Secrets of holiday success: tips for perfect roast turkey and gravy. (Holiday Entertaining).
To many first-timers--and plenty of repeat performers--the most intimidating aspects of Thanksgiving center on the turkey: roasting it, stuffing it (or not), concocting a decent gravy to ladle over it, and carving it. And yet, these are the elements that define the traditional meal.Relax. Living up to expectations is easier than you think. Cooking a turkey is not much different from roasting a chicken; it's just bigger. Today's turkeys, more tender than those of our grandmothers' era, cook much faster (no need to rise at 5 A.M. to get the turkey in the oven). Follow our recipes and tips for success.
Classic Roast Turkey
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 10 minutes to prep (20 if stuffing the bird), plus roasting time (see chart, page 177) and 20 to 30 minutes to rest
NOTES: If using a frozen turkey, start thawing it in a pan in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days before roasting, depending on its size. If turkey overlaps pan rim, tuck a strip of heavy-duty foil along pan sides during roasting to keep fat from dripping over.
MAKES: Allow 3/4 pound uncooked turkey per serving, at least 1 pound if you want leftovers
1 turkey (10 to 30 lb.; see notes)
Melted butter or olive oil
1. Remove and discard leg truss from turkey Pull off and discard any lumps of fat. Remove giblets and neck (they're often packed in neck or body cavity) and save for gravy (recipe follows). Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry Rub turkey all over with butter.
2. Place turkey, breast up, on a V-shaped rack in a 12- by 17-inch roasting pan (or one that is at least 2 in. longer and wider than the bird). Insert a meat thermometer straight down through thickest part of breast to the bone. (If using an instant-read thermometer, insert when checking temperature.)
3. Roast in a 325[degrees] or 350[degrees] (temperature depends on size of bird; see chart, page 177) regular or convection oven until thermometer registers 160[degrees].
4. If turkey is unstuffed, tip slightly to drain juices from body cavity into pan. Transfer turkey to a platter. Let stand in a warm place, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, then carve (see page 177). If thigh joints are still pink (common in an oven-roasted bird), cut drumsticks from thighs, place thighs in a baking pan, and bake in a 450[degrees] oven until no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes, or put on a microwave-safe plate and cook in a microwave oven at full power (100%) for 1 to 3 minutes.
Per 1/4 pound boned cooked turkey with skin, based on percentages of white and dark meat in an average bird: 229 cal., 39% (90 cal.) from fat; 32 g protein; 10 g fat (3 g sat.); 0 g carbo; 82 mg sodium; 93 mg chol.
Classic Gravy
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 3/4 hours
NOTES: You can prepare through step 4 up to 1 day ahead; cover and chill. After turkey is done, continue with step 5.
MAKES: 7 to 8 cups without giblets; 10 to 12 servings
Giblets, neck, and liver from a 10- to 30-pound turkey 2 onions (about 12 oz. total), peeled and quartered 2 carrots (about 8 oz. total), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 3/4 cup sliced celery About 2 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon pepper Classic roast turkey (recipe precedes) or rosemary-lemon turkey (page 144) 1/2 cup cornstarch Salt
1. Rinse giblets and neck; chill liver airtight to acid later, or save for other uses. In a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine giblets, neck, onions, carrots, celery, and 1 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover; stir often over high heat until liquid is evaporated and giblets and vegetables are browned and begin to stick to pan, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
2. Add 1 quart broth and the pepper to pan; stir to scrape browned bits free. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gizzard is tender when pierced, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If desired add liver and cook 10 minutes longer.
3. Pour mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl. If desired, reserve neck, giblets, and liver for gravy; pull meat off neck and finely chop neck meat, giblets, and liver. Discard bones and vegetables. Measure turkey stock; if necessary, add more chicken broth to make 1 quart.
4. In the unwashed 5- to 6-quart pan, combine the 1 quart turkey stock and chopped neck meat, giblets, and liver, if using.
5. When turkey is done, remove the rack and the bird from roasting pan. Skim off and discard fat from pan juices. Add 2 more cups chicken broth to roasting pan and stir over low heat to scrape browned bits free. Pour mixture, through a fine strainer if desired, into turkey stock and bring to a boil over high heat.
6. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch with 1/2 cup water until smooth. Add to stock mixture and whisk until boiling, 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Per serving: 64 cal., 7% (4.5 cal.) from fat; 7.4 g protein; 0.5 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 6.7 g carbo (0.4 g fiber); 65mg sodium; 21 mg chol.
To stuff or not to stuff
A stuffed turkey may be traditional, but it carries a slightly higher risk of incubating harmful bacteria than an unstuffed one; moist dressing in a warm cavity is bacteria's ideal growth environment. You can avoid this problem by cooking the bird and the dressing separately Another advantage of separation is that both cook more evenly and quickly But if the traditionalists in your crowd insist on a stuffed turkey, follow these guidelines for safety.
* Do not stuff the turkey the night before. Fill body and neck cavities lightly (don't pack stuffing in) just before you put the bird in the oven. You can make the dressing a day ahead; just cover and chill until ready to use.
* Make sure the dressing gets hot enough during roasting. Since it heats more slowly inside the turkey than in a separate container, harmful bacteria have a greater chance to grow. They're killed after 3 minutes at 1400 and instantly at 1600. Check the temperature in the center of the dressing; if the stuffing hasn't met either of these guidelines, scoop it from the bird into a casserole and bake, covered, until it reaches the right temperature.
* Do not let stuffing sit in the roasted bird for very long, especially at temperatures between 600 and 1200. Scoop dressing into a separate bowl to serve.
Carving the bird
There is no one way to cut a turkey down to size, but here are some tips for certain success.
TOOLS. Use two sharp knives: a short-bladed one (4 to 6 in. long) for poking into joints and a long, thin one for slicing. Use a carving fork to hold the bird, or grip the bird with your hand using a clean pot holder or napkin.
TURKEY. Let the cooked bird rest at least 20 minutes before carving.
1. Roll bird to one side; pull top wing away from body to reveal wing-body joint. Poke short knife into joint; cut between connecting bones. Gut through elbow joint; set parts on a platter.
2. Pull the top leg (thigh and drumstick) down and away from body until you see the hip joint. Poke short knife into the joint; cut between the bones, then cut thigh and leg free. Lay leg on platter; cut through the joint between drumstick and thigh. Slice meat off thigh, parallel to bone.
3. With the long knife, make a deep horizontal cut along bottom of the breast, starting at the wing joint. Then angle blade upward, following bone, until you reach the base of the vertical breastbone. Insert carving fork into top of breast and, starting at outside edge, cut thin slices parallel to breastbone down to the base cut (so slices separate neatly).
4. To carve other side, repeat steps. Still nervous about performing in front of an audience? Present the whole bird at the table, then retreat to the kitchen and carve in private.
Oven-roasted turkey: temperatures and times See our classic roast turkey recipe (page 172) for directions on preparing and roasting the bird, then follow this chart for oven temperatures and cooking times. Turkey weight Oven temp. Internal temp. * Cooking time ** with giblets 10-13 lb. 350[degrees] 160[degrees] 1 1/2-2 1/4 hr. 14-23 lb. 325[degrees] 160[degrees] 2-3 hr. 24-27 lb. 325[degrees] 160[degrees] 3-3 3/4 hr. 28-30 lb. 325[degrees] 160[degrees] 3 1/2-4 1/2 hr. * To measure the internal temperature of the turkey, insert a thermometer through the thickest part of the breast to the bone. ** Times are for unstuffed birds. A stuffed bird may cook at the same rate as an unstuffed one; however, be prepared to allow 30 to 50 minutes longer. While turkeys take about the same time to roast in regular and convection heat, a convection oven does a better job of browning the bird all over.
RELATED ARTICLE: The right tools
STURDY ROASTING PAN: Choose one at least 2 inches longer and wider than the bird. A good all-purpose size is about 12 by 17 inches with sides 2 to 3 inches tall.
V-SHAPED RACK: This shape supports the turkey firmly while allowing heat to circulate underneath for better browning.
THERMOMETER: Choose either a meat thermometer that remains in the bird during the entire roasting time or an instant-read version that you insert when you want to check the temperature (do not leave it in the oven).
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| Author: | Anusasananan, Linda Lau |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Sunset |
| Date: | Nov 1, 2002 |
| Words: | 1640 |
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