The lovely scene depicted and immortalized in Norman Rockwell’s Freedom from Want, has given you the wrong idea. While it might seem like a great idea to carve at the dining room table in front of your admiring guests; for many reasons, it’s not. For one, it can be nerve-wracking — it’s a live performance with sharp knives in front of family and friends who will mock you at your every move. For another, the mess — if you’re not the most scrupulously skilled surgeon, the juices may stain your tablecloth, your shirt and whomever is sitting nearest to you. Lastly, from a culinary perspective, it’s the wrong way to slice turkey — slicing the meat while still on the bone forces you to cut with the grain of the meat rather than against it (and we all know that’s a culinary cardinal sin). And if you look closely at the painting, the turkey is being presented and appreciated… not carved.
ROAST TURKEY
1 16 to 18 pound turkey
1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crumbled
2 teaspoons ground sage
2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
kosher salt
salt pork (optional)
bacon (optional)
1 stick butter, melted
garlic powder
paprika
1 can broth, for basting
Choose a plump turkey. Clean and dry thoroughly inside and out. Remove giblets and turkey neck from inside of turkey and rub liberally with kosher salt. Brine turkey, if desired. Combine rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper in small bowl. Rub some in each cavity
Pack body cavity loosely with the stuffing (see below) you will be using, or prepare stuffing separately (do not stuff turkey until the last minute before cooking). If turkey is being stuffed, truss or sew closed, or fasten with small lacing skewers and cotton string. Tuck in wings and fold tail in over the stuffing
The skin over the breast of the turkey can be loosened and thin strips of bacon may be placed just under the skin to keep the breast meat moist. The wings and thighs can also be wrapped with bacon strips, if desired. Brush the top of the turkey generously with melted butter, and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and paprika.
Roast turkey, uncovered, at 375°F, basting frequently with melted butter and turkey or chicken broth, or pan juices. After 1 hour, baste and sprinkle with seasonings again, then make a tent with aluminum foil and cover breast loosely. Reduce heat to 325°F and continue roasting for another hour, basting occasionally.
Uncover breast and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the thigh registers 165°F (be careful not to allow the thermometer to hit a bone or the reading will be false). This will take about 90 to 110 minutes longer, depending upon the size of the turkey and the oven being used.
yes, Doug we know...
While the turkey is roasting, prepare giblet gravy (see below).When turkey is golden brown and done, allow it to sit for 20 minutes to rest before carving. Transfer turkey to a serving platter. Reserve the pan drippings for gravy. Don't wait for the little plastic "pop-up" devices to pop, or it's likely that the bird will be overdone and dry.If you don't own an instant read thermometer, test to see if turkey is cooked by inserting the tines of a large fork into the upper thigh. If juice is not pink, then turkey is done.Carve turkey by removing drumstick, wings and thigh by running a sharp carving knife through joints. Remove breast and slice diagonally across the grain. Serve with stuffing, gravy, and your favorite sides.
alternate roasting....
Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes, or until the skin of the turkey is golden brown. Rotate the turkey 180° and lower the oven temperature to 350° and continue roasting until the internal temperature of the bird registers 165°F. Remember to insert the thermometer into the thickest place of the bird, either into the meatiest area of the breast (165°F) or into the thickest part of the thigh (170°). A 14-16 pound turkey should take between 2-3 hours to roast.
Turkey Weight
|
Oven Temp
|
Internal Breast Temp
|
Internal Thigh Temp
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Approx.
Cooking Time
|
10 – 13 lbs.
|
350°F
|
165°F
|
170°F
|
1 ½ to 2 ¼ hours
|
14 – 20 lbs.
|
325°F
|
165°F
|
170°F
|
2 to 3 hours
|
21 – 25 lbs.
|
325°F
|
165°F
|
170°F
|
3 to 3 ¾ hours
|
26 – 30 lbs.
|
325°F
|
165°F
|
170°F
|
3 ½ to 4 ½ hours
|
During roasting, if the bird is browning too quickly, use the aluminum foil shield to cover the bird. Remove the foil during the last 20 minutes of roasting to crisp the skin.
Carefully remove the bird to a large carving board with a well and tent with foil. Immediately begin making the turkey gravy, using the roasting pan. Allow the bird to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
helpful hints
Easiest method: cook it breast down in a paper bag. No basting, no checking in until the thermometer reaches its goal temp. So easy.
Cook as normal, but no need to baste. Tent our turkey in foil until about the last 45 minutes, then let it crisp up. Finally, remove the bacon before carving, crumble it, and add it to the stuffing. Everything is better with bacon.
Easy Turkey Gravy
1/4 cup turkey fat (substitute: vegetable oil or butter)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pan drippings
1-2 cups broth or water
salt and pepper
Optional Extras: splash of sherry, splash of wine, teaspoon of minced herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage
Gravy Prep - After you've removed the turkey from the oven and set it aside to rest, set the pan over medium-high heat on the stove-top. You may need to span two burners. When the pan drippings are hot and sputtering, pour in a cup of broth and begin scraping all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
Separate the Fat and Drippings - Pour the deglazed pan drippings into a measuring cup and place this in the refrigerator or freezer, wherever there is space. In the 30 minutes it takes to rest the turkey, the fat and drippings will separate and the fat will begin to harden. This makes it easier to skim off just the fat for making the gravy.
You should ideally end up with about a cup of pan drippings and 1/4 cup of fat. If you have less, you can make up the difference with broth or oil, respectively. If you have more, discard a little of the fat and use less broth in the next step. If you have a lot more, you can also double the recipe.
Skim the fat from the top of the pan drippings and warm it in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When the fat is hot, whisk in the flour to form a thin paste. Let this cook for a few minutes until bubbly.
Add the Pan Drippings - Next up, pour in the pan drippings and whisk to combine with the roux. This will form a thick, gloppy paste.
Add the Broth - Finish the gravy by whisking in a half cup of broth. You can add more broth for a thinner gravy or let the gravy cook a few minutes for a thicker gravy. Taste the gravy and add salt, pepper, and any extras to taste.
• For a very smooth gravy, strain the pan drippings before adding them to the gravy.
• Gravy can be kept refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to three months. Reheat gently over low heat while whisking occasionally to prevent the sauce from breaking.
You can use cornstarch as a thickener because it's so much easier and quicker than making a roux; it's also safer, since the chances of getting lumpy or underthickened gravy are pretty much zero. My method: after removing the turkey from the roasting pan, put the pan over two burners and bring the drippings to a boil. You may or may not want to add broth to the drippings, depending on how much you've got. Usually little or no broth is necessary, but a splash of white wine is a nice addition. Whisk together 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and a half cup of water until it forms a smooth slurry. Add half of the slurry to the boiling drippings and whisk it in. Allow it to return to a boil and assess the consistency. (My favorite way to decide is to dip a spoon in, turn it over and run my finger through the gravy on the back. If it makes a clean line that stays clean, it's thick enough.) Add as much of the remaining slurry as necessary for your desired consistency. Turn down to a simmer for a few minutes. Salt to taste.
*When you take the turkey out, set the pan over two burners on the stove. Just leave all the drippings right there in the pan. No need to measure anything. Add a few tablespoons of flour and whisk it into the drippings. You can add add a splash of wine if you want. Or not. Add enough of your turkey neck stock to thin it to your desired consistency.
Mom's Gravy..Heat up the turkey pan on 2 burners, have 1/2 cup flour at the ready and a pan of warm stock, about 2 cups. heat drippings and sprinkle the flour all over, let bubble.)There's a great tool out there just for gravy, it looks like a smashed fork with 5 prongs. Perfect!
Start stirring up those bits and the flour will begin to thicken, slowly add turkey stock, but keep it cooking on low, stir, add more stock, etc, till silky smooth. I add sage and pepper to taste, salt at very end. let simmer, to cook , about 30 min, then keep warm to serve (those little crock pots are great!)
Perfect Stuffing
When Thanksgiving dinner comes around, we find ourselves stuffing our plates and stomachs chuck full of holiday favorites—so it’s no wonder one of the most steadfast and savory holiday staples was named “stuffing”. Here's a few tips to make yours plate-perfect.
- Shy away from fresh or soft bread—it will be too moist and make the mix mushy. Instead use a stale and highly dense variety or bread that has been pre-dried in the oven.
- Get your ratios right—for every pound of turkey, you'll need a little less than a cup of stuffing. Loosely pack it in to ensure that the stuffing safely cooks through as the bird roasts.
- Stuff your turkey immediately before baking (no earlier) to avoid bacterial growth. Once the bird is out of the oven, remove all stuffing before carving.
- If you are using any type of meat or vegetables mixed in with your dressing, be sure to cook them thoroughly before stuffing the turkey.
- Try new ingredients to liven up your old stand-by stuffing recipe—oysters, shrimp, raisins, fresh chestnuts, winter greens, dried apricots, dried figs, basil, walnuts, or pecans.
- If you have more stuffing than you do space, cook the extra mix in a low-sided baking dish at 350F until done.
Classic Bread Stuffing
3/4 cup dried cranberries2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons butter1/2 cup diced yellow onion1/2 cup diced celery hearts4garlic cloves, minced2 tablespoons minced fresh sage1 teaspoon coarse salt1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper4 cups toasted bread cubes or croutons1/3 cup pecan pieces1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves1 to 1 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Combine dried cranberries and hot water; soak 30 minutes to plump.
Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery and cook about 8 minutes. Add garlic, sage, salt and pepper and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
Combine vegetables with remaining ingredients and mix gently with a spatula or spoon. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Spoon stuffing into the cavity of a prepared turkey and roast. Or place stuffing in a shallow baking dish and bake 30 minutes at 350F. Makes 6 cups.
I love stuffing...and I could eat (and often I do) just stuffing and gravy...make enough stuffing so you can make sandwiches...stuffing, cranberry, turkey and mayo... yum yum yum...Thanksgiving in a sandwich..
Cranberry Butter
Blending the cranberries with the butter creates a brilliant pink color. Rub it under the skin of turkey to be roasted or serve with bread or vegetables.
1 cup softened butter1 cup fresh cranberries2 tablespoons honey1 tablespoon minced fresh sage1 tablespoon orange zest
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until cranberries are macerated evenly into butter. Use a spatula to scrape down sides of processor bowl a time or two between pulses.
Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill until needed. Makes 2 cups.
Bargain Wines for the Thanksgiving Meal
It’s nice to splurge on wines for the holidays, but sometimes it’s even nicer to know that you don’t have to.
The “In” Box — Most boxed wines won’t win any beauty contests, but a step in the right direction is the Octavin Home Wine Bar’s Artisan Collections, packaged in 3-liter-boxes that sell for $22 to $24. Try the party-worthy Boho Vineyards California 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel and Big House White 2009 California White Wine.
Sparkle . . . for Less — Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Brut California Sparkling Wine ($10) offers pear and lemony notes with a whisper of sweetness. Serve it with salty and spicy appetizers and the richer foods of the season.
For the Host — If you want to bring something lovely—but you’re not sure what the host loves—consider Acrobat 2009 Oregon Pinot Gris ($12), a crowd-pleaser with character. This affordable wine brings loads of luscious orchard fruit jazzed with soft citrusy notes for a balanced, elegant sip.
—By Wini Moranville, wine columnist
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