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Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving Turkey
Posted in : Cookbook, Dinner, Poultry on
by : ChefLars
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A Little Personal History:

Thanksgiving is a great day for cooking. It’s all about family and being thankful for all we have. Considering the overtones of the day, the last thing you want is a dried, over/under cooked and flavorless Turkey. Here’s my tried and true approach that’s never failed me and always brings requests for my secret!  The secret is out 🙂

Description:

“Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated in Canada and the United States as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. It is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions and has long been celebrated in a secular manner as well.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving

Categories: Holiday, Turkey
Servings: 8 – 10 servings
Time: Brining: 8 – 16 hours
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 2 – 5 hours (depending on weight)
Equipment: Cutting board and knife, Meat or Turkey thermometer, roasting pan, aluminum foil, paper towels, baking string, basting brush, basting syringe
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients:

Cavity Stuffing (Aromatics):

  • 1 red apple, sliced
  • ½ onion, sliced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 large orange, cut into 8ths
  • 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 sprigs rosemary
  • 6 leaves sage

Procedure:

Foil Tent Method

roast-turkey-tent

 

The traditional method of roasting turkey uses a foil tent of heavy duty aluminum foil to keep the turkey moist. Slow oven roasting ensures a roasted flavor.

 

Appearance—even golden brown and crisp exterior.

  1. Day before roasting your Turkey make your Turkey stock. Refrigerate in sealed container.
  2. While preparing your stock follow directions to brine your Turkey in Turkey marinade for 8-16 hours prior to beginning Step 3.
  3. Line a roasting pan, at least 2 inches deep, with heavy duty aluminum foil.
  4. Cavity Aromatics – On cutting board, slice fruits and vegetables as suggested. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, thyme, orange, celery, carrot bay leaves, and cup of water in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes to prepare aromatics. Set aside and refrigerate.
  5. At least 30 minutes prior to roasting, remove turkey from marinade and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard marinade. If necessary, return to refrigerator until ready to place in oven.
  6. When ready to start roasting your bird, preheat oven to 325 ° F.
  7. Place turkey, breast side up, in foil-lined roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.
  8. Add prepared aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage.
  9. Tuck back wings & legs, if necessary tie with cooking string. Coat whole bird liberally with Canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil.
  10. Insert meat thermometer into inner thigh for whole turkey or into thickest part of breast for turkey breast (make sure thermometer doesn’t touch any bone).
  11. Making foil tent: Tear off a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, crease foil crosswise through center. Place over turkey, leaving 1 inch between top of turkey and foil tent for heat circulation. Crimp foil onto long sides of pan to hold in place.
  12. Roast until meat thermometer reads 180 ° F for whole turkey, or 170 ° to 175 ° F for de-boned turkey breast. No part of the Turkey should be less than 165 ° F.
    1. For every hour of roasting, use basting syringe to absorb turkey juices and baste top of turkey as necessary.
    2. To brown turkey, remove foil tent during last 1 ½ hour of roasting time.  During hourly juices basting, check texture and when turkey browns to your satisfaction, re-cover with foil tent  as necessary.
  13. For easy slicing, cover turkey with foil and rest 15 minutes after removing from oven (a really sharp carving knife also helps!).
  14. While turkey is resting, make Turkey Pan Gravy. Note: Turkey Stock for gravy should already be made.
  15. Carving Turkey – Watch this great CIA video and carve like a master!

Advanced Preparation:

  • Steps 1-3 should be done day prior to event. Steps 4 – 11 can be done morning of event. Pre-heat oven 30 minutes before placing Turkey in oven.

Tips, Notes, and Variations:

  • Aromatics are NOT intended for consumption, just flavoring. You never want to risk an upset stomach or worse. If you wish a cavity stuffing for eating, while Turkey is resting, remove aromatics and replace with Apple, Cranberry and Apricot Stuffing.
  • Let’s Talk Turkey – USDA.GOV
  • Thanksgiving Turkey – Tips & Advice – some alternate viewpoints on “tenting”, “brining” & “trussing” with tips on carving.
  • As mentioned on Step 15, check out this video on How to Properly Carve a Turkey
  • Approximate roasting times are:
    • 2 ½ to 3 hours for 8 to 12 pound. turkey
    • 3 to 4 hours for 12 to 16 pound. turkey
    • Over 16 pound. you should seriously consider roasting a 2nd Turkey. If not, 4 to 4 ½ hours for 16 to 20 pound. turkey; 4 ½ to 5 hours for 20 to 24 pound. turkey.