Railtown Catering Shares Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes

Whether you prepare it yourself or get it catered, the perfect Thanksgiving feast is within your reach

If you don’t have the time, energy or—let’s be honest—culinary talent to cook up an intricate, delectable Thanksgiving dinner, why not get it catered?

Vancouver’s Railtown Catering has answered the pleas of anyone who’s ever burned a turkey with their Thanksgiving To-Go gourmet dinner package. It serves eight to 10 guests and includes time-honoured classics like oven-roasted turkey and pumpkin pie, as well as side dishes with a refined twist like cranberry sauce infused with ginger and wildflower honey.

You’ll not only treat your guests to an exquisite holiday feast, but also do a good deed, since a portion of the proceeds will be going to Mission Possible—a non-profit organization that serves meals to those in critical need in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Meanwhile, those of you who love to cook can try your hand at making some of Railtown’s scruptious dishes yourself, thanks to recipes provided by the catering company’s owner and chef, Dan Olson. 

Click through for Railtown Catering’s recipes for Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie.

Honey-Brined, Sage-Roasted Turkey and Gravy Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 15-lb organic tom turkey
• 4 cups kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup honey
• ¼ cup whole black peppercorn
• 5 lemons halved
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 heads garlic, halved and smashed
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch sage
• 1 bunch thyme
• ¼ cup clarified butter for brushing
• 2 carrots, quartered
• 1 small leek, halved
• 1 small yellow onion, halved
• 8 cups turkey stock
• 1 cup flour

Method

Brine

1. In a large stockpot, boil salt, honey, lemons, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic heads, parsley and thyme in 8 litres of water.
2. Reserve the neck bones and giblets from the turkey. Let brine cool, add the turkey, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Turkey

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Remove the bird from the brine and pat dry. Brush with clarified butter and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add fresh sage inside the cavity.
4. Transfer to a roasting pan fitted with a rack.
5. Add the reserved giblets, the neck bone, carrots, leek, garlic and onion to the bottom of the pan.
6. Roast until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.
7. Turn the oven down to 275°F and continue cooking until a thermometer inserted into the deepest part of the breast reads 165°F (about 2.5 hours).
8. Keep warm and let rest for 40 minutes before carving.
9. Reserve the turkey fat from the pan, return to oven and roast the vegetables until caramelized golden brown. Set pan aside.

Gravy

1. Place pan with giblets, bones and vegetables over medium high heat.
2. Add turkey stock and cook, scraping up bottom bits from the pan. About 10 minutes, then strain the stock.
3. Cook reserved turkey fat and butter in a pot, sprinkle in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in reserved stock.
4. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until gravy is slightly thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Chef’s Tip

Use our tenderizing brine of honey, lemon, herbs, garlic, salt and spices for maximum moisture retention and flavour.

Recipe courtesy of Dan Olson, Chef/Owner, Railtown Catering

Connect with Railtown Catering on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Dried Apricot, Chestnut and Brioche Bread Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 loaves brioche bread, diced into cubes
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ bunch fresh sage, chopped
• ¼ bunch fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 small handful of dried apricots, diced
• 1 cup roasted chestnuts, chopped
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• ½ pound butter
• reserved turkey fat/drippings
• 3 cups turkey stock
• 4 whole eggs whisked together
• juice of one orange
• salt, cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp old bay seasoning spice

Method

1. In an oven preheated to 350°F, toast the brioche cubes into golden brown croutons with garlic oil and salt. Set aside.
2. Sauté the onion, celery, garlic, thyme, sage and seasonings together in the reserved turkey dripping and butter.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the croutons, chestnuts, pine nuts, sautéed vegetables, orange juice, turkey stock and eggs. Season with salt and pepper, mix and place into a casserole dish.
4. Cover with tin foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350°F.
5. Serve with juicy turkey and gravy.

Recipe courtesy of Dan Olson, Chef/Owner, Railtown Catering

Connect with Railtown Catering on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Chef Alex Abley’s Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie with Chantilly Cream Recipe

Dough

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups flour
• pinch of salt
• pinch of sugar
• ½ cup butter
• 30 mL water

Method

1. Sift flour, add salt and sugar, then cut butter into small pieces.
2. Pinch butter into flour until broken down into pea-sized pieces.
3. Add water and start to bring together. Cover dough and rest in the fridge for an hour.
4. Roll out and place in 9” pie pan.

Pumpkin Filling

Ingredients

• 116 mL whipping cream
• 116 mL whole milk
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 ¼ tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground clove
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 ½ whole eggs
• 333g (1 cup) pumpkin purée

Method

1. Whisk all ingredients together and pour into shell.
2. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes until the middle is firm and a knife comes out clean.

Chantilly Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 vanilla bean

Method

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Beat the cream until soft and billowy.
3. Pipe onto room temperature pumpkin pie. 

Recipes Courtesy of Dan Olson, Chef/Owner, Railtown Catering. Connect with Railtown Catering on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.