Sauce and Sear
Second half of the red marinade. The dressing gets built in the same unwashed cup the marinade came out of, then the turkey goes into cast iron. Two things did not go to plan and both are worth writing down
The same cup
Nothing gets washed. The marinade left a red film all over the measuring cup and that is free flavour, so the vinaigrette goes straight in on top of it. Olive oil first, then red wine vinegar
Tomato paste and mustard
The same tomato paste as the marinade, so the two match, then Löwensenf. The mustard is not there for the taste. Its mucilage is the emulsifier that is supposed to hold the oil and vinegar together
Paprika, salt, garlic
Smoked paprika again, salt, and a small amount of garlic minced fine. Less garlic than the marinade, since nothing here is going to see heat
It did not emulsify
This is what it should not look like. It wants shaking hard, in a sealed jar, until it thickens and turns opaque. Stirred in an open measuring cup it never got there, and it sat in two layers with the oil floating clear on top. The mustard was in it, so the fix is mechanical rather than a missing ingredient. Something to work on
Into cast iron
Sunflower oil for the sear, not the olive oil. It has the higher smoke point and the pan is going to be hot
Too hot, too empty
Here is the mistake. The pan was a little too hot and only a few pieces went in, so there was nothing in there to pull the temperature down. It should have been a full layer, turned quickly, then the heat dropped and a lid on. Instead the first pieces sat and caught
Heat down, lid on
Turned, heat down, lid on to carry it through the middle without pushing the outside any further
Pull at temperature
72 to 74 °C in the thickest piece is the target. This went to 77, a little past, and then rests five minutes so the juices redistribute instead of running out on the plate
Sliced
Good colour on most of it. The dark edges are the price of the first two minutes
Do not wash that pan
What is left behind is the best thing in the kitchen at this point: rendered marinade, browned garlic and pan juices. It goes straight into the dressing. If the dressing is already dressed, put it on the meat instead. Do not pour it away
Recipe
Red vinaigrette
| Good Units | Bad Units | Item | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 g | 3 tbsp | Olive oil | Add to cup1 |
| 30 g | 1 tbsp | Red wine vinegar | Add to cup1 |
| 10 g | 1 tsp | Tomato paste | Add to cup1 |
| 10 g | 1 tsp | Löwensenf mustard | Add to cup1 |
| 2.5 g | Smoked paprika | Add to cup1 | |
| 4 g | Garlic | Mince fine, add to cup1 | |
| 2 g | Oregano, chopped | Add to cup1 | |
| 3 g | Salt | Add to cup1 | |
| cup1 | Seal and shake hard until thick and opaque |
The sear
| Good Units | Bad Units | Item | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marinated turkey | Bring near room temp, pat dry, scrape excess back | ||
| Cast iron pan | Heat to medium-high, not screaming | ||
| Sunflower oil | Film the pan | ||
| Turkey | Sear in a full single layer, turn often | ||
| Butter | Add in the last 1 - 2 min, baste | ||
| Pan | Heat down, lid on, take to 72 - 74 °C internal | ||
| 5 min | Seared turkey | Rest, then slice | |
| Pan juices | Scrape up, pour into cup1 or over the meat |
Commentary, extra notes
- Full pan at medium-high, not a few pieces at maximum. The tomato paste and honey in the marinade are sugar, and sugar goes acrid black long before the meat is done
- Butter only in the last minute or two. Its milk solids brown nutty but burn if they go in early
- The dressing got rebuilt in the right order in Red Vinaigrette II