Turkey lovin' without an oven

What better excuse for gluttony than an official holiday? In the true American spirit, Thanksgiving is devoted to eating copious amounts of food followed by slumber, in the name of showing gratitude for what you have. But Beijing is not the most accommodating city when it comes to two Thanksgiving Day essentials: the oven and a turkey.

Then there's the other T word you're working against, time. Metro Beijing thus haphazardly threw together a guide for the late birds who still want the worm, or vice versa. The specific mission, should one accept, follows: Prepare a last-minute dinner and serve a whole turkey without an oven.

"It can be possible to [cook] a Thanksgiving dinner in about two hours, if planning is involved," said the chef de cuisine Chong Yiu Him, at Kerry Hotel, Beijing. Procrastinators can rejoice, so long as they pick up the turkey at least a half-day before.　

Step 1. Understand the bird　

El Nido Restaurant, located in Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng district, is hosting a private Thanksgiving dinner party this Thursday for an estimated 40 guests, roasting turkeys on site for the first time.

Preparing for the feast was a foreign concept, in many ways.　

"It's not in the tradition for Chinese people to eat turkey. China doesn't really even have turkey, so few people know how to make it. Many Chinese find the meat tasteless," said Li Xiaoqing, manager of El Nido Restaurant, in Beixinqiao.

Such a blasé attitude towards America's favorite large bird is disheartening, unless you're cooking solely for a Chinese crowd that can't differentiate tasty from not. Luckily, turkey is actually common in Beijing this time of year, just not well-liked.

Step 2. Locate the bird

Li Xiaoqing got his three turkeys from Boucherie Michel, a French butchery located near Sanlitun.

The butchery sells prepared turkeys for 108 yuan ($17.3) per kilo, though booking one requires a reservation days ahead. Frozen turkey, selling for 75 per kilo requires no preorder.　

Western grocery stores also carry the bird, though at sometimes higher prices.

There is one place to get an affordable and easy solution: head to a local market that specializes in Western goods, so you can get the bird along with all other groceries. One example is Sanyuanli Market, southwest of the Sanyuan East Bridge on Shunyuan Jie. There's a cornucopia of colors at this market, with all corners of the indoor space piled with hard-to-find vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, imported cheese and even cans of cranberry sauce.

Li Haimin is the owner of a popular poultry stall (No. 41) at Sanyuanli Market.　

Li Haimin carries two versions of the turkey, with the local version going for 44 yuan per kilo, the imported for 50. When asked what the difference was, she vouched for the imported version being tastier.

Li Haimin will have a dozen turkeys before and on the big day, but she advises hopefuls to purchase duck as an alternative if the turkey sells out.

Sanyuanli aside, Li Xiaoqing recommends Xinyuanli Market, near Dongzhimen, where El Nido purchased other ingredients, and offers one creative suggestion: head to the Laitai flower market to purchase herbs for cheap, in plant form.

Step 3. "Neutralize" the subject

Picture-perfect portraits of Thanksgiving Day usually depict a whole turkey coming out of the oven, but a quick meal requires some dicing before eating.

You can thaw a turkey quickly by submerging it in cold water (about 30 minutes per pound) or nuking it in the microwave. After defrosting, it's ready to prepare.

To prepare turkey without an oven, you can slice apart the turkey and "sear certain parts [in a pan] like the breast," said Chong.　

The Hong Kong native chef also recommends the sous-vide method. This refers to cooking the turkey by sealing it in a completely airtight bag and dunking the bag in warm water at a controlled temperature - check the Internet for details. This method preserves the moistness of the meat. Chong recommends using turkey breasts, as they will cook faster, and seasoning with herbs before sealing.

Don't overlook common kitchen appliances: The microwave, an American invention, can be utilized well on the big day. Chong advises cooking the bigger parts of the turkey in the microwave, on the oven function.

For braver souls, deep frying a turkey is an option, but this may be less practical, as it's not recommended to fry a turkey indoors. Metro Beijing will not be held accountable for oil injuries from explosions.

One last note

The tradition of Thanksgiving is to get together with close friends and family and have a day to express gratitude. So even if you completely botch up the meal, it's the company and thought that counts.

Plus, the bird does not need to be the main attraction; side dishes often steal the spotlight and are easier to prepare. Chong's favorites to serve are creamed spinach, stuffing and Brussels' sprouts with bacon.

Many expats don't want to bother with cooking at all and spend the big day at a restaurant or getting takeout.　

Tiffany Tseng, an American working in Beijing, had Thanksgiving dinner at a buffet last year with her boyfriend.

"It was fantastic. Chinese, Japanese, Indian, dessert bar, free flow wine and turkey," she said.

She hopes to find a similar venue on Thursday, to repeat a no-frills overseas Thanksgiving.