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 bird and it will allow them to eat a few other things they shouldn't. The body processes bird 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 turkey of about 12 pounds will need to cook for around 180minutes if it is not stuffed and a large turkey of about 20 lbs will stay in the oven around 5 hours. The prep time takes hardly any time at all.
Supermarkets carry bird all year found so finding what you need for your feast shouldn't be a problem. Turkeys come frozen and some department stores carry fresh turkey parts in the refrigerated section. Fresh bird can be cooked right away but frozen birds need to be thawed for a period of time in the refrigerator and that can take several days. Small birds can thaw in about four days and a large turkey can be in the refrigerator five to six days before ready to cook. Make sure to put your turkey in a pan to thaw because the packaging will drip and you don't want a mess to clean in the refrigerator.
Leave the packaging on the bird until you are ready to cook it. Once the packaging is removed you will see plastic or metal objects that hold the legs together. Take those off before you put your turkey in the oven. Look in the cavity where you will find the neck and giblets. You will find them inside a bag most of the time so just take them out and put them aside. They can be boiled down to create a turkey stock for gravy or some people cook them and give them to their dogs and cats.
Wash the turkey by running water over and inside of the bird until the water runs clear. Use only water and never use soap. You may want to pat the bird dry with paper towels and then put it in a roasting pan breast side up.
Stuffing is a good side dish to be served with bird and it can be cooked inside the cavity of the bird but always stuff it a few minutes prior to putting it in the oven. You don't want your guests to get food poisoning and that is likely to happen if you let the stuffing sit inside the bird for awhile. It is much safer to make stuffing outside of the turkey. Place a few peeled and lightly chopped onions and some celery inside the cavity if you don't stuff it. Add garlic if you desire and a few teaspoons of butter. These things will impart a lovely flavor to your turkey. Remove them before serving. Melt some butter in a saucepan and brush a heavy coating over the breast and legs of the bird. If you are worried about fat content use a butter product that does not contain a lot of fat. Season the bird with salt and pepper and add some dry sage. Other herbs good for turkey are rosemary and thyme. Pour 1 or 2 cups water in the pan, not over the bird to give it some moisture. It should just cover the bottom of the pan. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and pop the turkey in, uncovered, for one half hour. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees for the duration of cooking time.
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 turkey stays in the oven depends on the size. Small birds go for about three hours, medium small (12 to-- pounds) 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 turkey 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 bird every 20 minutes. This will keep the meat moist.
Place the finished product on a platter and do not carve until 10 minutes have elapsed. You can bring it to your feast table to impress your guests and carve it there. Make sure to try and have some leftovers because bird sandwiches the next day are delicious. - 33383
Roast bird does take a long time to cook but the process is relatively easy. A small turkey of about 12 pounds will need to cook for around 180minutes if it is not stuffed and a large turkey of about 20 lbs will stay in the oven around 5 hours. The prep time takes hardly any time at all.
Supermarkets carry bird all year found so finding what you need for your feast shouldn't be a problem. Turkeys come frozen and some department stores carry fresh turkey parts in the refrigerated section. Fresh bird can be cooked right away but frozen birds need to be thawed for a period of time in the refrigerator and that can take several days. Small birds can thaw in about four days and a large turkey can be in the refrigerator five to six days before ready to cook. Make sure to put your turkey in a pan to thaw because the packaging will drip and you don't want a mess to clean in the refrigerator.
Leave the packaging on the bird until you are ready to cook it. Once the packaging is removed you will see plastic or metal objects that hold the legs together. Take those off before you put your turkey in the oven. Look in the cavity where you will find the neck and giblets. You will find them inside a bag most of the time so just take them out and put them aside. They can be boiled down to create a turkey stock for gravy or some people cook them and give them to their dogs and cats.
Wash the turkey by running water over and inside of the bird until the water runs clear. Use only water and never use soap. You may want to pat the bird dry with paper towels and then put it in a roasting pan breast side up.
Stuffing is a good side dish to be served with bird and it can be cooked inside the cavity of the bird but always stuff it a few minutes prior to putting it in the oven. You don't want your guests to get food poisoning and that is likely to happen if you let the stuffing sit inside the bird for awhile. It is much safer to make stuffing outside of the turkey. Place a few peeled and lightly chopped onions and some celery inside the cavity if you don't stuff it. Add garlic if you desire and a few teaspoons of butter. These things will impart a lovely flavor to your turkey. Remove them before serving. Melt some butter in a saucepan and brush a heavy coating over the breast and legs of the bird. If you are worried about fat content use a butter product that does not contain a lot of fat. Season the bird with salt and pepper and add some dry sage. Other herbs good for turkey are rosemary and thyme. Pour 1 or 2 cups water in the pan, not over the bird to give it some moisture. It should just cover the bottom of the pan. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and pop the turkey in, uncovered, for one half hour. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees for the duration of cooking time.
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 turkey stays in the oven depends on the size. Small birds go for about three hours, medium small (12 to-- pounds) 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 turkey 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 bird every 20 minutes. This will keep the meat moist.
Place the finished product on a platter and do not carve until 10 minutes have elapsed. You can bring it to your feast table to impress your guests and carve it there. Make sure to try and have some leftovers because bird sandwiches the next day are delicious. - 33383
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.
