Think outside the oven
FAMILY FEATURES — When most families think of holiday cooking, they typically picture baked goods and time spent in the kitchen near the oven. This year, you can take your seasonal meal prep outdoors with grilling and smoking.
Turkey brine
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: About 2 hours; allow 2 to 3 hours to cool
Servings: 6 to 8
1/3 package 5280 Culinary Brine mix
2 quarts water, plus additional for cooling and covering turkey, divided
Ice
6 to 8 pounds turkey breast with rib cage, cleaned
1 5-gallon hardware bucket and lid
In pan, mix brine with water. Heat to high 5 minutes to dissolve sugar and salt.
Cool brine mixture; add ice water and mix well.
Place turkey in bucket and cover with water and brine. Place bucket in refrigerator or cooler.
Brine 45 minutes per pound.
Remove turkey from brine.
Heat wood-fire grill to 350 F.
Cook turkey 20 minutes then turn temperature to 275 F. Cook 1 hour, 40 minutes until internal temperature reaches 170 F.
Allow turkey to rest about 15 minutes prior to carving to allow juices to settle.
Sweet n’ savory sausage and cornbread stuffing
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 1 day for drying
Cook time: 20 to 25 minutes
Servings: 10 to 12
1 package cornbread
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, ground
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 cup celery with leaves, diced
1/2 cup yellow onion, peeled and diced
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried apples
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, crushed
Barbecue rub
1 to 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Nonstick cooking spray
Cook cornbread according to package instructions; allow to cool. Leave uncovered and let dry 1 day. Break into medium pieces.
Heat wood-fire grill to 350 F. Heat medium skillet and add sausage. Cook until half done and fat is rendered. Add carrots, celery, onion, blueberries, apples and garlic. Saute until caramelized. Add cornbread pieces and stir to combine. Add chicken stock until slightly wet or pasty; stir well to combine. Season to taste with barbecue rub and transfer stuffing from skillet to pan lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
Grill, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Internal temperature should reach 155 F when fully cooked.
— Recipes courtesy of chef Jason K. Morse, of 5280 Culinary and Ace Hardware. Find more ideas to change the way you think about holiday cooking at acehardware.com.