Serving Up The Holidays

Story by Dave Eckert

Holidays can be stressful for a myriad of reasons, but I’m here today to help take one of those potential stresses off the table – literally! With two big holiday meals coming up, we turned to local experts on how to perfectly select and cook that amazing Thanksgiving turkey and outstanding Christmas roast.

For Thanksgiving, I can’t think of a better place to get advice than Paradise Locker Meats, delivering unmatched quality and huge flavor from the tiny town of Trimble, MO. I asked Nick Fantasma, Paradise’s Retail Sales and Marketing Manager, about his family’s Thanksgiving tradition. “I usually gather with my wife’s family for Thanksgiving dinner. My wife and I, of course, provide the turkey for our dinner. I love Paradise’s cured and smoked ready-to-eat turkey because of the ease of preparation. I carve the turkey while cold, and place it in a 13”x9” pan to reheat and serve in the same dish. We place the turkey in the oven at 350° F. for one to four hours, depending on the size. Juicy and delicious, it’s always a hit and our family insists on that turkey every year,” Fantasma shared.

Photo courtesy of Paradise Locker Meats

Fantasma encourages you to share his holiday tradition when selecting your turkey. “One of the worst things is a dry turkey, so try a brine or an injection to help keep your turkey moist. But for the best possible turkey, come get a smoked turkey from Paradise!”

On the Christmas side of the ledger, I touched base with some meat mavens for their insights. First up, Michael Gregg or McGregor’s Butcher and Bistro. “At McGregor’s, we believe beef is the ideal choice for a special holiday splurge that guests will remember and enjoy. For an elegant presentation, Tenderloin, aka Filet Mignon, is a popular and delicious favorite. However, our top recommendation is the classic Rib Roast, also known as Prime Rib. This cut is the centerpiece of holiday feasts, offering the juiciest, beefiest flavor,” Gregg offered. Gregg says when choosing a rib roast, you should look for plenty of marbling to ensure tenderness and juiciness. “You can select a roast with the bone attached or boneless. While some believe the bone adds flavor, we find that a boneless roast delivers equally delicious results with added convenience.”

Next, a chat with Andrew Longres, Chef and Owner of the meat-centric, and totally delicious, Acre restaurant in Parkville. With so many fantastic meat choices at his talented fingertips, I wondered just what he chose to serve at his family’s Christmas meal? Longres echoed Michael Gregg’s selection. At least half of it, anyway. “I stick to the classics for Christmas-prime rib and ham with all the traditional fixings like mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and fresh rolls. It’s comforting, festive, and always a crowd-pleaser,’ Longres shared.

Photo courtesy of McGregor’s Butcher and Bistro

Interestingly, a not so classic holiday dish was part of Longres’ family tradition growing up. “My family always made fondue for Christmas, and it became such a fun tradition. It brought everyone together around the table, kept the meal interactive, and created memories that I now get to share with my kids,” Longres told me.

For preparation Longres says start with a hot oven to create a great crust, then lower the heat to achieve a perfect medium-rare. “My go-to method is seasoning a ribeye roast the night before with garlic, coarse black pepper, kosher salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Roast at 425°F until you get the color you want, then finish at 300°F until the center hits 120°F. Let it rest for at least an hour. It’s the key to a juicy, flavorful holiday roast,” Longres says. Just waiting for my invite, Andrew!

Photo courtesy of Acre; Pilsen Photo Co-op

From up north, let’s head down south to Lenexa for a visit with Ryan Edwards, chef and owner of Sierra Grill and Sierra BBQ. Edwards says he loves the holiday season. “The holidays are about gathering around food that feels a little more special-rich roasts, hearty braises, casseroles. I love the indulgence of the season, and I’ll admit, I’ve got a sweet tooth, too. But more than anything, it’s the experience of sitting down with family and friends. Dining is entertainment-it’s how we connect, create shared memories, and celebrate. The holidays remind us to slow down, reflect, and be grateful, and great food is often right at the center of that,” Edwards told me.

For Edwards, picking the right piece of meat for those celebrations starts with one thing-marbling. “Those are the thin white streaks of fat running through the ribeye. That intramuscular fat is what gives you tenderness, juiciness, and big flavor. The more marbling, the better the roast. I usually go for a whole ribeye so I can trim and tie it myself for even cooking,” Edwards shared. As for the preparation, Edwards recommends keeping it simple. “Season well with salt, pepper, and thyme, tie it up, and cook low and slow. I smoke mine around 275–300°F and pull it before it’s fully done, letting it rest so the juices redistribute. That resting step makes all the difference between a dry roast and one that’s melt-in-your-mouth perfect,” Edwards stated.

Photo courtesy of Sierra Grill; Tonya Mangels, GRIT Advantage.

McGregor’s Holiday Roast

5 lb boneless rib roast
2 T salt
1//2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup beef broth
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 large yellow onion
3 medium carrots
4 celery stalks
4 cloves garlic
3 lbs baby red potatoes
Trim roast to retain approximately ¼ of fat. “Dry age” the roast, uncovered in the refrigerator for 48 hrs (or up to 72 hrs) before cooking. Remove from refrigerator, pat dry, and allow the roast to reach room temperature before cooking.
Season with 2 T salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder and rub into all sides.
Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat and sear roast on all sides (about 5 minutes).
In a large roasting pan with grate, add potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic cloves, sprigs of thyme and rosemary all around the grate. Add 1 cup of beef broth to the bottom of the pan.
Place the seared roast on top of the grate, fat side up.
Cook in a preheated oven at 200⁰ until desired temperature is reached. Approximately 30 minutes per pound.
Remove from oven, loosely tent with foil and set roast aside to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing to allow internal juices to re-distribute.
Remove vegetables from pan and use drippings to make au jus.

S I E R R A G R I L L R E C I P E S

Smoked Ribeye Roast

Ingredients:

Whole or half ribeye roast
Look for marbling, intramuscular fat that looks white, more -> better
Salt & pepper
Fresh thyme
Butcher’s twine

Instructions:

Trim the ribeye of excess fat and silver skin (not critical for smoking).
Truss the roast with butcher’s twine for even cooking.
Season generously with salt, pepper, and chopped thyme. (Note: seasoning will mostly stay on the surface and may come off during cooking.)
Smoke at 275°–300°F until internal temp reaches 125°–130°F.
Depending on size, 1 to 1 ½ hours
Wrap in butcher paper and let rest. Temp should rise to 130°–135°F in 1–2 hours.
For medium, pull at 135°F for a final temp of 140°F.

Sweet Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

3 lbs Whole carrots (prefer thick ovals)
2-3 Tbls Sugar
½ c Butter (room temperature)
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Peel and trim carrots to desired shape.
Boil salted water and blanch carrots until slightly softened but not fully cooked.
Strain and cool.
Preheat a heavy stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
Add room temp butter—let it melt and bubble quickly without burning.
Once butter begins to brown, add carrots.
Sauté until they start to caramelize.
Add sugar and toss until it dissolves and thickens the butter.
Remove from heat and adjust salt to taste.

Butter Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

6 lbs Gold potatoes
¾ lbs Onion, diced or sliced
1-1 ½ tbs Fresh thyme, destemed
½ lbs Melted butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Wash and slice potatoes about ⅛” thick. Do not rinse — starch helps bind.
Thinly slice onion and mix with potatoes for flavor.
Roast potato slices in a pan or casserole dish at 350°F, uncovered until dry.
Add butter, thyme, salt and pepper, mix/toss until combined.
Cover with alum foil and return to oven for aprox 45min – 1 hour until soft
Fork test: potatoes should be soft with minimal resistance.
Press potatoes down to compress as much as possible.
Remove foil and finish in oven until desired crispiness and color.
The beauty of this for me is that this can be done well ahead of time, to refresh just throw back into a 350 oven until it has the desired crispness to the exterior.

Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbls prepared horseradish
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 c Mascarpone
2 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ c Milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except milk
Slowly add milk, while mixing to ensure even consistency
Adjust seasoning to taste.
Chill before serving for best flavor integration.
Add more horseradish for hotter flavor and more or less milk to change consistency
Will set up thicker if stored overnight. Whisking in a small amount of milk will bring back a thinner consistency.