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Turkey Talk: A FREE Virtual Cooking Class from Feed Your Soul
Crackling crispy, mahogany-brown skin, moist and flavorful meat—who doesn’t love a perfectly roasted holiday turkey? The secret to a succulent bird lies in adding flavor before and during cooking. Plus having a few key tools on hand helps guarantee a gorgeous and flavorful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.
Selecting a Turkey
With the growing interest in sustainably raised and heritage breeds of turkeys, your choices in the poultry case have exploded over the last several years. Buy the best quality turkey you can afford and read the label carefully.
Commercially raised birds are bred to develop quickly and deliver the most white meat possible but not always the best flavor. Some of these turkeys also come “pre-based” and are injected with fats and liquid to keep the meat moist. Some people find the flavor and texture of these birds lacking.
Keep in mind that a supermarket turkey labeled as “fresh” can actually be partially frozen at some point. If having a truly fresh turkey is important to you, look for a local turkey farm that sells fresh turkeys.
If you want an all-natural turkey with no additives, look for certified-organic or free-range turkeys that were not fed any supplements.
Heritage turkey breeds such as Bourbon Red and Narragansett have made a reappearance. Many people find them more flavorful than the Broad-Breasted White which is raised commercially. These turkeys can be challenging to find and expensive compared to the grocery store variety, and typically provide less white meat than a grocery store bird.
So, once you land on the type of turkey you want, you then want to figure out how big a bird to buy. A good rule of thumb is to plan on 1 pound of turkey per person. If you’re looking for generous leftovers, go for 1-1/2 to 2 pounds per person.
Plan to pick up a fresh turkey the day before you will be roasting or brining the bird. Store in its original wrapping in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
Ready for the Oven: Preparing a Turkey for Roasting
Try some of these techniques to add flavor and moisture to your Thanksgiving turkey:
Thawing: if you buy a frozen turkey, thawing it in a large pan in the refrigerator will keep bacteria from multiplying. Allow 3 to 4 hours per pound for the turkey to thaw. Keep in mind that it may take 2 to 5 days for a frozen turkey to defrost completely. A thawed turkey should be cooked within 2 days and should not be refrozen.
Brining: soaking a turkey in a flavorful mixture of salt and spices can add lots of flavor and moisture to turkey meat. Make sure to buy (and thaw) your turkey two to three days in advance. You can brine in a large stock pot or in a plastic brining bag. Just make sure that you can store the turkey in your refrigerator while it brines.
Drying the Skin: allowing the bird to sit uncovered in the refrigerator 8 to 24 hours before roasting lets moisture evaporate for a crispier skin.
To Stuff or Not to Stuff: many of us grew up with a stuffed turkey, but stuffing increases roasting time which can contribute to a dried-out bird. Keep the cavity empty and bake the stuffing separately for a crunchy top.
Roasting the Turkey
Since white and dark meat cook at different rates, it can be hard to keep the breast moist while waiting for the dark meat to cook. Below are some tricks for ensuring a perfectly cooked turkey:
Timing: when trying to gauge how long your turkey will take to roast, plan on about 20 minutes per pound of cooking time if your turkey isn’t stuffed. A 12 pound unstuffed bird can take around 4 hours at 325 degrees. If the bird is stuffed, add about 30 minutes of cooking time. But keep in mind, this is a general rule. The very best way to know when your turkey is done is to use an accurate meat thermometer as described below.
Barding: an old-fashioned technique for adding flavor and fat to lean meats. By covering the turkey with strips of bacon, pancetta, or salt pork, the turkey absorbs their flavor during the roasting process. The pork products also help baste the turkey at the same time. Watch the turkey carefully, removing the pork when it starts to brown too much. Also, if you’ve layered the breast with strips of pork, removed them during the last 30 to 40 minutes of cooking to allow the skin to brown beautifully.
Upside Down: roasting the turkey breast side down during the first half of cooking can help protect the breast from over-cooking.
Basting: most of us are familiar with coating the bird with pan drippings as it cooks. But be careful not to baste too often since opening and closing the oven door will extend cooking time. Stop basting during the last 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time, since basting adds moisture to the skin and will make it soggy.
Check the Temperature: the best way to determine when you’re turkey is done is to take its temperature. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh without touching the leg bone. Pull the turkey out of the oven when the thigh reaches 170 degrees, since the turkey continues to cook after it leaves the oven by as much as 10 degrees. If you bird is stuffed, also check the stuffing temperature which should reach at minimum of 165 degrees.
Serving the Turkey
Resting: it’s critical to let your turkey rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving. When a turkey roasts, the juices are forced to the center so resting allows the juices to flow back through the entire bird for moist and delicious meat.
Carving: use a boning knife to remove the legs and thighs. A sharp carving knife will make easy work of slicing the breast meat.
Essential Turkey Tools
A few key products will help you roast and serve a delicious and beautiful bird this holiday season:
Roasting Pan: a heavy-duty stainless steel roasting pan is the turkey roaster’s most essential tool. Look for one with a heavy bottom containing an aluminum or copper core which helps retain even heat and makes it easy to create the perfect pan gravy. Well constructed, welded handles also make lifting the big bird easier.
Roasting Rack: a heavy-duty roasting rack ensures a perfectly roasted turkey. By lifting the bird off the bottom of the roasting pan, the rack allows air to circulate around the turkey for even cooking and crispy skin. Solid-construction racks are sturdy and easy to use.
Meat thermometer: a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to tell when the bird is done. Instant-read thermometers are simple and quick to use. Digital roasting thermometers often feature probes which stay in the turkey throughout cooking and chime when the turkey reaches a preset temperature, taking all the guesswork out of the process.
Basting Bulb: a long basting bulb makes coating the turkey with pan juices easy, quick, and safe. Some models are offered as dual injectors and basters, making it simple to infuse your turkey with the pan drippings as well.
Turkey Lifters: these handy long and wide forks make picking up the turkey easy and more secure.
Cutting Board: a large, heatproof cutting board provides the perfect surface for turkey carving. Look for a board with a well to catch any meat juices. Some boards are attractive enough to go from kitchen to table.
Carving Knife: a high quality, super-sharp carving knife makes slicing the turkey a breeze at the holiday table. A long, thin blade allows you to slice (not saw) the breast meat into perfect portions. You can also find carving sets which include a long-handled fork to help you handle the meat slices easily.
Fat Separator: this heat-proof cup features a special spout that allows you to pour off the fat from your pan drippings for a delicious pan gravy.
Brining Bags and Spices: a plastic bag makes brining simple and takes up less space in your refrigerator. Premixed brining spices are a great time saver.
Citrus Herb Brined Turkey
Brine penetrates into food more deeply than a marinade. Water from the brine enters each meat cell, making the meat juicer while infusing it with flavor. Brining helps keep the meat juicy without giving it a salty taste. It is your extra insurance and, in my opinion, a must to avoid serving a dry holiday turkey. – Chef Stacy Horn
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
2 gallons water
3 cups apple cider
3 oranges, sliced
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons tricolor peppercorns, cracked
2 whole bay leaves
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, crushed
8 sprigs fresh sage
1 (12 to 14 pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
8 ounces (2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
1 to 2 cups chicken or turkey stock, as needed
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large stalks celery, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Over medium heat warm apple cider, salt, sugar, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, and orange slices in a two gallon stock pot until dissolved. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes. Pour 2 gallons of ice water into the container to be used for brining. Add apple cider mixture and stir well to combine. Brine should be cold, chill if needed. Add turkey, turning to remove any air bubbles. Refrigerate and brine for 12 to 15 hours (1 hour per pound of turkey).
Wash the turkey thoroughly inside and out with cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Make sure to rinse away all brine to avoid salty gravy. Place the turkey on a large cutting board and trim off any excess fat. Let the turkey stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400-degrees F and place a rack in the lower third.
In a small bowl, stir together butter, Herbs de Provence and orange zest. Gently slide fingers under the breast to loosen the skin and work fingers down to the thigh, being careful not to tear the skin. Spread half of the butter mixture evenly under the skin. Spread the remaining butter evenly on the outside of the turkey. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Fill turkey cavity loosely with onions, carrots, and celery. Set aside remaining vegetables. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together at the ankles and tuck wing tips under breasts.
Place a heavy roasting rack inside a large roasting pan and lightly oil the rack. Flip turkey breast side down and place on top of rack. Place turkey in oven and roast for 60 minutes. Check roasting pan to make sure pan drippings do not scorch, adding stock or water as needed.
After 60 minutes, remove roasting pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Using turkey lifters or clean kitchen towels, carefully lift turkey off the rack and flip breast side up. Return turkey to rack, breast side up, and baste with pan juices. Scatter remaining onion, carrot, and celery pieces across bottom of roasting pan, stirring to coat with pan juices. Return turkey to oven and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees and 160 degrees in the breast, about 3 hours. If the breast begins to cook too quickly, tent loosely with buttered aluminum foil.
Remove turkey from oven and transfer to a carving board, covered loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Rest turkey for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Strain pan drippings, pressing on solids to remove liquid, and de-grease dripping to make gravy.
To serve, remove legs and thighs using a sharp knife. Slice the breasts into ¼-inch slices and place on a serving platter with legs and thighs. Serve immediately.