Showing posts with label thanksgiving day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thanksgiving day. Show all posts

24 November 2008

How to Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey

This post will show you how I prepare the guest of honor...


photo of a cooked turkey


What you will need

Turkey...any size, we usually get between 20-25 lbs.
Turkey bag...used in the baking process
Turkey Pan
Meat Thermometer (the kind that can be read from outside the oven. Has a probe and then a cable that leads to the thermometer).
Flour...1 Tbsp
Compound Butter...Click here for recipe
Oranges...2-3
Onions...any leftover from other recipes
Celery...any leftover from other recipes
Herbs...any leftover from other recipes



Cooking the Bird

  • First remove the surprise packages in the neck and the body cavity
  • Wash the bird inside and out
  • Remove the pop-up thermometer
    • These things are set to pop at 185°. Your bird will continue to cook while resting and the final internal temperature will be around 195° or more. This will give you a turkey that is less moist than I prefer. I use my own thermometer and remove the turkey at about 165° to 170°, which will give you a nice, moist turkey that is also well-cooked (final temperature around 175° to 180°).
  • Take the Turkey bag and put the flour inside it, then shake to coat the bag
  • Work your fingers between the skin and the breast on both sides...making a cavity
  • Take the compound butter, slice it, and insert in the cavities you created
  • Once the cavities are filled, cut the oranges in half and squeeze juice over the turkey
  • Place used oranges inside the body cavity
  • Place a few slices of your compound butter inside
  • Place any extra herbs, onions, celery, etc, inside the body cavity
    • These are used ONLY as aromatics and are NOT to be eaten
    • These additions will help flavor the turkey as it bakes
  • Place the bird in the turkey bag, cut of few slits in the bag, and place on pan
  • Insert thermometer, through the bag, into the thickest portion of the bird
  • Place the turkey in the oven and cook according to the directions
  • When the thermometer reaches 165°- 170° remove the turkey and let rest at least 30 minutes
    • Your turkey will continue to cook and carry-over will continue to raise the temperature an additional 10 degrees
  • Remove aromatics and discard
  • It will looked burned where the compound butter was placed, but believe me, it isn't
  • You should end up with a nice, moist turkey with a great flavor

Here is a thermometer like the one I use. Very good and versatile...




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