Friek Brine Smoked Turkey

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1                 TurkeyFriek-Bottles-200x300

1                 750 mL  Friek from Odell Brewing

4                 Tablespoons of Sea Salt or Kosher Salt

2                 Tablespoons mixed peppercorns

1                 Tablespoon allspice berries

6                 Bay leaves

4                 Cups cold water

 

BBQ

15 lbs of Charcoal, with 5 pounds reserve, if necessary

5 lbs of Apple Wood Chunks

Several Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary

 

Rinse the turkey off and towel dry. In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat the Friek Ale to a simmer. In a mortar and pestle bruise the peppercorns and allspice and add to simmering ale. Add the salt and stir to dissolve, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and simmer some more. Shut off heat and continue to stir, adding the water to cool slightly. Arrange the turkey in a large plastic bag and store in a glass, (non-reactive), bowl or pan and pour the cooled brine over the meat. Turn the meat once to completely coat with brine, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours or more. Turn the meat over once after 6 hours in the brine.

I use a large converted oil drum BBQ with a chimney vent. For a kettle BBQ you should use a smaller turkey. Make a pile of charcoal on the left side of the BBQ, nearest the bottom vent and arrange the grill racks on the opposite side. Insert the metal probe for the digital thermometer so that it is suspended over the area where the meat will be smoking. Place a large heavy-duty aluminum hotel pan filled with water directly under the grill racks. Light the coals and get them plenty hot. Meantime, put the wood chunks on to soak, along with the rosemary sprigs.

When the coals are good and white spread them out flat, rearranging any black coals on top of the white ones. Add about 1/2 of the wood chunks to the coals being careful not to put the fire out! Place the rosemary sprigs on top of the wood chunks. Blow on the coals to get the smoke going, close the lid and open up the flue and chimney vent. When the temperature inside of the BBQ reaches 200 degrees F, open the top and arrange the turkey pieces on the grill rack. Close the top and start the smoking process. Do not open the top unless absolutely necessary for at least 45 minutes. Add more fresh coals and the other half of the wood after 45 minutes of smoking.

Turn the turkey pieces over to get smoked on both sides. You should only have to smoke the turkey about 45 to 55 minutes more. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. About 155 to 160 degrees F for the breasts, and 145 to 150 degrees F for all the other pieces should do the trick. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and tent with heavy duty foil for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with a homemade cranberry sauce.

The Tap Room team goes to Breckenridge

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A couple of weeks ago, our fearless Tap Room team celebrated their efforts with a mountain retreat. While there, they had one Ah-Mazing Beer Dinner. Here are some of the tasty dishes that came from this creative bunch:

Meddler appetizers

Meddler Mussels

  1. Carmelize shallots and smoked ham (could use penetta bacon)-5 minutes
  2. Add garlic, fresh thyme-4 minutes
  3. Add meddler, mussels
  4. Stem 3 to 5 minutes until mussels open, discard closed ones
  5. Pull out mussels after they open up, cover to keep warm
  6. Add butter and fresh parsely
  7. Simmer and reduce for 3 minutes, use as broth and ladel over mussels
  8. Serve with sweet bread

Cheese pairings-smelling and tasting Meddler with each style

  1. La Tur which is an Italian mixed milk cheese (cow, sheep and goat).
  2. Piave. Italian, aged, cows milk.
  3. Manchego, Spanish, aged, sheeps milk.
  4. Seaside smoked cheddar, cows milk.
  5. Bleu D’Avergne French, cow blue on a slice of fresh fig.

IPA soup and salad

IPA carrot, curry cheddar soup

  1. Mild cheddar 1 lbs (more to taste or to thicken)
  2. Extra Sharp cheddar 2 lbs
  3. 1 large red pepper
  4. 2 to 3 tablespoons yellow curry
  5. Salt and pepper to taste
  6. 3 large carrots
  7. ½ gallon heavy cream
  8. 1 large onion
  9. 4 bulbs garlic
  10. 1 shallot

IPA and mango vinegrette with butter lettuce and bitter greens

  1. Salad
    1. Green and Red butter lettuce; purchase pre washed next time
    2. Rainbow chard
    3. Carrots
    4. We added toasted pine nuts; do not over toast or a little to strong
  2. Vinegrette
    1. Extra virgin olive oil
    2. White wine vinegar
    3. Odell IPA
    4. Shallot
    5. Garlic
    6. Salt and pepper
    7. Roasted fresh mango

Cutthroat Porter main course

New York Strip with porter mushroom sauce served over sticky, coconut rice

 

1. NY strip, 2

2. Cutthroat porter, 2 12oz bottles

3. Leaks diced, 1

4. Garlic diced, 2 cloves

5. Fresh ginger diced, 1 TB spoon

6. Chanterelle and shitake mushrooms sliced, 3 of each

7. White rice, 1 cup

8. Brown sugar, 2 TB spoon

9. Coconut water, 1/3 cup

10. Olive oil

11. Butter

12. Flour

13. Salt, to taste

14. Pepper, to taste

15. White pepper corn, to taste

 

Serves two.

 

Season steaks and sear in a large saute pan then set aside. In the same pan add olive oil and saute leaks, garlic, and ginger. Add Cutthroat porter reduce in half and simmer,add brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste stirring regularly. Saute mushrooms until soft and add to sauce . If the sauce is not your desired thickness make a roux with butter and flour adding slowly. Add rice to boiling water and a third cup of coconut water cook until tender. Grill steaks to desired temp. Plate rice, steak and lightly cover with sauce.

 

90 Shilling Dessert

Vanilla bean ice cream with rasher bacon and caramel

  1. Rasher Bacon.
    1. The Rasher bacon was made with a pork loin roast with additional belly fat added to the cut. This is the closest way to get it in the US as we butcher the pig differently. Typical Rasher bacon has the loin and some of the belly fat cut with it.
    2. I cured it with 64 oz cold water with 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup sugar, and 3 tspn pickling salt. I left it in the brine for 48 hours. I bet a little more time in the brine would have salted it up a little more.
    3. 90 Shilling Orange Cardamom Caramel Sauce
      1. One 12oz bottle of 90
      2. 4 cardamom pods (optional)
      3. zest of 1/2 orange in large strips (optional)
      4. 2 Tbs butter
      5. 1 1/2 c brown sugar
      6. 1 c heavy cream
      7. pinch salt
      8. 1 tsp vanilla
      9. Cook beer and spices over medium heat for about 10 minutes until reduced by half.  Add butter and sugar and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft ball stage (drop some in cold water and if it forms a ball it’s done) DO NOT stir unless it is about to boil over! Carefully stir in cream and cook for about 5-6 minutes until thick.  Remove from heat, add salt and vanilla and remove spices.