Blog : Hard Cider

Don’t let your Turkey Day menu throw you for a loop. We’ve got five Starcut Ciders recipes lovingly crafted by former Short’s Liberator, Brian Talpos and Liberation Specialist, Jon “Woj” Wojtowicz to take the edge off this holiday season. From Starcut Ciders Cranberry Sauce to a Pulsar Turkey Brine, we’ve got your Thanksgiving shopping and cooking mapped out below. Please your holiday crowd this season by cooking and toasting with Starcut Ciders!

Starcut Cranberry Cider Sauce
Ingredients:

• 16 oz cranberries
• 1 cup Starcut Ciders, Pulsar
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

1. In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat dissolve the sugar in the Pulsar and orange juice.
2. Stir in the cranberries and cinnamon stick.
3. Cook until the cranberries start to pop and the sauce begins to thicken, around 10-15 min.
4. Transfer Starcut Cranberry Cider Sauce from saucepan to a serving bowl, allowing it to continue thickening as it cools.  Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

Starcut Apple Sausage Cider Stuffing
Ingredients:

• 4 cups cubed white bread (around 7 slices)
• 5 cups cubed wheat bread (around 8 slices)
• 1 lb pork sausage
• 2 cups diced white onion
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced (Gala)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup Starcut Ciders, Octorock (room temp with as little carbonation as possible)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring once as bread bakes, until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large mixing bowl.
3. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up into smaller crumbles until evenly browned.
4. Remove sausage using a slotted spoon and add it to the large mixing bowl with the toasted bread cubes.  Empty pan of grease.
5. In the same skillet, melt the  2 tablespoons of butter and add the celery, apples, dried cranberries, pecans, sage, rosemary, parsley and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes to blend flavors.  Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.
6. Add celery, apples, cranberries, pecans and seasoning mixture to the large mixing bowl with the toasted bread cubes and sausage. Drizzle with cider and melted butter and mix lightly until bread cubes have absorbed all the liquid.
7. Allow stuffing to cool completely before loosely stuffing into a turkey (around 4 cups for a 12 lb turkey).  Remaining stuffing can be baked in a buttered 9″ x 13″ covered casserole dish at 350 degrees Farenheit for 30-40 minutes.  Uncover, stir stuffing, and return to oven for 10-15 more minutes until golden brown.

Starcut Ciders Gravy
Ingredients:

• 1 cup Octorock
• 4 cups turkey stock
• 2 onions (finely chopped)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage or 3/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a skilled and add the onions, sweat until soft (about 5 minutes).
2. Sprinkle the flour over the butter/onion mixture and cook on medium for 5 more minutes, stirring every minute or so.
3. Add the Octorock and turkey stock and bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and cook for another 20 minutes (gravy will thicken).
4. Finally, add the chopped sage and season with salt and pepper.

Cider Brine for Turkey
Ingredients:

• 4 cups apple cider
• 4 cups Pulsar
• 2 cups coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh oregano
• 2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 gallon ice water

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients, except the last five, to a large stock pot and bring to a boil
2. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes
3. Add remaining ingredients, including ice water, and cool
4. Strain mixture, and it’s ready to go

Octorock Braised Kale
Ingredients:

• 8 quarts of dinosaur kale that has been de-stemmed and cleaned
• 2 large yellow onions (sliced)
• 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 1 quart of Octorock
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large dutch oven, melt the butter, then add the onions and garlic and cook on low heat until they are soft.
2. Start adding in the kale, by the handful, until it all fits in the pot
3. Add the Octorock and chicken stock and cover with a lid, cook on low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, then season with salt and pepper