Preparing a Turkey for Roasting Thaw turkey in the refrigerator for approximately 3 days. Sanitize the kitchen sink by scrubbing it with detergent and a scouring pad. Rinse thoroughly. Rinse the turkey under cold water, removing the packets in both cavities. Dry the turkey with paper towels. If desired, submerge the turkey in a prepared brine, and leave, chilled for 8-24 hours. Make a brine for the turkey by bringing 12 cups water, 3 cup kosher salt, 1½ cup sugar, ¼ cup black pepper to a boil. Add in 3-4 Tbsp of loose tea (optional) and steep for 30 minutes. Add about 12 cups of ice to chill the brine to less than 40 degrees. Add a 16 pound turkey and chill for 8-24 hours. Drain, discarding the brine. When ready to roast the turkey, quarter a large apple, a large onion, and cut 3-4 ribs of celery into 3-4-inch lengths. Stuff these items into a large cavity along with a handful of fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and sage. Rub the outside of the bird with butter or olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you are not going to roast the turkey immediately, return the prepared bird back in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake. Thoroughly wash hands and re-sanitize the sink. Bake at 350 degrees until the turkey tests done. When the turkey is done, the internal temperature should register 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer, and the juices should run clear. Check the temperature in several places.
Tips On Preparing These Holiday Favorites Pie Crust: Make sure you roll out dough that has been chilled. When crimping the edge of a crust for a pumpkin pie with a pecan praline topping, make sure your crimped edge is 1” above the lip of the pie plate. This will ensure that your pie will not flow over the edge when baking. Cornbread Stuffing: Bake cornbread in a square or rectangular baking pan. Once cooled, cut bread in pan into cubes and turn out onto a cookie sheet. Cutting the bread into cubes makes the bread dry faster in the oven, which in turn, absorbs more moisture when adding liquid to create the stuffing. Blanch and Shock Vegetables: Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the broccoli. Boil for about 2-3 minutes or until the broccoli turns a bright green. Remove broccoli immediately with a slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water. Chill and then add broccoli to a casserole dish to assemble the rest of the ingredients. Use the same water for the Brussels Sprouts. Bring water to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes or until Brussels Sprouts turn a bright green. Also remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water. Place in a bowl and set aside for salad (see salad article on page 56). Separating Pomegranates: Separate the seeds by submerging half a pomegranate at a time in a bowl of water. This will eliminate the probability of the juice splattering and staining your clothes. The seeds, once separated from the pith, will settle in the bottom of the bowl. Drain when ready to use. Potatoes: If preparing a day ahead of time, store peeled and chunked uncooked potatoes in a container with water and store in the refrigerator. Turkey: Once the turkey is patted dry and the butter and salt is added to the outside, place the turkey breast side down on a bed of vegetables and herbs, such as celery and an assortment of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, etc.) for the first half of the roasting process. Half way through, remove the turkey from the oven and turn the turkey over. Salt the top and place back in the oven. But starting with the turkey breast side down is what makes this turkey super juicy and tender. CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL
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Mary Wheatley along with friends and family gather around the holiday table for a lovely, festive meal. 2011
NovemBER
15