That left a rock-hard Cajun-style six-
Come the 25th, I did all my prep work indoors, built a nice big charcoal fire in the grill (quickly!), and laid down a layer of chopped apple and turnip in the roasting pan, with the turducken barely fitting on top. The lid wouldn't quite sit all the way down. I made sure there was plenty of charcoal along the edges of the grill, pushed the center clear for indirect heat, and set the roasting pan in place on the grill bars for a three-hour bake. It was 15°F in the back yard when I started.
The grill was nice and hot. I checked at the half-hour mark and the lid had settled. I left my old oven thermometer in the grill then. Thirty minutes later, I had a peek: it was 350°F in the covered grill and the aroma was wonderful.
At ninety minutes, I thought about opening the lid of the roasting pan, but decided not to. At two hours, thinking to add some carrots and a chopped onion, I discovered the lid was stuck. It just lays in place, but it wouldn't budge. I nearly burned my left thumb trying, having only brought along one oven mitt. I got another mitt and tried. Nope. Okay. I let it cook.
When I brought the pan in after three hours, I was able to pry the lid up. The turnips and apples had caramelized and gone a little beyond that. Perhaps more than a little beyond. The turducken was fine, moist and tender, the skin golden-brown -- but the outermost layer of vegetables was charred. Worried about the outside air temperature, I had built my fire too hot and left the turducken in too long.
We had our holiday dinner, with baked potatoes and a little of this and that, and I got the remaining turducken out and had a look at the pan, scraping out all the loose stuff. Kind of a thick layer left, so I filled the pan and lid with hot water to soak while I did the rest of the dishes.
A half hour later, water drained, the sludge in the pan was not coming out. Just not. Even digging with a bamboo skewer wasn't helping.
Those pans aren't very expensive and that one had served for two years. I pitched it and will buy another before Spring.
I will try the apples and turnips thing again, perhaps with a pork roast. It smelled wonderful and I think it added to the flavor.
My Solution for pans like that I want to use again is to
ReplyDeletechuck a brass wire brush in the cordless drill and have
at it. For me it works fast and leaves the pan sparkling.
That old dented pan keeps cookin.
I've found cookin on a gas grill somewhat difficult during
cold spell but sometimes a grilled steak tip or hamburger
I what I crave... so heavy coat and crank up the burners.
Have a great holiday.
Eck!
Anyone with guts enough to cook outdoors in Indiana, yesterday, gets a pass on anything that didn't turn out well. Wasn't your weather cold and breezy?
ReplyDeleteI suppose it was a typo but "six pond" suggests a nice rating system for this sort of feast.
ReplyDeleteBTW FYI Jim Butcher's son has now started his own urban fantasy series (look under James J.) I bought it this afternoon on speculation. Obviously I have no idea about quality.
Eck!: It was -- and its replacement will be -- graniteware, essentially hard enamel. I think even a brass brush would chip it. There was a half-inch of char in some places. It was going to be a filthy job with a lot of cleanup afterwards, best done outdoors. By the end of dinner, it was 15°F outside and dropping rapidly. I had hoped the mess would separate after some soaking but it was stuck fast.
ReplyDeleteCop Car: my oven is iffy at best, so it's the grill or nothing. I avoided working without gloves as much as possible and it wasn't too bad. I think we were at the day's high of 18°F when I started. I have made Thanksgiving and some New Year's dinners that way for a long time. I may roast/simmer this year's corned beef and cabbage in the big ceramic-lined "Perfect Pot" on the stove.
Anon: That's two ponds per bird! But it was a typo and I have fixed it. Thank you.