to all of our newsletter family. Have a Happy
Thanksgiving from Carrie, Blake, Mike and Bill and if you are
traveling to be with friends and family please be safe.
COOKING THE BIG BIRD - TURKEY
Smoking a turkey is a fantastic way to cook a turkey. You don't
have to hold off smoking a turkey on just the Thanksgiving and
Christmas holidays, smoke it any time you wish. This is an easy
and fun thing to cook anytime of the year. Of course the costs of
the birds are a little higher during the off seasons but you can
still find a nice bird to cook at around a buck a pound out of
the prime turkey seasons.
Important points to remember about smoking a turkey
Food safety is a primary concern when smoking a turkey. Turkeys
are great for smoking but it is usually best to choose a whole
turkey weighing 10 to 12 pounds for your best results. Larger
turkeys stay in the danger zone of bacterial growth too long when
you choose a turkey that weighs above 12 pounds. Remember the
safety zone is below 40 degrees and above 140 degrees. Larger
turkeys placed on the pit will stay in the range between 40 and
140 degrees just a little longer than we like to expose meat to
bacterial growth. So be careful.
Never stuff a turkey you are going to smoke on the pit. Again, it
takes too long for the stuffing to reach the safe temperature
range due to the slow smoking temperatures you are using. So keep
the dressing/stuffing for the oven.
To thaw a frozen turkey there are three recommended ways you
should thaw the turkey. First, if you buy a frozen turkey, keep
the bird in the freezer until you begin the thawing process. Thaw
a turkey under refrigeration, in cold water, or in the microwave
oven.
" * *Refrigeration- Allow about 24 hours per 5 pounds to thaw in
the refrigerator
" * *In cold water- allow approximately 30 to 45 minutes per
pound to thaw in cold water. You will need to change the cold
water about every 30 minutes or so. NEVER USE WARM OR HOT WATER
to thaw a turkey. And always change the water every 30 minutes.
Once the turkey has thawed out you may refrigerate it. Keep the
temperature of the turkey under 40 degrees until you are ready to
use it.
" * *Microwave- Follow the directions of the microwave's
manufacturer, as each microwave oven is different in the power.
One point is that once you have thawed a turkey using the
microwave oven you cannot put it back in the refrigerator and
store it. You have to use it immediately.
If you elect to use a fresh turkey, which is preferred, you will
need to store it under 40 degrees until you use it. Don't try to
keep it for several days, always get the fresh turkey the day
before you will need it. You should check with your butcher or
store to see if you can order the fresh turkey in advance then
pick it up as late as you can before cooking.
How much turkey to buy?
How much turkey do you need? Generally, you will need one pound
of turkey for each person you are going to serve. This will allow
for a meal with some leftovers for the next days turkey
sandwiches.
Remember too, that we are going to see some great deals on
turkeys during the holiday periods so buy two or three and keep
them frozen. A frozen turkey will keep for up to one year. So buy
a couple of extra this holiday season and then you will have a
couple to cook during the year. They are great during the summer
when we start thinking about turkey but the price has gone up and
we don't feel like spending the money for one then. You can also
buy a couple and try cooking them in different ways to see what
you like the best. Smoke one on the pit and then either cook one
the conventional way in the oven or try frying one.
OK Let's Smoke a Turkey - It is Easy and Taste Great
What you will need:
1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
1 bottle Italian Dressing - I prefer Wishbone
1 cup of Texas BBQ Rub (original or Texas Wild are my
preferences)
1 or 2 onions (optional)
3 stalks of celery (optional)
3 whole cloves of garlic (optional)
1 Reynolds turkey-cooking bag (optional)
1) * Clean turkey - wash the turkey inside and out, remove the
giblets from the cavity of the turkey. Set aside to dry or pat
dry if you wish. If your turkey comes with a built in internal
meat thermometer remove it.
2) * Take the bottle of Italian dressing and pour it into a glass
pan or bowl. To this add ½ cup of Texas BBQ Rub and mix well.
(You should have a nice looking mixture that turns a light brown
color) Work some of the Italian-Rub mix under the skin of the
turkey without removing the skin. Use your fingers to get the
Italian-Rub mix into all the areas under the skin of the bird
(try not to tear the skin). With the remaining Italian-Rub mix
coat the outside and inside of the bird.
3) * Apply the remaining ½ cup of Texas BBQ Rub over the
Italian-Rub mix on the outside of the bird.
4) * Your smoker should be set up for indirect smoking at a
temperature of 225 degrees to 250 degrees.
5) * If you are using the celery, onions, and garlic cut the
celery stalks into two or three pieces and put in the cavity of
the turkey before smoking. The onions can be cut into quarters
and placed in the cavity. The garlic should be used to your taste
but cut the cloves and place in the cavity as well.
6) * I personally use a Reynolds turkey cooking bag and place the
turkey in the bag. Follow the directions that come with the bag
except I cut about 10 slits in the bag when using it for smoking.
The bag will allow for a nice smoke flavor (but not too much
smoke) and it will help speed up the cooking time a bit and help
maintain great moisture for the turkey. The bag will also keep
the turkey from turning a really dark brown color. If you use the
bag you can place some celery, onion and garlic in the bag.
Put the turkey on the smoker and there will be no need to baste
the turkey. Cook at 225 to 235 degrees until the internal
temperature of the turkey reaches 160 to 165 degrees. Check the
internal temperature of the turkey in the thigh area. Approximate
cooking times will be 5 to 7 hours. The cooking time is basically
twice as long as a traditionally cooked turkey. When the turkey
reaches 160 degrees take off the smoker and set aside for
approximately 20 to 30 minutes before you carve it up.
Beer Can Turkey
Another option for those of you who like to cook beer butt
chicken is to try a beer butt turkey. Use a can of Fosters beer,
the big can to set up the turkey on. Use Italian dressing to
cover the outside of the turkey and cover with Texas BBQ Rub. Set
it up on the pit and cook until the internal temperature reaches
160 to 165 degrees.
Order Texas BBQ Rub right now so you will have it in the pantry
for smoking that turkey and to have on hand for the holidays. You
can order it at Product Catalog [Texas BBQ Rub] . Trust me you
will love it and our 100% money back, no questions asked
guarantee is the best in the industry. You owe it to yourself, so
go ahead and order some now. You have nothing to lose, if you
don't like our rub, just send us and email and we will cheerfully
refund the money you paid for the rub.
Our 2 videos on Smoking a Turkey
If you missed the last newsletter we prepared 2 videos on smoking
a turkey. I ran out of time to do a new video on the smoked
turkey and also did not get time to do the smoked ham video. They
will be coming; we just have been busy shipping out rub and
getting ready for Thanksgiving.
Video # 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoBlzlw_K88
Video # 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDvYOMrRVUs
Pass these links on to friends that you think will be interested
in smoking a turkey.
Glazed Smoked Ham
This is a great way to take one of those ready to eat store
bought cooked hams and make a really special ham for the
Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. The combination of Texas BBQ
Rub and either honey or Texas Pepper Jelly
(Habanero and Jalapeno Jellies at Texas Pepper Jelly) makes this one a special treat.
What you will need:
1- cooked ham (like you get at the store)( I like to use a spiral
cut ham so you do not have to score it like the recipe says)
1 cup of honey
¼ cup of Texas BBQ Rub Original or Grand Champion rub
1 cup of pineapple juice
6 oz of Coke or Dr Pepper soda (do not use the diet versions)
Optional - 4 oz of Texas Pepper Jelly Habanero and Jalapeno Jellies at Texas Pepper Jelly
(my choice is Pineapple Habanero for the ham)
Preparation for this ham is so easy.
For the Smoker
Prepare your smoker and get your fire up to cooking temperature.
Total cooking time will be approximately 4 hours at 200 to 220
degrees. You don't have to cook this ham you are just warming it
up.
Place the ham in an aluminum pan so it can sit in it while it is
cooking. Take the store bought ready to eat ham and score the ham
with a cris-cross pattern down into the ham about 1 inch. (If you
are using one of the spiral cut hams you can skip this cutting of
the ham.) *Mix together the 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice, ½ cup
of honey, and 1/8 of a cup of Texas BBQ Rub and pour over the top
of the ham. Place the ham on the smoker uncovered and cook for
about 2 1/2 hours. After 2 ½ hours, pour the 6 oz of Coke or Dr.
Pepper over the ham and cover the ham in foil and cook for
another hour.
For the final glaze, mix ½ cup of pineapple juice 1/8 cup of
Texas BBQ Rub, ½ cup of honey and pour over the ham for the last
1/2 hour of the cook.
As an alternate for the final glaze you can use 4 oz of Texas
Pepper Jelly over the top of the ham and cook for 1/2 hour. You
can also use the Texas Pepper Jelly on the table as a sauce to
put directly on the ham for those that want to really take the
ham to the next level. Just put a tablespoon on your plate and
dip the bite size pieces of ham directly into the jelly for a
great taste addition.
If you are smoking the ham the day before and just want to heat
it up, you can prepare the ham up to the last glaze part of the
recipe and the next morning you can take the ham out of the
refrigerator, place in the oven at 225 degrees and heat the ham
for about 2 to 3 hours. During this time add the final glaze and
you will have the ham ready when you are ready to eat.
In the Oven
You can do this same ham in the oven and the only thing you will
be missing is the smoke flavor added by the smoking process but
this is some great ham. If you would like to add some smoke
flavor to the oven cooked ham you can do so by adding about ¼ cup
of liquid smoke to the first mix and this will add some smoke
flavor to the ham. Not as good as cooking on the smoker but it
will work if you are cooking this in the oven.
BILL'S HOMEMADE CORNBREAD DRESSING
A good cornbread-dressing recipe is hard to find. I am going to
share with ya'll the best cornbread dressing I have ever made. I
will be making this Thanksgiving to go along with our fried
turkey.
What you will need:
* * * *3 cups of toasted breadcrumbs
* * * *3 cups of cornbread
* * * *About 1/3 cup of butter or margarine
* * * *Salt and pepper
* * * *3 bell peppers
* * * *2 onions
* * * *5 or 6 stalks of celery
* * * *2 or 3 fresh jalapenos (optional)
* * * *3 eggs
* * * *1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning
* * * *3 to 4 cups of chicken (turkey) broth
* * * *A 9x9x4 inch pan (I use a ½ size aluminum pan)
Note: All ingredients in this recipe should be added when they
are cool (not hot) in order for the recipe to work.
To make the breadcrumbs, toast white bread slices and pinch off
pieces of bread approx ¾ of an inch big. After you have pinched
the bread apart put in baking pan and let cool down. I use almost
an entire 1½ pound loaf of bread for this.
Bake the cornbread (I use cornbread mix) and this recipe usually
takes two batches of cornbread. Let the cornbread cool down
before you break it up and add to the bread in the baking pan.
Mix the bread and cornbread in the pan.
TIP: You can cook the cornbread and toast the bread the day
before and put in the refrigerator and use the next day.
Cut up all of the vegetables (bell peppers, onions, and celery
and the jalapenos if you add them) and sauté them in a pan with
the butter or margarine. Cook them till they are tender. Set them
aside so they cool all the way down. Once they have cooled down,
stir them into the bread/cornbread mix.
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them. Add the beaten eggs to
the bread/cornbread/vegetable mix.
Add the poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
You are now ready to add the turkey (chicken) broth to the mix. I
love to use either the turkey broth I have made with the neck and
gizzards of the turkey or the best to use is the actual broth
from the baked turkey itself. This takes a lot of broth so I
always make broth with the neck and gizzards of the turkey so I
have plenty on hand. You can always buy chicken broth at the
store and use it but it just does not have the flavor of the
natural broths. Add enough broth to the mix to make the mix turn
mushy. Then add a bit more so the dressing will not dry out
during cooking.
Bake the mix at 400 degrees for a total of about 2 hours. The
first 1 ½ hour covered with foil and the last 30 minutes
uncovered. Remember you are only getting the dressing hot so
watch it carefully so it does not dry out.
A COUPLE OF VARIATIONS OF THE ORIGINAL DRESSING
Here are a couple of variations to the original dressing for some
exciting taste. I add approximately 3 tamales to the bread mix to
add a nice Mexican taste to the dressing. Or I will add
approximately 12 raw oysters to the original dressing and cook
them into the mix.
Another idea is to add some sausage to the cornbread. Take about
1 pound of your favorite breakfast sausage or if you have some
good venison sausage laying around you can use that as well. Cook
the sausage in a skillet and drain. Let the sausage cool before
you add it to the bread mix. This makes a great tasting dressing.
Heck, think about what you might want to add to your dressing to
add a different taste to the meal.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all of us at Texas BBQ
Rub.
Enjoy your family and friends this Thanksgiving
Bill
