Tom, gone but not forgotten...

OK, I should have thought to take a pic before I carved Tom but I didn't so here is the carcass as it looked after we had dinner.  Tom was a very different turkey.  His skin was so thick, like a layer of leather I swear.  Once I cut past the skin I found very juicy meat.  The flavor was still turkey only magnified.  Tom produced some juice for gravy but not much, I had used some chicken broth to baste Tom and most of the gravy was actually from the broth I added.

As you can see on the lower left of the photo is Tom's thigh and the dark meat was so dark it almost looked like beef!  But the flavor was out of this world!  I started by soaking Tom in a salt water brine for 24 hours, some recommended 48 but I think 24 worked just fine.  I can't imagine Tom turning out to be any better no mater what I had done.

Tom was accompanied by cornbread stuffing from cornbread I had made yesterday morning.  Due to poor planning the stuffing was not "stuffed" but cooked separate and I must say it just is not the same when it isn't cooked inside the turkey.  I must be sure to get the corn bread made BEFORE it is time to put the turkey into the oven!

Now every time I make a turkey Shane wants the gibblets used to make the stuffing but, I just CAN NOT allow that.  I think of the giblets as the tip given to the cook for working so hard all day to get everything made and on the table.  And let me tell you Tom's giblets were the best I have ever had.  The liver was flavorful with out having the bitterness that liver can have and the gizzard was chewy yet soft at the same time.  And the heart was so tender!  

I am a little sad to see Tom go though.  I loved hearing his gobble.  We have talked about getting some baby turkeys and trying to raise a Tom as nice as Christmas, but when you think about it Tom did his job, he protected his girls, just wish he hadn't protected them so well from us!

Vic butchered Tom the best way I can imagine, one swipe of his machete and off with his head.  Even the plucking wasn't quite as bad as I had thought it was going to be, course Shane and Brady helped a lot! 

So off to make turkey sandwiches for lunch!