Pub 42 Thanksgiving Buffet Recipe

Prepare herb butter

In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, chopped rosemary, thyme, sage, minced garlic, lemon zest, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix until smooth and aromatic.

Prepare turkey

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove giblets and neck from turkey cavity and reserve for stock or discard. Pat turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Gently loosen the skin over the breast with your fingers to create pockets for butter.

Season and fill

Rub half of the herb butter under the breast skin, spreading evenly over the meat. Rub remaining butter over the turkey exterior. Season the cavity with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, then add onion quarters, carrot and celery pieces and halved lemon into the cavity to flavor during roasting.

Roast

Truss legs if desired. Place turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under. Roast at 325°F, basting with pan juices every 45 minutes. For a 12-lb turkey, roast about 3 to 3.25 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). If skin browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.

Rest and reserve drippings

Transfer turkey to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 30–45 minutes before carving. Pour pan drippings into a fat separator or a bowl; reserve drippings for gravy and scrape browned bits from the pan.

Make quick stock (optional)

If you want additional stock for stuffing or gravy, combine giblets, neck, carrot, celery, onion and 6 cups water in a saucepan. Simmer 45 minutes, then strain and use as stock.

Sauté aromatics

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tbs butter. Add diced onion and celery and sauté until softened and translucent, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley, sage and thyme, cooking 1–2 more minutes.

Combine with bread

Place cubed bread into a very large bowl or roasting pan. Pour the sautéed vegetable and herb mixture over the bread, tossing gently to combine.

Moisten and bind

Pour 2 cups warm chicken stock over the bread mixture in stages, stirring and tasting — you want moist but not soggy bread. Stir in beaten eggs, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Adjust seasoning.

Bake stuffing

Transfer to a buttered baking dish if not already in one. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is lightly crisp and golden. If stuffing the turkey, reduce oven time and ensure the internal temperature of the center reaches 165°F when checked with a thermometer.

Cook potatoes

Place peeled and chunked potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes depending on chunk size.

Mash and finish

Drain potatoes thoroughly and return to the hot pot for 1–2 minutes to evaporate excess moisture. Mash or pass through a ricer. Warm milk and melt butter together, then add to potatoes along with sour cream. Season with remaining 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Mash to desired consistency, taste and adjust seasoning.

Blanch green beans

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add green beans and blanch 3–4 minutes until bright green and just tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking; drain and pat dry.

Toast almonds and finish

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Add sliced almonds and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes. Remove almonds to a bowl. Add remaining 2 tbs butter to the skillet with minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add blanched green beans to skillet, toss to coat and warm through 1–2 minutes. Stir in toasted almonds, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Process cranberries

Rinse cranberries and drain. In a food processor or blender, combine cranberries, granulated sugar and orange zest and juice. Pulse until coarsely chopped but not pureed — relish should be slightly chunky. Taste and add optional orange liqueur or water for a looser texture and balance sweetness if desired.

Chill

Transfer relish to a bowl, cover and chill at least 2 hours (or overnight) to allow flavors to meld. Bring to buffet temp straight from fridge or serve chilled.

Separate fat from drippings

After roasting, pour pan drippings into a fat separator or a bowl and let sit briefly. Skim off about 4 tbs fat; reserve the browned bits and remaining liquid.

Make roux

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tbs reserved butter (or fat). Whisk in 1/2 cup flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is golden and raw-flour smell is gone.

Finish gravy

Slowly whisk in 1 cup cold water or additional stock, then whisk in pan drippings and any reserved stock. Bring to a simmer; cook until thickened, 4–6 minutes. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, tasting and adjusting. If lumps form, strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Keep warm until serving.

Prepare filling

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth and well combined.

Assemble and bake

Place pie crusts in pie pans, crimp edges. Divide filling between the two crusts. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake another 35–40 minutes until filling is set and a knife near the center comes out mostly clean. Cool on a rack, then chill to set before slicing for buffet.