Skip to main content Home Choosing a wine for ham or turkey Choosing a wine for ham or turkey Holiday meals are special occasions which usually call for a festive bottle of wine. Traditional holiday meals often include either ham or turkey, which causes some debate, and confusion, over what wine should be served. Pairing wines with these two main dishes can be a little tricky. Let's take a look at these holiday meals and see if we can break them down and determine which wines would pair well. Ham - glazed or smoked Many holiday hams are cooked using a heavy sauce of some sort, glazed to form a crispy crust, which makes them sweet to the taste. There are also hams with more of a smoky flavor, the type that are cured and aged. In general, the heavier flavors of a glazed ham should be paired with a wine that has higher acidity levels, such as a Riesling, or a simple White Zinfandel. Lighter hams, those that have a smoky flavor usually go well with a Pinot Noir or a Vouvray.

The reasons these different flavors go well together is that the meal becomes more balanced. The acidity of the Riesling will help cut through the sweet, sugary flavor of the glazed hams, while the fruity undertones of the Pinot Noir will help taper off the smoky flavor of the cured or smoky ham. Heavier wines will drown out the flavors of the ham by overpowering them with either heat from the alcohol or too much pizzazz from the rich flavors. Turkey - white or dark The white meat of a turkey has a drier texture than dark meat. In order to balance out the texture of white meat, it would not be wise to serve a dry wine as this would not help to quench that need for moisture. Sweeter wines are generally the go-to for white meat as they force the palate to salivate. Any light, sweet wine will do. You may wish to try a sweet German wine.Blog → Turkey → Marinating Your Turkey The Secret to Marinating Your Turkey Do you avoid cooking a turkey because they always turn out dry and bland?

Brining and marinating your turkey are two ways to make your bird juicier, very tender and most importantly loaded with flavor. You could over spend and buy a marinade at the grocery store or you can make your own. Brining, Marinating and Seasoning Your Bird: If you're deciding if brining is right for you here are some resources to help your decision - Is Turkey Brining the Best Way to Seasoning Your Bird? and What are the Secrets to Turkey Brining?best type of wine for thai food Looking for some marinating recipe ideas? box of wine co opThen try these- Lemon and Rosemary Turkey Marinade, Mexican Turkey Marinade, Creole Turkey Marinade and Chinese Five Spice Turkey Marinade.best affordable wine bars nyc

And if you want a good turkey rub - Cajun Turkey Rub (ideal for deep frying), Texas Smoked Turkey Rub (if you're looking to smoke your bird) and our Caribbean Turkey Rub for a taste of the islands. Turkey marinades need three things: • An acidic (like vinegar, wine or a citrus) • Oil (simple olive oil will do) • Spices and seasonings (this is where the turkey rubber hits the road or maybe the turkey crosses the road...)best wine to go with japanese food How Much Marinade Do You Need?best time to visit wine country in france There are two schools of thought on this. red wine drink benefitsOne group believes that you don’t need that much marinade (you don’t have to completely cover you bird the entire time it is marinating) as long as you are flipping your turkey from time to time.

We like the second method which is closer to the brining method where the entire turkey is submerged in the marinade during the entire marinating process. Does this mean you need more marinade? Will your bird be more flavorful? The easiest way to determine how much total marinade you are going to need is to put the turkey in the clean container that you are going to use. Fill the container with water until the bird is completely submerged. Remove the turkey and measure the water. That’s how much you’ll need. How Long Does It Take? Well even a little marinating will be better than no marinating at all. So if you only have time for a couple of hours - fine. We prefer to marinate our turkey for at least 8-12 hours and frequently go as many as 24. Any longer and we don’t notice any more flavor being achieved. What Kind of Container Should You Use? Since refrigerator space is limited, especially during the holidays, you can use a brining bag and a square cooler filled with ice.

Select a cooler that’s big enough for both the turkey and the marinade. Before using clean your cooler with soap and water, sanitize with bleach and water and then air dry your cooler. If you are using your refrigerator you need a food grade container that is big enough for the turkey and the marinade. Be sure that the container you select will fit in the fridge. Whether you choose to use a cooler or your refrigerator during the marinating process you want to be sure to keep it below 40°. We’ve all heard the horror stories of salmonella and poultry and the two ways to combat this are during the marinating (keep it cold) and the cooking (get it hot) processes. Choosing the Ideal Turkey When selecting the ideal turkey to marinating, look for a natural turkey with “natural” or “no preservatives added” on the outer package. Otherwise you’re probably getting a self-basted bird that's already been injected with a salt solution (and other flavorings). We like turkeys in the 12 to 20 lb. range best.