Make Your Own "Deli” Meats and Sides for May Gatherings
by Elise Griffith
Ah, May… the fog of summer hasn't yet settled in, graduations, bridal showers, weddings and Memorial Day picnics are arriving as friends and family begin to congregate. Gatherings of people mean all those folks need to be fed. One restaurant luncheon at a recent family reunion cost more than $500, so I'd like to encourage readers to plan ahead for much more affordable alternatives.
Consider serving an impressive sandwich and salad buffet, which can be portable for picnics! Most basic, deli lunchmeat is simply roasted, chilled and sliced meat. Why not make your own at a much lower per pound price? You have the added benefit of seasoning to your own tastes. What makes this an especially good idea for busy readers is the two step process of roasting, then chilling before slicing. Cold, roasted meats can be carved thinly without falling apart and last up to a week in the fridge… perfect for make-ahead major savings.
79 Cents a Pound Lemon Dill Chicken
- 2 (approximately 5 pounds each) whole fryer chickens – purchased on sale for 79 cents per pound
- ¼ cup (half stick) butter or margarine, melted
- 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dill weed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Freshly ground sea salt (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove any organs from the chicken carcasses, rinse chickens under cold running water or soak in a clean sink filled with cold, salted water for 20 minutes. Drain and arrange chickens in a large roasting pan or two baking dishes (as shown). I like to loosen the breast skin from the breast meat to season the meat as it roasts.
Whisk together melted butter, oil, herbs and lemon juice. Pour about 2 tablespoons of the liquid under each chicken's breast skin (over the meat), tie the legs of each chicken together and pour all remaining liquid evenly over each chicken. Sprinkle with freshly ground sea salt and a little extra dill weed if desired. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, rotate the roasting pan or baking dishes for even browning, and bake an additional 30-45 minutes until juices run clear when the thickest part of the chickens are pierced with a fork.
Remove the chickens from the oven, wait 10-15 minutes and cut off roasted legs and wings for a family meal, leaving all breast meat intact. Allow the carcasses/breast meat to reach room temperature, cover and refrigerate. When fully chilled, carve breast meat into thin slices for sandwiches and store in an airtight container in the fridge. The recipe not only provides a family meal from the dark meat, but it supplies 2-3 pounds of moist and delicious "cold cuts.”
Leftover chicken breast slices can be arranged over homemade cornbread stuffing and topped with dilled gravy using reserved roasting pan juices, water, white wine and cornstarch for a quick weeknight family meal or to share with retired neighbors.
What's better than 79 cents a pound lunchmeat? How about several pounds of FREE roasted and sliced turkey breast? If — like me — you took advantage of Albertson's buy one, get one free turkey sales at the 2012 holiday season, tucking one into a freezer, this month is a terrific time to thaw and roast it safely. Change up your seasonings for a spring/summer kick of flavor. The lemon dill recipe for chicken also works with turkey, or you can try a simple rub with Spice Hunter's Caribbean Rub before roasting in a Reynolds brand Brown 'n Bag for moist success without basting.
Caribbean Roasted Turkey
- 1 (up to 14 pound) frozen turkey, thawed, rinsed and patted dry – FREE
- 2 tablespoons Spice Hunter Caribbean Rub or other spice blend of your choice
- Reynolds turkey sized Brown 'n Bag
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Tie the legs of the turkey together. Rub spice blend over the entire turkey, place in oven bag in a large roasting pan, secure with tie (provided in package), cut slits into the bag, place turkey in the oven and roast up to 2 hours at 375 degrees. Total roasting time depends on the size of your unstuffed turkey. Remove turkey from oven, cool and refrigerate before carving to achieve best results for very thin breast slices. You can also carve while warm, if preferred.
I reserved the legs and wings to make Barbeque Pulled Turkey for hot sandwiches, but you might choose to use chopped, dark turkey meat for a cold turkey salad or a hot turkey and vegetable stew.
When was the last time you saw corned beef at the deli for $1.69 per pound? Or ham for 1.49 per pound? No doubt, it's been ages, yet you can make your own thin sliced deli versions for large gatherings if you stock up during seasonal sales and freeze the meats in advance… like that free turkey.
During St. Patrick's Day food sales, we purchased two corned beef tip roasts, enjoying one right away, and tucking the other into a freezer for later. I regularly buy canned hams when they go on sale, but I'll also pick up bone in hams if they're as low as $1.49 per pound, freezing roasted slices for future meals. And don't forget cold meatloaf, which makes a terrific, down-home, comfort food sandwich on sourdough!
With a few platters of assorted, homemade and thinly sliced "cold cuts” of meats, a variety of store bought breads or rolls, simple condiments and make-ahead salads using in season, on sale produce, you'll be able to save literally hundreds of dollars over restaurant luncheon prices to feed a crowd. Is it worth your time? Your guests will certainly think so! And you may even have enough money remaining to help cover the costs of a memorable activity… like a boat ride or a lighthouse tour.
From Where I Cook… grocery store costs of convenience add up far too quickly. Financial costs aside, there's an environmental price tag for most of that convenience. The frozen Lean Cuisine salad toppings (7 ¼ ounces of meat, nuts, etc.) aren't just $3.99, they had to be processed at a plant, shrink wrapped in plastic and boxed, then shipped in refrigerated trucks to grocery stores everywhere.
Even organic, bagged produce has been processed and packaged at a plant. It's more expensive to buy, because it cost the company more to provide it conveniently to busy consumers. Stores like Trader Joe's and New Horizons regularly sort and wrap fresh produce in plastic for convenience, and you'll pay more for than at, say, the Farmer's Market or Spencer's for the same vegetables and fruit. Does all that plastic make sense when we've banned plastic grocery bags in our county? It seems contrary to purpose… and much more expensive than is necessary. Why not save money and the environment while eating well?
A Note of Sincere Thanks - Our Last Column
If you're living on a tight budget or fixed income — and even if you're just cooking for one or two — I hope this column has helped you shop, cook, and eat better for less. I hope I've been able to provide some tasty ideas that have benefited your healthy diet. This will be my last Slo Coast Cooking column for awhile as I pursue other projects. May you have a delightful, delicious summer!
