A Hen-Rock Thanksgiving

I made turkey a week early for yall this week! The prep photos are from last year. Long story, someone took my camera so I didn't have the camera to take prep photos. I did the same prep last year so I'll use photos from last year's prep and this year's results. The theme of thanksgiving this year was Iron Chef Hennessy. Every dish got hen-rock!!! As the alkaholiks once said, "I wish Hen-Rock came in a 2-liter, me and OE is like Tarzan and Cheetah."

I brined the turkey in Hennessy, salt, pepper, agave nectar, bitter orange, and water. Let it brine for 1 day. Then I drained the turkey, patted it dry and stuffed it with biscuit stuffing!



Here was the final product. Don't front on the skin! I like it a lil crispy, but if you don't like it dark, use a foil cover.



I love to brine with henny and bitter orange, gives it a savory and slightly sweet flavor. Last year's was actually better cause I had a more robust brine and seasoned it again before putting in oven. This year, I just brined it and put it in with salt/pepper. Still very good, but I would do it like last year.

Surprisingly, the favorite of the night was my duck fat and henrock ox tail soup. Used a lil french technique. Used duck fat to sautee everything, made the soup with fresh fennel, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, oxtail, henrock, and some seasonings. I love oxtail but usually there are always people who won't eat it, but people really liked it this time.



Dessert was Henrock Candied Yams with Sharm's Christmas Marshmallows. LOL. I asked for marshmallows, I got christmas trees. It was funny, all the grocery store had was holiday themed marshmallows. This recipe is very easy and good. Sautee butter, put some minced ginger down, let it sautee, add brown sugar (or agave nectar) and cloves, let melt, put henrock in to deglaze pan. Then chop all your yams, put in a baking pan, pour mixture over it and bake on 350 for like 20 minutes. Take it out, mash it up, return to pan, put marshmallows on top and bake until marshmallows melt but not burn.