RECIPES
Need help making the perfect bird for Thanksgiving? Palmer’s owner Monte Sheffield has the tips that will keep your bird juicy and flavorful, plus a side and holiday drink recipe to be thankful for.
Palmer’s has been in operation since 1978 in a building that dates back to the 1920s.
“It was started by a local guy, Michael Palmer Mckinster, who had never been in the restaurant business, but he decided to give it a shot. And he had two brothers that came down from Lubbock. They were working for him as servers,” Sheffield said. “Then they wound up buying it from him in ‘82, and then they took it over.”
Sheffield and his wife Kristin moved from Austin to San Marcos in 2004 then bought the restaurant in 2010. The Sheffields made Palmer’s their own through personal touches, as well as customer feedback and interaction.
“We try to exceed expectations from every moment,” Sheffield said. “A lot of people think we’re just in this college town, and we’re going to serve beer pizza and chicken wings and all. Then they come in here and they look at the beauty of this restaurant, then the service level they get, the food quality and drink quality, [and they’re impressed]. We just really try to never rest on our laurels.”
SHEFFIELD’S BRINED AND ROASTED TURKEY RECIPE
“Brining is a unique method that draws flavors into the meat,” Sheffield said. “We brine our pork chops 24-30 hours and they turn out forkworthy and this method is a sure winner!”
Servings in this recipe are for a 12–14 pound turkey.
“Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator several days beforehand,” Sheffield said. “Scale the ingredients proportionally for larger/smaller birds.”
Soak the turkey in the wet brine for 24 hours.
Brine Ingredients:
• 1 ½ cups kosher salt (¾ cup if using table salt)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 gallons cold water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp black peppercorns • 1 Tbsp allspice berries (optional)
• 4–6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 2 oranges or 1 lemon, sliced (optional)
• Ice as needed
Instructions:
1.In a large pot, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 quart hot water 2.Add remaining water (cold), aromatics, and cool completely 3.Submerge thawed turkey (remove giblets) in brine 4.Refrigerate 12–24 hours. 5.“Keep the turkey fully submerged. Use a plate or weight if needed,” Sheffield said. “If the turkey is pre-brined or ‘self-basting,’ skip this step.” 6.Drying and preparation (8–24 hours before roasting): 7.Remove turkey from brine 8.Rinse briefly (optional) and pat completely dry inside and out 9.Place on a rack in a pan and refrigerate uncovered 8-24 hours to dry the skin. “This gives the best browning,” Sheffield said.
Roasting the turkey Ingredients:
• 4 tbsp. softened butter (or olive oil)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. paprika (for color)
• Extra herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 carrots
Instructions:
•Preheat oven to 325°F
•Season (aromatics only)
•Rub turkey with softened butter all over and under the skin where possible •Sprinkle salt, pepper, herbs and paprika
•Stuff cavity loosely with aromatics “Dense stuffing slows cooking,” Sheffield said.
Roasting times (unstuffed):
12-14 lb turkey: 3 to 3.5 hours or roast until internal temp is 165°F in the thickest part of thigh and breast
Roasting Method:
•Place turkey breast-side up on a rack
•Add 1-2 cups of water or broth to the pan
•Roast uncovered “Tent with foil if it’s browning too fast after the first 1-2 hours,” Sheffield said. “For extra crisp skin, increase the oven temperature to 425°F for the last 15-20 minutes.”
•Rest the turkey 30-45 minutes before carving.
Optional Gravy:
Pour pan drippings through a strainer.
“It’s ideal to have a metal bowl in ice or freezer to add drippings to,” Sheffield said. “Let it set up to allow the fat to form. Remove the fat layer, which will result in a fabulously rich au jus with less fat.”
HASSELBACK POTATOES
“We feature hasselbacks in several ways, including carrots, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes and guests rave,” Sheffield said. “This curation comes from Sweden. The method is unique and variations are fun and adventurous.”
Preparation/procedure:
•One medium to large potato per two persons
•Cut in half lengthwise
•Using two wooden spoons or chop sticks, lay on either side of potato flat side down
•Wet the blade of a smooth chefs style knife and cut down through the top every quarter inch. “It helps to slice away from you versus straight down, which will help prevent breaking,” Sheffield said.
•Heat a thick bottom skillet, adding just enough good olive oil over the surface,
•Oil top and bottom and of hasselbacks and sprinkle with salt and pepper
•Sear the flat side for two minutes
•Transfer potatoes to a baking dish
•Place flat side down and add a quarter inch of turkey drippings or chicken stock.
•Place the dish in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes — until a fork can push through to the middle.
“These can be done ahead of time a few hours and held,” Sheffield said.
CRANBERRY MARGARITA
Tequila and cranberry preparation:
• 3 cups of cranberries smashed
• 2 whole oranges zested then sliced
• 2 bottles of El Afan Blanco Tequila
•Let steep 3-4 days
•Strain through a fine mesh strainer
•Remove oranges
•Spread cranberries on sheet pan
•After oven is used and still hot, turn off and place cranberries in in order to oven-dry over night
•Next day: add cranberries with a 1/2 cup kosher salt to the blender and pulse
•Add more salt afterward if needed
Margarita:
•1.25 ounces of cranberry tequila •Half ounce of Paula’s orange liqueur
•1.25 ounces of fresh lime
•1 ounce of simple syrup
•A splash of Topochico Shake well Serve with optional salt “Leave oranges in wedges while steeping and dehydrate with cranberries for a special garnish touch,” Sheffield said.
This holiday drink can also be enjoyed at Palmer’s. Business hours are Friday from 11:30 a.m. 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 p.m. 9:30 p.m. It’s closed on Mondays.
