Features
The right way to cook a turkey
EDMOND — Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I wanted to share with you how to roast a turkey from start to finish. As a chef, roasting a huge bird is just another day at the office, but for most it’s a once or twice a year, dreaded event.
It is important to have a few supplies on hand.
You’ll need a meat thermometer to make sure you don’t overcook your turkey. The turkey pop-up thermometers that come in most birds will overcook the bird and cause the turkey to be dried out. So remove it and throw it away. (See the turkey cooking chart on page A8.)
Next you will need cheese cloth. This will be used to help keep the turkey moist during cooking (Don’t worry, you will remove the cheese cloth the last 30 minutes to brown the top of the turkey). This can be purchased at most Walmarts, William Sonomas and other kitchen supply stores.
A turkey roaster with rack is also needed. The rack lifts the turkey just above the pan and allows the oven to evenly roast your bird all around. The pan below catches the dripping to make the perfect gravy.
You’ll need a turkey baster to draw the hot liquid from the bottom and baste the turkey while cooking to keep it moist.
Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen twine to keep the breast moist while roasting.
Growing up with a steep southern heritage, no Thanksgiving is complete without cornbread dressing and homemade cranberry sauce. I can assure you, both these dishes will be on my table.
Happy Turkey Day and Cook Smart….
CHEF DAVE FOUTS is an Edmond resident and a nationally known speaker in the bariatric weight-loss industry. He also is the author of four cookbooks. Share your recipes with Chef Dave and he may feature you in a future column. E-mail him at chefdave@edmondsun.com.
Turkey 101
29 steps to a perfect turkey…
Ingredients:
1 fresh whole turkey
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
3 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sage powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 large onions peeled and cut in half
1 stock of celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Directions:
1. Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels.
2. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees with oven rack placed on the last notch on the bottom.
3. Combine melted butter, sage, garlic and white wine into bowl.
4. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut into a 17-inch, 4-layer square.
5. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine, let soak.
6. Place turkey, breast side up on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan.
7. Fold wing tips under turkey.
8. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and pepper inside turkey.
9. Fill large cavity with as much stuffing as it will hold comfortably; do not pack tightly.(Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish at 375 degrees ).
10. Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string.
11. Rub turkey with the softened butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
12. Lift cheesecloth out of liquid and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp; reserve remaining liquid.
13. Spread cheesecloth evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area.
14. Cook for 30 minutes.
15. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter-and-wine mixture every 30 minutes.
16. After first 30 minutes reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook until temperature of the turkey reaches 155 degrees (insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding any bones), basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices, reserving them for gravy.
17. After the turkey reaches 150 degrees, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth.
18. Baste turkey with pan juices.
19. If there are not enough juices, continue to use the butter-and-wine mixture.
20. Cook 1 more hour or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, remembering to baste every 30 minutes.
21. When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make gravy.
22. Pour all of the pan juices into a glass-measuring cup. Let stand until fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, and then skim it off.
23. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat and add 1-cup dry white wine to the pan.
24. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan.
25. Stir well and bring back to a boil.
26. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
27. Add the defatted pan juices and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more.
28. You will have 2 1/2 cups of gravy.
29. Season, to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.
Nutrition information:
3 oz roasted turkey breast, without skin: 110 calories, 26 g protein, 0.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 0 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 45 mg sodium.
3 oz roasted turkey, dark meat, without skin: 160 calories, 24 g protein, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 0 g carbohydrate, o g fiber, 65 mg sodium.
Turkey timing
Following are the unstuffed and stuffed time to cook most sizes of turkey:
• 8-12 pounds will cook for 2.25 to three hours while stuffed time takes 3 to 3.5 hours.
• 12-14 pounds will cook for 3 to 3.25 hours unstuffed or 3.5 to 4 hours for stuffed.
• 14-18 pounds will cook for 3.25 to 4.25 hours for unstuffed or 4 to 4.5 hours for stuffed.
• 18-20 pounds will cook for 4.25 to 4.5 hours for unstuffed or 4.25 to 4.75 hours for stuffed.
• 20-24 pounds will cook for 4.5 to 5 hours for unstuffed or 4.75 to 5.25 hours for stuffed.
Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 pan cornbread, cooked and coarsely crumbled
2 eggs
1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of chicken soup, condensed
1 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. sage ground
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper ground
Directions:
Sauté the onions and celery together with butter. Mix with remainder of ingredients.
Place in a covered baking dish and cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, or until top begins to brown.
Applesauce with Cranberries
Ingredients:
6 large Granny Smith Apples peeled and cored
1 cup fresh cranberries
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup Sugar
Directions:
First place apples, cranberries and water into a large pot.
Bring to a slow simmer, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until apples are soft and the cranberries have split open.
Using a metal strainer, push apple mixture through. This will push the fruit through but keep the seeds and skins out of the cranberry sauce.
Next add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sugar, and stir well.
Chill and serve.
Add more sugar to make sweeter.
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