To “give thanks” or feel gratitude is not a “when we feel like it” sort of act, it’s actually a command the Lord has given us. When we are feeling tempted to wallow in our daily struggles or compare our lives to an influencer on Instagram, we should ask the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts and to remind us to be grateful for the things we DO have. (This can be a great tip for our children too! When one of your kids has a stinky attitude, ask them to list a few things that they are grateful for 😀).
Being a new(ish) mother, I constantly have to remind myself when I am feeling exhausted, drained or impatient, to thank the Lord that He has given me a job that He is using to grow and shape me into a more Christlike individual. It is only through Him that I am able to accomplish my daily tasks as a homemaker and mother.
Douglas Wilson wrote the following in one of his blogs a few years ago:
“We are told to give thanks for all things and in all things. We sometimes kick at this, because it can seem irrational to us, but the one who tells us to do it is the one who knows the entire story. He is the one who knows the end from the beginning. He is the alpha and omega, and when He tells us to thank Him for everything, this is not because He wants us to grow in stupidity. It is because He wants us to grow in wisdom. So obeying this command is a summons to that wisdom… Thanksgiving is a weapon. And if we are serious about diminishing real evil in the world, which appears to be everywhere, then we must grow strong in the one thing that evil cannot touch or overcome. We must honor God as God, and we must give Him thanks. This is the arrow that is aimed straight at the central heart of unbelief. And with the right disposition, standing before God in humility, the quiver that is filled with these arrows is a quiver that will never run out. There will always be another thanksgiving arrow.” -Douglas Wilson
To Christians, Thanksgiving has a much deeper and glorious meaning to it. How encouraging it is to have a national holiday that can remind us to obey God in all He commands!
Now for the Cooking Tips:
Spatchcock your turkey! There are many benefits to spatchcocking your turkey, although the word sounds intimidating, rest assured: it is much easier than it sounds!
- One of the key benefits is that the turkey cooks much faster and more evenly, this is due to the fact that the turkey is flattened and can be cooked at a higher temperature. Turkey’s have two different kinds of meat- white breast meat (that needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of ~150 degrees F) and the dark leg and thigh meat (which needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of ~165-175). So by the time your leg and thigh meat is cooked, the breast meat often has become overcooked (hence the common complaint that turkey is dry!). The reason turkeys have different kinds of meat is the makeup of their muscles (similar to us humans). The breast meat is made up of primarily fast-twitch muscles and the leg and thigh meat is made up of primarily slow-twitch muscles as well as connective tissues which requires a higher internal temperature to break these muscles down enough to be tender.
- The classic turkey roasting pan can actually cause more harm than good when roasting a turkey. The raised metal sides often act as a shield against the leg and thigh meat which prevent them from cooking as quickly, while the breast meat gets exposed to higher levels of heat because it sits above the pan, under direct heat from the oven.
- Your turkey meat will be juicier and the outer skin, crispier! Since the flattened turkey sits fully in the pan, as mentioned above, your turkey will cook very evenly without overheating.
HOW TO SPATCHCOCK YOUR TURKEY TUTORIAL: How to Spatchcock a Turkey - YouTube
Brine your turkey! Brining your turkey will be the main factor of providing a moist turkey. We have listed a couple brining options below:
- Fermented dairy and spices base
- We highly recommend buttermilk with salt/spices or a water and spice/salt blend.
- Fermented dairy can help create a very tender meat because of the lactic acid
- Buttermilk Variation: Recipe from Samin Nosrat https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021523-buttermilk-brined-roast-turkey
Recipe:
1 10-14 lb chicken or turkey
3 qt buttermilk
128g fine sea salt (7 Tablespoons)
- 2-3 days before thanksgiving spatchcock the turkey
- Mix the brine in a large 2 gallon Ziplock bag or large container and add the turkey in
- Refrigerate for 48 h - turn ever 12 hours to make sure it’s fully covered
- 3 h before baking take the turkey out and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can and allow it to come to room temp
- Day of, bake the turkey at 400F, rotating it every so often 180 degrees. It can take up to 80-100 minutes depending on the size. Possibly even longer!
Samin writes: [use an] instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast registers 150 degrees and the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165 degrees
2. Water + Spice Base:
- We have used this Simply Organic Turkey Brine Seasoning (found at your local grocery store) Simply Organic Turkey Brine Seasoning 14.1 oz. | Simply Organic
Recipe:
1 Turkey, up to 24 lb
1 gallon of water
- Brine should rest overnight, this can be done the day before you serve your turkey, but make sure your turkey is thawed!
- Empty contents of jar into 1 gallon of water, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Remove giblets from the turkey. Place up to 24-lb turkey in large container. Add brine mix. Make sure turkey is completely covered; add more water if needed. Brine overnight, below 40 degrees F.
- Remove turkey from brine and rinse with cool water; cook as directed
--> Here are some very helpful tips on how to bake your turkey: https://cooking.nytimes.com/guides/13-how-to-cook-a-turkey
Use a thermometer! This is key for accuracy in turkey cooking. Always check the breast temperature as well as the thigh.
1. Insert the thermometer in the crease between the leg/thigh and the breast/body of the turkey.
Bring your turkey to room temp before you cook it! This promotes even cooking and prevents an overcooked exterior and undercooked interior!
- Here is one of our favorite meat thermometers: Amazon.com: ThermoPro Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer for Grilling Waterproof Kitchen Food LCD Thermometer with Calibration & Backlight Smoker Oil Fry Candy Thermometer: Home & Kitchen
At the end of the day, Thanksgiving is about so much more than a “perfect” turkey or a beautifully decorated table for your guests. Although these tips can be helpful, please remember your greater purpose here as a Christian woman. If our heart behind hosting others or preparing a Thanksgiving dish is motivated by praise from others, self-glorification, and boasting in one’s abilities, we have missed the mark entirely and are in sin! Ask the Lord that He will make your heart right and that you will give freely to those around you, have a cheerful attitude and most importantly do everything to glorify God. Thanksgiving is about fellowship, gratitude, generosity and most importantly, glorifying God.
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17
God Bless!
Julia and Anna