Amateur and even cooks with a little bit experience are often overwhelmed when tasked with preparing turkey for Thanksgiving. Perhaps it's the size of the bird, or the importance of the dish that makes them doubt their ability. But cooking turkey is a rather pleasurable experience - as long as you adhere to a few basic tips.
The first thing you have to do is to determine how big a turkey you need. Figuring 3/4 of a pound to a pound per person is a good rule of thumb. Because of its size, a frozen turkey needs to be thawed out completely if you want even cooking. Just to be on the safe side, let it sit in the refrigerator - not the freezer because you want it to thaw out completely - for two to five days.
When you are ready to cook, it is a good idea to rinse the entire bird and pat the skin dry with a clean towel or cheesecloth. Butchers often stuff the innards back into the prepared turkey so you have to get the inside cavity clean by rinsing it out like you did with the outside. You can preheat the oven while you are doing the preparations as this will ensure the perfect temperature when you are finally ready to cook. Oven bags are a good way to making everything simple. If you do decide to go this route, place a couple tablespoons of flour in the bag to coat the inside before putting in the turkey. Follow the instructions closely and don't forget to cut air vents into the bag.
For a more intense flavor, you can stuff the skin with butter, herbs, and spices. You do this by loosening the skin and creating "pockets" in the process. Just move the skin around and separate it from the meat. You are now free to put in whatever you want. Be creative! Good choices would be: butter, fresh herbs, slivers of garlic, spices, juice, over-the-counter marinades and sauces. The choices are literally endless and you only have your imagination limiting you.
The stuffing is the area that often separates a great Thanksgiving turkey from a good one. People often reach out for the plate of stuffing as often as they reach out for a juicy piece of carved turkey. To indulge your guests, stuff your bird with a recipe that you got from Mom or Grandma. Put everything in and don't overfill so that you won't end up with a big mess. An alternative is to put in quartered apples and pears, chopped onions, and cloves of garlic as well as some herbs and spices to intensify the flavor. Be sure to account for the added time needed for all of this to cook as a stuffed bird takes a while longer.
You can use a wet rub or dry rub to flavor the turkey's skin. Use the same seasoning and marinade you used inside for a good harmony of flavor. Make sure to catch all the pan drippings so that you can make a rich gravy for later. When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit a while before carving. Gather 'round the Thanksgiving table and enjoy!
The first thing you have to do is to determine how big a turkey you need. Figuring 3/4 of a pound to a pound per person is a good rule of thumb. Because of its size, a frozen turkey needs to be thawed out completely if you want even cooking. Just to be on the safe side, let it sit in the refrigerator - not the freezer because you want it to thaw out completely - for two to five days.
When you are ready to cook, it is a good idea to rinse the entire bird and pat the skin dry with a clean towel or cheesecloth. Butchers often stuff the innards back into the prepared turkey so you have to get the inside cavity clean by rinsing it out like you did with the outside. You can preheat the oven while you are doing the preparations as this will ensure the perfect temperature when you are finally ready to cook. Oven bags are a good way to making everything simple. If you do decide to go this route, place a couple tablespoons of flour in the bag to coat the inside before putting in the turkey. Follow the instructions closely and don't forget to cut air vents into the bag.
For a more intense flavor, you can stuff the skin with butter, herbs, and spices. You do this by loosening the skin and creating "pockets" in the process. Just move the skin around and separate it from the meat. You are now free to put in whatever you want. Be creative! Good choices would be: butter, fresh herbs, slivers of garlic, spices, juice, over-the-counter marinades and sauces. The choices are literally endless and you only have your imagination limiting you.
The stuffing is the area that often separates a great Thanksgiving turkey from a good one. People often reach out for the plate of stuffing as often as they reach out for a juicy piece of carved turkey. To indulge your guests, stuff your bird with a recipe that you got from Mom or Grandma. Put everything in and don't overfill so that you won't end up with a big mess. An alternative is to put in quartered apples and pears, chopped onions, and cloves of garlic as well as some herbs and spices to intensify the flavor. Be sure to account for the added time needed for all of this to cook as a stuffed bird takes a while longer.
You can use a wet rub or dry rub to flavor the turkey's skin. Use the same seasoning and marinade you used inside for a good harmony of flavor. Make sure to catch all the pan drippings so that you can make a rich gravy for later. When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and let it sit a while before carving. Gather 'round the Thanksgiving table and enjoy!
About the Author:
Michelle is an accomplished season publisher concerning household food preparation. She just adores expressing her good ideas and tips about creating crock pots as well as pumpkin soup recipe.
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