Turkey is one of the better Thanksgiving meals for a feast because it contains a lot of meat to feed many guests and there is very little fat, calories or cholesterol to deal with. You will only find fat in the meat that is dark and in the skin. Your guests will appreciate the low fat qualities of the turkey and it will allow them to eat a few other things they shouldn't. The body processes turkey much more easily than it would beef or pork so those that have digestive problems will also appreciate this meat. Turkey provides the body with vitamins and other nutrients necessary to keep it strong and healthy
Roast bird does take a long time to cook but the process is relatively easy. A small bird of about 12 pounds will need to cook for around 180minutes if it is not stuffed and a large bird of about 20 lbs will stay in the oven around 5 hours. The prep time takes hardly any time at all.
Grocery stores carry frozen turkeys all year round. Some department stores even have fresh breasts and legs available at all times. You will need to thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator before you can put it in the oven and that can take a few days. A small turkey up to fifteen lbs should be left to thaw in the refrigerator up to four days and a large bird of up to twenty-five pounds will take around five days to thaw. The turkey will tend to drip while thawing so be sure to put it in a pan so you don't have drippings in your refrigerator.
The first step to prepping your turkey to cook is to remove the packaging. You will find some clips that hold the legs together and those need to be taken off. Once the legs are apart you will see the cavity of the bird and there is usually a small package inside that contains the giblets (internal organs or heart, liver and kidneys) and the neck. Traditionalists chop the organs up and cook them in butter to be placed in the stuffing and the neck is usually boiled in water with onions and celery to make bird stock for the gravy. You don't have to use them however and if you desire you can cook them and give them to your dog or cat. Never give it to them raw and never give them the neck.
When preparing the turkey give it a shower in your sink washing it inside and out making sure the water is clear. Just use water when washing down a turkey and do not use soap. Using paper towels dry off the bird and placing it in a large pan for roasting with the breast on top.
A bread stuffing can be placed in the cavity of the bird but never do that ahead of time. If you put it in any time except right before cooking you could be introducing food poisoning to your family. Unstuffed birds should have one to two peeled, quartered onions, and a few celery sticks placed in the cavity to impart their flavor to the bird. Garlic is another item that can be added but always put a few teaspoons of butter in the cavity with everything else. Place one stick of butter in a saucepan and melt it then take a brush and brush the top of the breast sprinkling on some dry sage and salt and pepper. Rosemary is another herb that can be added as well as thyme. In the bottom of the pan make sure to put 1 to 2 cups of tap water according to the lbs of turkey and put uncovered into a 450 degree F oven for about a half an hour. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F and cook for time allotted to the weight of the bird
Before you put the turkey in the oven insert an oven safe meat thermometer in the thigh of the bird. If you have an instant meat thermometer you can use it after the bird has been in the oven for awhile. The internal temperature of the turkey is important because it tells you when it is safe to eat. The time a bird stays in the oven depends on the size. Small birds go for about three hours, medium small (12 to-- lbs) go three and three fourths hours, medium (15 to') cooks four and one fourth hours, a large (19 to 20) cooks four and one half hours and a extra large (20 and up) should stay in the oven five to five and one half hours. You will know it is done when the meat thermometer hits'0 degrees F. If you notice the top of the bird getting too brown just add a tent of foil. Watch the thermometer and when it reaches about 150 degrees start basting by sucking the juices from the bottom of the pan with a baster and squirting on the breast and legs of the turkey every 20 minutes. This will keep the meat moist.
Make sure to let the turkey rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. You will have a delicious roast turkey dinner and don't forget to save some for sandwiches and other leftovers. - 30289
Roast bird does take a long time to cook but the process is relatively easy. A small bird of about 12 pounds will need to cook for around 180minutes if it is not stuffed and a large bird of about 20 lbs will stay in the oven around 5 hours. The prep time takes hardly any time at all.
Grocery stores carry frozen turkeys all year round. Some department stores even have fresh breasts and legs available at all times. You will need to thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator before you can put it in the oven and that can take a few days. A small turkey up to fifteen lbs should be left to thaw in the refrigerator up to four days and a large bird of up to twenty-five pounds will take around five days to thaw. The turkey will tend to drip while thawing so be sure to put it in a pan so you don't have drippings in your refrigerator.
The first step to prepping your turkey to cook is to remove the packaging. You will find some clips that hold the legs together and those need to be taken off. Once the legs are apart you will see the cavity of the bird and there is usually a small package inside that contains the giblets (internal organs or heart, liver and kidneys) and the neck. Traditionalists chop the organs up and cook them in butter to be placed in the stuffing and the neck is usually boiled in water with onions and celery to make bird stock for the gravy. You don't have to use them however and if you desire you can cook them and give them to your dog or cat. Never give it to them raw and never give them the neck.
When preparing the turkey give it a shower in your sink washing it inside and out making sure the water is clear. Just use water when washing down a turkey and do not use soap. Using paper towels dry off the bird and placing it in a large pan for roasting with the breast on top.
A bread stuffing can be placed in the cavity of the bird but never do that ahead of time. If you put it in any time except right before cooking you could be introducing food poisoning to your family. Unstuffed birds should have one to two peeled, quartered onions, and a few celery sticks placed in the cavity to impart their flavor to the bird. Garlic is another item that can be added but always put a few teaspoons of butter in the cavity with everything else. Place one stick of butter in a saucepan and melt it then take a brush and brush the top of the breast sprinkling on some dry sage and salt and pepper. Rosemary is another herb that can be added as well as thyme. In the bottom of the pan make sure to put 1 to 2 cups of tap water according to the lbs of turkey and put uncovered into a 450 degree F oven for about a half an hour. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees F and cook for time allotted to the weight of the bird
Before you put the turkey in the oven insert an oven safe meat thermometer in the thigh of the bird. If you have an instant meat thermometer you can use it after the bird has been in the oven for awhile. The internal temperature of the turkey is important because it tells you when it is safe to eat. The time a bird stays in the oven depends on the size. Small birds go for about three hours, medium small (12 to-- lbs) go three and three fourths hours, medium (15 to') cooks four and one fourth hours, a large (19 to 20) cooks four and one half hours and a extra large (20 and up) should stay in the oven five to five and one half hours. You will know it is done when the meat thermometer hits'0 degrees F. If you notice the top of the bird getting too brown just add a tent of foil. Watch the thermometer and when it reaches about 150 degrees start basting by sucking the juices from the bottom of the pan with a baster and squirting on the breast and legs of the turkey every 20 minutes. This will keep the meat moist.
Make sure to let the turkey rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. You will have a delicious roast turkey dinner and don't forget to save some for sandwiches and other leftovers. - 30289
About the Author:
With Thanksgiving approaching, it is time to think about the best roast turkey recipe and I prefer a traditional recipe, with traditional presentation, which includes a classic turkey gravy made the old fashioned way.
