by TAMMY LOVVORN
Talking Turkey & a Little Math
Thanksgiving is just around the corner ! The house is decorated with colors of fall and thoughts of a wonderful time with family warms the heart . The menu is being planned .. sweet potato casserole , green beans , pies , cakes and , of course , the centerpiece of it all , the turkey .
How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey
The refrigerator method requires a little math ! Place the turkey in the refrigerator 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds . For example , a 12 to 16 pound turkey will take 3 to 4 days to thaw . Doesn ’ t it feel good to use those math skills you learned in school ! Make sure the turkey is placed in a container to protect other foods around in the refrigerator . The thawed bird will be okay for about 2 days before cooking .
The cold water method is much quicker being careful to prevent cross-contamination . Keep the turkey in its original wrapping and submerge in cold water . The water has to be changed every 30 minutes until the turkey thawed . There is no math involved but , generally , a 12 to 16 pound turkey will thaw in about 6 to 8 hours . The turkey must be cooked within 2 hours after thawing with the cold water method .
Now that the turkey is thawed and ready to cook , will you roast or deep fry ? First , make sure the turkey neck and bag of giblets stuffed inside the turkey are removed - save these for gravy later . Pat the turkey dry and get ready to fry ….. or roast .
Roasting
The most common way to prepare a turkey is roasting in an oven . Here are simple steps to making the perfect turkey .
1 . Preheat the oven to 400 ° F * * Some recipes pre-heat the oven to 350 ° F and roast the turkey for a period of time then raise the temperature at the end to achieve a crispy skin . The method below uses a higher temperature initially , then lowers the temperature once the turkey is golden brown . There are several methods … to the perfect turkey .
2 . Brush the turkey with compound butter or margarine .
3 . Push the skin up with your fingers and place a few spats of compound butter underneath the skin …( optional )
4 . What about stuffing the cavity ? If you want , place onions , herbs , or stuffing inside the cavity . Keep in mind , the turkey will be done before the stuffing and could dry the turkey a bit .
5 . Using kitchen twine , tie the turkey legs together to help achieve a beautiful even cooked turkey . Push the turkey wings behind the bird to prevent those from getting too crispy .
6 . Add chicken stock , orange juice , etc . to the roasting pan - to keep a little moisture in the oven .
7 . Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and roast for 20 - 25 minutes to crisp the skin and seal in the juices . Time may vary depending on oven temperature . The turkey should be golden brown .
8 . Remove the turkey from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350 ° F . Loosely cover the breast with aluminum foil and return to the oven .
9 . According to Honeysuckle White , basting the turkey is not necessary during roasting since it cannot penetrate the turkey ’ s skin . Also , frequently opening the oven door prolongs cooking time .
10 . Continue roasting the turkey until it reaches the required safe temperatures - measuring the temperature in several areas . The thigh should be at 180 ° F , the breast at 170 ° F and if stuffed - the stuffing should be 165 ° F .
11 . If you are using a meat thermometer , insert it through the foil into the thickest part of the thigh muscle without touching bone . The inner thigh is the area that heats the slowest . For other parts of the turkey , insert the thermometer in the thickest area .
22 SOUTHERN HOLIDAY LIFE 2020