As a first generation Arab American, Thanksgiving has always been a celebratory mishmash of cultures in my family. For appetizers, plates of hummus and baba ghanoush shared the table with a westernized cheese board. Cornbread stuffing would compete with “hashweh,” or a Palestinian/Lebanese diced lamb and rice dish seasoned with allspice and cumin. My mother would wedge in a bowl of tabbouleh between the maple sweet potatoes and green bean casserole. Of course we would always make room to cram in desserts like pumpkin pie, along with a side of homemade baklava.
Thanksgiving was a chance to celebrate our heritage, while being thankful to the country that welcomed my grandparents and parents when they escaped from war. I still tear up when I think of my late grandfather, or sido who mastered how to make cornbread stuffing from one of his African American friends from South Carolina when he first arrived in the United States. The stuffing was rich with fennel sausage, celery, carrots, pecans, peppers, and sage. More than fifty years later, I still make that recipe to honor my grandfather and his friend. Everytime I take a bite, I think of my childhood, and my grandfather’s warm smile and hospitality.
Each year there was always a surprise guest at my Sido’s house for Thanksgiving. He felt it was his duty to invite anyone that he met that had no extended family. He made friends easily, starting conversations with strangers whether at the farmer’s market or the bank. He hated the thought of anyone spending Thanksgiving alone, so he would invite them over. It is no wonder that at the end of his highly social life, over 1000 people showed up to his funeral.
Here is a pic of my Grandfather or “Sido” and me when I was about 2 years old. =)
As immigrants that appreciated America and yearned for assimilation, my parents carried on Sido’s traditions and then some, learning how to master the art of roasting the perfect turkey. After 40 years I would say my mother has become a legitimate turkey wizard. She takes so many careful steps to ensure that the white and dark meat are equally juicy and flavorful. In keeping with her Arab tradition, she spends as much time cleaning the bird as she does seasoning it, giving the turkey a thorough salt and vinegar scrub. In the end the effort is all worthwhile. Some people might not like day-old turkey, but we literally fight over the tender meat, bringing our own containers so we can ensure we get a sizable portion to take home.
While I personally know many Arab Americans that cook strictly Arabic dishes like kibbeh and even molokhia for Thanksgiving, we take pride in incorporating both cultures, commemorating my grandfather’s first taste of freedom when he arrived at Ellis Island in 1958. He loved Cadillacs and apple pie as much as he coveted his keffiyeh and felafel–a true Arab American experience.
By the way, in a couple of weeks I will be sharing my favorite post-Thanksgiving turkey recipe with you, and you will get immediate notification for the recipe if you are subscribed to my blog and YouTube Channel.
When we set out to do a video on Thanksgiving turkey to share with all of you, we knew it would be no small task. A turkey needs to be doted on all day long, from washing, to seasoning, to trussing, to basting while roasting. One kitchen tool that was crucial to ensure a perfectly cooked bird without worrying about undercooked pink meat is a good quality thermometer. For this episode, we partnered with and used one of the best thermometers on the market, the ChefsTemp Final Touch X10 Thermometer. They were kind to give my viewers a discount, so if you click on this link and use code blanchetv, you can get $10 off: https://www.chefstemp.com/product/finaltouchx10-meat-thermometer/
Not only is this thermometer super fast and accurate, it has a 270 degree probe so you can test from any angle with equal ease whether you are right or left handed. There is also an intelligent backlight so you can use it for grilling outdoors, as well as an internal magnet so you can hang it on anything metallic. This gadget was fun to use and makes a unique gift for that home chef or foodie in your life!
With that, here is our Thanksgiving video, where we try to give you everything you need to roast the perfect turkey, whether you are a beginner, or advanced and want to pick up a nifty new tip or two. Hope you subscribe to our Youtube Channel if you haven’t already, every subscription and view is immensely valuable to keep this project going.
TURKEY INGREDIENTS
For Washing Turkey
- 1 Turkey ( we used a 9 pound turkey
- Salt for scrubbing
- 1 tbsp of flour for scrubbing
- 2 tbsp vinegar for soaking
For Seasoning Turkey
- 8 cloves garlic
- 6 Strands (or more) Fresh Thyme
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 stick of butter
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon Pepper
- Paprika
Additional Vegetables
- 3 stalks celery
- 3 stalks carrots
- 3 stalks parsnips
- 2 onions, cut into wedges
- 2 cups chicken broth, or 1 cup chicken broth and one cup wine
Turkey Preparation/Roasting
For Washing Turkey
- 1 Turkey ( we used a 9 pound turkey
- Salt for scrubbing
- 1 tbsp of flour for scrubbing
- 2 tbsp vinegar for soaking
For Seasoning Turkey
- 8 cloves garlic
- 6 Strands (or more) Fresh Thyme
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 stick of butter- room temperature.
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon Pepper
- Paprika
Additional Vegetables
- 3 stalks celery
- 3 stalks carrots
- 3 stalks parsnips
- 2 onions, cut into wedges
- 2 cups chicken broth, or 1 cup chicken broth and one cup wine
To begin, rinse the turkey several times, until you stop seeing any blood leaching out the turkey. Using plenty of salt, rub the entire turkey (as well as the cavity) with salt) Take the flour, and then rub the entire turkey with flour, this will prevent the turkey from getting greasy upon cooking. Take the vinegar and rub the entire turkey. Put the turkey in a large bowl and fill it up with water and let it soak. After 30 minutes, remove the turkey and rinse one more time. Dry off with paper towels. Remove the bag of giblets. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
To season the turkey, first add salt and pepper to the entire turkey. Then, to create the marinade, add the olive oil, thyme and garlic in a food processor, and whirl until well mixed. Rub the marinade all over the turkey, both the outside and the cavity. Now take the butter and rub it around every part of the turkey, you can make a pocket into the skin of the turkey breast and add butter underneath the skin for extra juiciness. Sprinkle the bird with more salt, lemon pepper, and paprika. If you want to truss the turkey check out the video above at 13:26
Cut the carrots, parsnips, celery, and onions into chunks, and put them in a turkey roasting pan. Add the broth and or wine depending on preference. Place the turkey on top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the turkey, and baste with the juices. Cover the turkey with foil, reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake for another hour.
After an hour, now insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh near where the turkey breast begins. Make sure the thermometer doesn’t hit the bone. If it hits the bone, you’ll get an inaccurate reading, so start over. Once the thigh meat registers 165 degrees F, your turkey is done. Baste the turkey. At this point it really depends on the size of your bird. Place the turkey back in the oven if the temperature is below 165, and bake in 30 minute increments, basting and checking the temperature each time.
Once the turkey is ready, cover and let sit at least 15-30 minutes before slicing.
