Spatchcocked Turkey

No it's not a naughty word. It's the quick, easy method for cooking a turkey. You cut out the backbone and smash it flat. Cooks evenly, and gives the most perfectly crispy skin all over. You can play with seasonings and rubs and even dry brine. Makes a delightful gravy and is just overall really really good. 

Whole, raw, thawed turkey (12-18lbs)

Onions

Celery

Carrots 

Garlic

Fresh thyme (sage, rosemary are also nice) 

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Yes, 450

Lay bird in counter breast side down. Use scissors to cut on either side of the backbone and cut out. Flip over and smash across breastbone and get it flat. You should break the bone. Pat dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place cut veggies and herbs on a cookie sheet and leave a few aside for gravy. Place cooling rack on top of veggies and place bird in top. Place in oven and cook for about 1 1/2 hours. For 45 minutes boil some veggies and aromatics with the chopped up back bone and giblets. Place flour and some butter in a pan to make a rue and slowly add turkey broth. Season to taste.

Pork Carnitas

I like this recipe. Definitely needs all the salt. Really good with Mexican rice in rice bowls and in corn tortillas with salsa and all the fixings.

5 lb pork shoulder (pork butt), skinless, bone-in

1 onion, coarsely chopped 

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped

• 1¼ tbsp table salt OR 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 oranges, juice only

Rub

• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub in salt and pepper.

Combine the rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.

Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic (don't worry about spreading it) and squeeze over the juice of the orange.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 6 hours.

The meat should be tender and falling off the bone. Remove from the slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred the pork using two forks.

Skim off the fat from the juices remaining in the slow cooker and discard the fat. Then if you are left with a lot more than 1½ to 2 cups of juice, then reduce it (either in the slow cooker on the sauté setting with the lid off, or in a saucepan). Set aside

To serve:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan over high heat. Place shredded pork into the pan and press down and cook until the bottom side is golden brown and crusty.
2. Pour over the juices and serve immediately (if you are using defrosted carnitas, this is not applicable as the juices are already on the meat).
3. If you are reheating the carnitas, then flip and cook the other side briefly just to warm through. I really recommend only making one side crusty and leaving the other side juicy and moist.
4. 2. To make this in the oven, add 1 cup of water to the braising liquid. Place in 325F/160C oven for 2 hours, covered, then roast for a further 1 to 1.5 hours uncovered. Add more water if the liquid dries out too much. You should end up with 1½ to 2 cups of liquid when it finishes cooking.
   
   If you make this recipe in the oven, you could skip the pan frying step because you will get a nice brown crust on your pork.
   
   3. Use pork with the skin removed but leaving some of the fat cap on. The fat adds juiciness to the carnitas!
   

Fresh Canned Salsa

I had a family friend give us a ton of tomatoes this year and thought it would be great to can some salsa. Little did I know you nearly bust your bum to make about 4 jars! Way too much work! So canning the tomatoes whole not only saves you time but makes the MOST delicious salsa anytime you need it! 

1. 2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes or one quart of whole
2. 1/2 onion - diced
3. 1/8 cup green pepper - diced
4. 1/2-1 TBSP diced jalepeno
5. 1 teaspoon minced garlic
6. 1 tablespoon lime juice
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. pepper to taste
9. 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
10. pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)