Show Menu

Show Menu

Wild Game Masterclass with Mike Robinson

Episodes

Season 1 Episode 9

Thanksgiving Turkey Part 1

Season 1 Episode 9

Thanksgiving Turkey Part 1

A turkey is a very versatile bird that can be elevated using this technique. An amazing result every time.

Thanksgiving Turkey Part 1

Ingredients

1 turkey
1 duck leg, confit ( you can buy these in tins ready cooked)
2 carrots
2 leeks
100 grams chanterelle mushrooms
100 grams of cranberries
2 clementine’s
1 bunch of thyme
1 bunch of Sage
1 bunch of celery
400 milliliters of orange juice
400 grams of light brown sugar
Butter
1.5 kilograms flour
250 grams lard
4 eggs
150 milliliters full fat cream
Mixed spice
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Start by preparing the turkey. To remove the legs stretch out each leg and take the skin down as far as you can, allowing the skin to remain over the body. Pull each leg down and break it at the joint. Take a knife and cut as deep as you can, underneath the carcass along towards the leg joint. The leg will now be removed.
To remove the wings, find the wing joint, using a small knife, cut down and into the joint and remove the wing. Joint the legs by finding the joint with a knife, follow the natural line and cut down into the joint but not all the way through.
Place the joints in a large pan. Add a sprig of thyme, diced celery, diced carrot, and chopped leeks. Add turkey stock, place on heat and cook through stir until thickened - this will become the pie sauce.
To braise, take a large sheet of baking parchment and fold into a square, keep folding until you have a triangle, making a point at one end and then diagonally again.
Whilst holding the parchment paper on the side of the pan, hold out the paper (horizontally) so the tip meets the middle of the pan. Fold the excess paper over the side of the pan and tear off. Open the folder paper and you should be left with a circle. Place this over the joints and vegetables. This will help keep the steam in and help cook the joints more evenly.
Leave to braise on a low heat for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, remove the joints from the pan and remove the meat from the bones and add to a bowl.
To make the pie sauce. Heat butter in a pan and add an equal amount of flour to butter, mix.
Cook through for 3 to 4 minutes until the butter has melted and cooked out the flour, leaving a sandy coloured roux. Ensure the roux is cooked through before adding any liquid.
Whisk in the stock and vegetables, pouring in small quantities at a time until fully combined and thickened. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Add a splash of full fat cream season with salt and pepper. Add some sage and whisk to combine.
To prepare the pie case, add 2 pounds of flour, 4 teaspoons of salt and 1/2-pound of lard, melted into a pint of water, to a large mixing bowl.
Using your fingers, make a well in the middle of the mixture and combine until the mixture starts to form a dough consistency.
Once the mixture has fully combined into a dough, knead and then cut into quarters and wrap in clingfilm. Leave the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, remove the dough from the clingfilm, shape into rounds. Roll the pastry until around 2 millimeters thick and then cut circular discs of dough. Grease the pie moulds/tins.
Take the diameter of your pie tin, double the height (and add an extra 1/2 inch for good measure). Find a pan which is close to this size and use the rim as a cutting guide. Then carefully line the tin Trim off the excess and work the pasty all the way to the bottom of the tin.
To prepare the filling, add some turkey meat, duck meat and some chanterelle mushrooms to a large mixing bowl and then add in a couple of spoonfuls of the thickened braising liquor and mix well. Add a little more of the braising liquor and mix. Allow the mixture to chill until slightly set before adding to the pie.
Add the pie filling to the tins. Once filled, paint egg wash around the edge and add the pie lid. Crimp the top of the pie. Cut a small hole in the middle of the lid and then brush the top of the pie with more egg wash. Add to the oven at 210 degrees celsius/410 degrees fahrenheit for around 35 minutes. After 35 minutes, remove the pies from the oven
For the cranberry sauce, wash cranberries and add to a pan. Add 400 milliliters of orange juice, 400 grams of light brown sugar, and finely grate the zest of two clementine’s.
Next, add the spice blend, a pinch of mixed spice, a pinch of ground cinnamon, and a pinch of ground ginger. Stir through and allow to cook down, until the cranberries start to break-down and burst slightly. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Once cooked down, put the cranberries into a sieve and drain off any excess liquid. Leave the excess liquid to simmer for 20 minutes on a medium heat, until it has reduced and thickened. Once thickened, put the liquid back into the pan with the cranberries and stir.
Serve with pies and enjoy.