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Bay Leaf Fall Rosemary Sage USA

The Herbal Dry Brine

November 13, 2022

The Herbal Dry Brine

NOVEMBER 13th, 2022

As you are probably aware, brining helps create a more succulent meat. I am a big fan of the dry brine when it comes to cooking a turkey or even a chicken. The dry brine is easier and less messy than wet, and it delivers moist meat and a crispy and flavorful skin, which I happen to be a fan of.

Adding herbs and spices to a dry brine (salt) adds flavor, texture, and a joie de vivre by creating an aromatic and flavorful experience customized to your palate. The salt on the skin draws moisture from the turkey and then commingles with the herbs, spices and salt and gets re-absorbed back into the turkey, creating flavorful, succulent and juicy meat. The salt and air dries out the skin which allows it to become extra crispy when roasted, and the herbs and spices add extra flavor as they cook and get embedded into  the chicken skin by means of chicken fat.

If you are lucky enough to get a jar of my Chipotle Cranberry Mezcal Herbal Brine in time for Thanksgiving, you will need to know how to use it. And if you didn’t get one (which is likely because I made limited quantities this fall), you can still make one using the same formula listed below.

Not only am I re-sharing my (extremely popular) Cranberry Mezcal Sauce but I’m giving you a simple and elegant turkey recipe that I love making:  Cranberry Mezcal Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast Roulade with Orange-Rosemary Gastrique Gravy, a recipe I created for a wine event with Pineau des Charentes a few years back that makes a wonderful alternative to cooking an entire turkey, which utilizes the cranberry sauce and will be perfect for this seasons herbal salt brine as well.

My fall herbal brine (Chipotle Cranberry Mezcal Herbal Brine) melds bright tangy cranberries, butter fried sage,  earthy Mexican spices and mezcal into a sultry herbal salt. The smokiness of the Mezcal pairs well with the cranberries. Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, in particular adds wonderful vegetal tones, that I’m in absolute love with. It smoky, savory and fruity with a tinge of chipotle spice that tends to stick to the skin. The skin of the turkey is laced with flavors from spice to smoke to tang, and the “drippings” from the salt brine penetrate deep into the meat so each bite is an experience in gratitude for life.

Chipotle Cranberry-Mezcal Herbal Dry Brined Turkey

Brines one turkey up to 18 lbs

Dry brining a bird is easy. You just need to plan ahead and figure about 1½ tablespoons of salt per 4 pounds of turkey; so my 2.5 ounce jar of salt will accommodate a turkey up to 18 pounds. If you have a bigger turkey, add a bit more kosher salt to the mix.

You’ll need to dry brine your turkey or chicken 2 days prior to cooking which means you need to have your bird totally thawed out 2 days prior to cooking. Rinse it off and pat it dry. Make sure to get the salt mixture under the skin and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator until you cook it. The skin will get dried out which is good. This yields a crispy skin.

Ingredients

1 turkey (12-18 lbs.)
1 2.5 ounce jar of Herbal-Roots Chipotle Cranberry-Mezcal Herbal Dry Brine
1 cup fresh fall herbs of choice: sage, rosemary, marjoram, thyme
2 tablespoons orange zest

Directions

Rinse and pat turkey dry. Break apart the skin (loosen it from the flesh).

Mix together the salt, fresh herbs and zest and first start by placing some of the salt underneath the skin and into the cavities. Once you have placed some salt inside the skin, cover the entire bird with the remainder of the salt, packing it onto the skin all over the bird.

Set the bird on a tray or baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered for 36-48 hours. If you must cover it, draping a bit of plastic over the top is ok, but ideally you want to leave it uncovered so the air circulates around it; this will give you super crispy skin.

Once you have brined your bird, you can roast or bake it as normal. Do not rinse off any of the brine; all the salt will have been absorbed into the bird and all that will be left on the skin are remnants of herbs and spices which will add flavor to your skin. Let your turkey come to room temperature before cooking.

*To make your own herbal salt brine combine 2/3 cup Maldon flake salt with 1 cup of fresh herbs of choice, spices of choice (about 1 tablespoon) and about 2 tablespoons orange zest.

Mezcal Cranberry Sauce

Makes 3 cups

The smokiness of mezcal pairs incredibly well with cranberries, and its delicious with turkey. Subtle herb and spice seasonings give this depth, and the butter fried sage lends texture and a tinge more smokiness. The Vida mezcal also has a vegetal tone that brings this all together, making the final sauce the perfect combination of sweet, smoky, and savory. Blend some of this up, and glaze your bird with it.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cranberries
½ cup raw or turbinado sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest
½ cup orange juice
½ cup Vida Organic Mezcal
2 cups water
1 teaspoon finely cracked white pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon smoked salt, Alderwood or Cherrywood
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
8 sage leaves, butter-fried and crispy and roughly chopped
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

Directions  

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan, except the vinegar,  on medium-high heat. Stirring often, bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to boil, still stirring, while the cranberries begin to pop and burst open. Once all the cranberries have opened, reduce the temperature, and simmer for about  30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick. Drizzle in the vinegar in the last few minutes of cooking the sauce.  Remove from heat and cool. Once cooled this can be blended for an ultra-smooth sauce or glaze or kept thicker and more rugged.

Cranberry Mezcal Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast Roulade with Orange-Rosemary Gastrique Gravy

Serves 6-8

Dry brining leads to a more succulent turkey, it’s not only juicier but it cooks better, and you can impart a bit more flavor by dry brining. This recipe calls for dry brining 2 days prior to cooking, and it stuffs and rolls the breasts with rich cranberry sauce. Ask your butcher for a split breast, deboned, skin on. You will need kitchen twine to tie up the turkey roulade.

Ingredients

For the turkey breast
1 whole (split breast) de-boned turkey breast (6-8 pounds)
2.5 ounces Herbal-Roots Chipotle Cranberry-Mezcal Herbal Salt Brine
1 cup chopped winter herbs; rosemary, sage, thyme, savory, marjoram
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 cup Mezcal Cranberry Sauce, plus ½ cup blended into a smooth paste, reserved for glaze
¼ cup maple syrup
2 cups dry white wine

For the Orange-Rosemary Gastric Gravy:
1 – 1 ½ cups turkey juice/drippings
¼ cup Mezcal Cranberry Sauce
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup honey balsamic vinegar

Directions

Set your dry brine 2 days before you plan to cook your turkey. Mix together the Herbal-Roots Chipotle Cranberry-Mezcal Herbal Salt Brine, zest, fresh herbs and spices in a medium bowl.

To prepare the turkey breast, first pat it dry on a tray or baking sheet that will fit into your refrigerator. Next, gently loosen up the skin with your fingers, making sure not to rip the skin. Turn the turkey breast upside down and rub a tablespoon or two of the salt and herb mixture inside the cavity. Flip back over, take another tablespoon or two and try and get it underneath the skin, still taking care not to break the skin. Rub the remainder of the salt and herb mixture as evenly as you can all over the breast, rubbing and packing it into the skin.

To roll the turkey roulade, you will need to prepare 6 strands of kitchen twine, 12-inches each in length. On a clean working surface, lay down 4 of the strands side by side so they are parallel and evenly spaced from one another. Lay the turkey breast (skin side down) over those strings, this will make it easier to tie the turkey without the sauce escaping. Spread 1 cup of the Mezcal Cranberry Sauce evenly over the breast. Tightly roll up the turkey breast, and tie with the 4 strands ready. Where needed, secure the rolled breast with the two remaining ties to hold it firmly into a roll.

Refrigerate the rolled turkey for the 2 days before cooking, wrapped in plastic (I use compostable bags). When you remove it after 2 days, the turkey will look dried out. This is good.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F on the day of cooking.  Remove the dry brined turkey from your refrigerator and brush off any excess salt. Place the turkey breast on the rack of a roasting pan, with the tie side down.

Mix the ½ cup blended Mezcal Cranberry Sauce with the maple syrup. Gently brush it all over the top of the turkey breast, making sure every exposed part is covered in glaze. Set the remainder of the glaze aside. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for about 1- 1 ½ hours until the glazed skin is crisp and caramelized. Typically, roast turkey takes about 15 minutes per pound; when an instant meat thermometer poked deep into the breast reads 155-165 degrees F, you’ll know it is done. If the skin begins to brown too much after the first hour of cooking, tent it with aluminum foil so it doesn’t burn. Brush a little more glaze on periodically during the first hour of cooking, being careful not to take so much time you cool the turkey and the oven. At the 1 hour mark, remove the ties that hold the turkey together, remove and reserve the juices from the pan, and place the turkey back into the oven. Once the turkey is cooked, remove it from the oven, and let it rest for about 15 minutes before carving up.

For the Gastrique:

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Turn the temperature down low and let the sauce reduce by about half. The sauce should be thick and syrupy and coat the back of a spoon. Timewise it varies but should take approximately 15-20 minutes to reduce down by half.

Bay Leaf Fall Rosemary Sage USA

The Herbal Dry Brine

November 13, 2022
November 13, 2022
ABOUT ME
About Me

Noted herb expert, culinary educator and recipe developer. Small business consultant traveling the globe in search of food and cultural knowledge, while working with small, local, organic, sustainable, and fairtrade farmers.

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LATEST POSTS
  • “Different” Chicken Congee
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  • Spent Blooms & Wild Persimmons
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I love the way in a flash, everything changes in fall. The same things we've been looking at feel different. Lighting is a fabulous concept. In terms of the herbs the flavor changes and everything tastes warmer and more sultry, stronger but also softer. A dichotomy that I'm rather attracted to due to my own hard/soft qualities. I think the flavors of herbs in early fall, when they are on what appears to be their last attempt at a potent life, is my favorite taste. As if this simple perseverance was a flavor or an essence. 

It appears I've just landed on the #Fall #HerbalSalt collection's leitmotif.
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There is significant vibrance in fall.
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A little garden #negroni made classic but with a #lemonverbena infused white #vermouth
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While everyone is talking about fall and cold  weather food the sun still shines, tomatoes are abundant and a bumper crop of mint explodes from the earth. Thst means Turkish Manti time, one of my all time favorite pasta dishes. A dish I've learned countless ways to make in Turkey where my favorite city in the world is Istanbul. 

Its a fantastic recipe, link in story, make it!
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I've waited my whole life for a big bowl of #ArabianJasmine 

This is going to turn into an Arabian Nights Jasmine Gelato 

Gentle, floral, exotic, sweet with a dusting of delicate bitterness. Its exquisite. I love it and the scent fills me with joy.
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While progress in my MO life has been slow (and thus painful for my "do it now/get it done" soul) there has been progress and the garden, although still needing work and expansion - gives me soooo much. Most days i stop and contemplate the awe of it all. 

I've mentioned it before but  herbs in particular, have an energy that not only fills me with joy but I think I absorb their perseverance, their tenacity, their power and their potency. For sure there is a non stop creative exchange (one way I guess so exchange isn't the best word). 

Ideas are percolating for the final decisions my the fall herbal salt offerings- which will offer 2 new EXCITING products - stay tuned.
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I am not know for elaborate decoration - but flavor and ease of recipe,  I am known for, along with my natural  herbaceousNiss 

This is a nectarine, blackberry galette with my easy and full proof lemon verbena crust that goes with everything! It's topped with a Raspberry and Orange (Essence) Chamomile Ice Cream. I say essence because there is just a little raspberry and orange zest in it which i blended into the milk so it tastes like a chamomile vanilla ice cream with little whispers of raspberry and orange. 

For the crust (trust me it's foolproof) I don't even ever measure. The following "recipe" assumes you know the basics of pie crust - my method is just to avoid getting out my food processor, or doing too much work with a pastry cutter. It allows me to whip up a decent gallete without much fuss. The lemon verbena is AMAZING in it. You can buy dried lemon verbena but it's soooo easy to grow.  Sub lemon zest /add spices too!

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (sometimes I use 1/4 cup sprouted wheat pastry flour (i did here) 
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped lemon verbena 
1 tablespoon sugar 
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used my berry salt so 1 teaspoon) 
1 stick cold butter 
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (my secret weapon in all my pie crusts) 
1/4 cup Water
Ice 

Combine 1/4 cup water with the vinegar and add some ice. 
 
Mix the flour, verbena, sugar and salt and then grate (large side of the grater) the butter in. Mix with hands well, creating lots of  little bits and pieces of butter/flour (you know the pie crust drill). Add half the cold water (no ice -although it always "accidentally" happens to me). Mix well, still with hands and combine the mixture to create one unit dough ball, add more water as needed it should be moist, not wet and not dry. Roll out onto a piece of parchment paper- make the galette. Refrigerate galette for at least an hour before baking.
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Part coffee cake, part cobbler, this Rosemary, Lavender Plum Cake is easy to whip up, not delicious and overly sweet - the perfect snack cake. Recipe forthcoming.
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Tomato, garlic and herb confit.
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DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH BLACK ROSEMARY SALT
Makes 9 large cookies

This double chocolate chip cookie is fudgy and soft. The fresh rosemary salt on top is a must and takes this cookie to the next level. 

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup dark cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup salted butter (1 stick/ 8 tablespoons), room temperature
½ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ dark chocolate chips (semisweet/ 50-53%)
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon Maldon salt
1 teaspoon black flake salt (sub more Maldon salt)

Directions

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

In a separate large and deep mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat another 2-3 minutes until creamy.

Stir in the dry ingredients and either mix together by hand (preferred method at this stage) or use the hand mixer on low speed. Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined and mixed well, gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Since these cookies are super chocolaty and fudgy, it’s best to freeze them in “cookie dough balls” before baking. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop up some cookie dough, making round balls a little smaller than golf balls. Place them on a small baking sheet or plate and freeze. Once frozen, you can store them in a zip lock bag in the freezer to have on hand.

Pre-heat oven to 375° F. Combine the rosemary and salt and set aside.

Place your cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the cookies for about 15-18 minutes. At about the 12-minute mark, sprinkle each cookie with some of the rosemary salt, making sure to get a little on all sections of the cookie. When the cookies are done, they will still seem quite soft when you remove them but they should not be batter-like consistency at all. Slide the parchment paper (and the cookies) onto a wire cooling rack or wooden cutting board, and cool for about 5 minutes.

Serve warm with a bowl of Jasmine Vanilla Cherry Ice Cream.
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CHOPPED CUCUMBER SALAD WITH BLACK LENTILS, ANISE HYSSOP & SUMAC
Serves 4-6

Cucumbers are surprisingly delicious with anise hyssop. Try the pair together in cold cucumber gazpacho or a refreshing anise hyssop cucumber cocktail. This simply dressed salad utilizes this beautiful pairing, showcasing the savory side of the fresh herb, complementing it with bright citrusy sumac. The salad is refreshing and light, but still filling. It’s easy to whip together and can be eaten as a stand-alone salad or as a side salad for grilled meats or fish.

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sumac
½ teaspoon salt
1 English cucumber, halved and sliced
½ cup sliced thin and halved red onions
¾ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh anise hyssop leaves
2 cups chopped romaine or little gem lettuce
1 cup black lentils, cooked and salted
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Herbal Roots Seasonal Herb Flake Salt- summer 2019 edition (optional)

Directions

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sumac and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cucumbers, onions, tomatoes and hyssop and toss together until mixed.

Assemble the salad by laying down some chopped lettuce, topped with the lentils. Pour the dressed cucumbers and onions over the top evenly and top with crumbled feta. Season with a little seasonal herb flake salt.
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It's pizza night so im using my Sicilian anchovy salt... I make an awesome quick sauce by sautéing garlic and herbs with cherry tomatoes salt and chili flakes and adding tomato sauce. This pizza salt is amazzzzzzzing.
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Instagram post 17889656387841850
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I have no idea why but I made pot roast last night.  I can't think of a dish I hate more than pot roast. It reminds me of my father, so I always want to like it and I never do, even though I make it amazing. So f eating the leftovers of that. 

Instead I shredded it, put it in a pan, poured leftover coffee in it (cream and all 🤔) tossed in some dried anchos  and my secret custom taco seasoning  and cooked it on low until all liquid cooked out. The result is a simple Ancho shredded beef mixture that's going in tacos. Its so delicious- I don't know why anyone would eat pot roast. 

I like to use coffee in most my Mexican/Latin stewed meats. I actually learned this trick in Central America but met a few women in Michoacán that used it this way too. Most of my deeper darker mole recipes used ground coffee in the rub for the meat too. The combination of chilies and coffee is incredible. 

I will use this recipe idea for a new #mexican #tacoproject im working on for @crespoorganic #mangoes 🥭🇲🇽
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As we begin to realize Fall is coming. We inevitably fight the natural movement toward change that begins to bubble inside us. This transition has always been hard for me. Stillness has never come east for me, let alone listing to the meaning of stillness. It takes me a minute (more than one) to  release into it.  I wrote about this more in depth in @myherbalroots last fall (I'll post link in story it's good and there are great recipes that are born from my feelings) what I find really helpful is taking stock in all the changes I've been a part of, that I've made happen and that I've just released into. Like trees in the forrest. Eventually the transition becomes more graceful, which maybe it is. I think this year, not being in my usual Mediterranean stomping ground for September threw me off and also maybe pushed me (with discomfort) to be to make the changes that are better for my future. Something I don't often do as an impatient, now style Aries. Maybe like an older forest, im filled with more complexities and and textures. 

Speaking of complexities and textures and playing on yesterdays house questions, here is a reminder of where I started here in Blue Eye, MO 3 years ago (that's a very long time for me to be anywhere by the way).
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I don't know what it says about me, but I was tickled pink ( I don't even really know what that saying means) at todays lake o'clock that they dropped a bunch of water out of the damn and the lake dropped a pretty substantial amount which means todays buoy swim was really easy, the buoy now so close. Not really even enough to raise a heartbeat by much and I didn't do extra. 😀💃 also, after a few years of this buoy swim inca and , I can finally swim in the same lane. Kind of. 

The water is still warm or rather refreshing. The air is really warm outside. Feels good. Things feel good.
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LATEST POSTS
  • December 31, 2022
    “Different” Chicken Congee
  • December 20, 2022
    Nissa’s Christmas Mole (& Tamales)
  • November 10, 2022
    Spent Blooms & Wild Persimmons
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