Project Turkey: Day 1

Every year, when Thanksgiving comes a knockin' I get the urge to ditch the whole roasted bird and do something different. And every year, tradition gets the best of me, and I chicken (or turkey) out.

This year, however, I vow to funk it up. Being that I haven't gone entirely mad yet, the turkey will still make its grand appearance at the table, but in a different fashion, if you will. For this reason, I have already purchased an experimantal bird that I will...experiment with, until I find the perfect turkey recipe for turkey day. Mwahahahahaha!!!!

We start with a recipe that makes use of my favorite meat on the bird, and what, in my opinion, the whole turkey should be made of - the dark meat.

Barbecued Pulled Turkey with Holiday Cole Slaw
(yield: 6-8 servings)

2 tbsp canola oil
4 turkey leg quarters
1 large Spanish onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
3 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
2 dried bay leafs
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt





Heat the oil in a large, deep pan. Brown the turkey, about 5 minutes per side. Stir in the onions, garlic, and saute 1-2 minutes. Add turkey stock, bay leafs, peppercorns, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, and simmer, covered, for 3 hours. Remove everything from pan except about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Once turkey is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones, and add back to pan, along with barbecue sauce, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook over low heat for 40 minutes. Serve on crusty bread with Holiday Coleslaw.

Holiday Coleslaw
(yield: 8 servings)

2 lbs cabbage (1 learge head), shredded
2 large carrots (4 cups), grated
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp pepper

Place the cabbage and carrots into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and sugar. Using your hands, squeeze well to distribute the salt and sugar until the cabbage begins to release its juices. Place into a colander set over a bowl, and top with a heavy weight (you can use some heavy bowls). Let stand 3 hours.

Mix the remaining ingredients into drained slaw. Serve right away, or refrigerate until ready to eat.