Roasting the Turkey
This year I'll be visiting my family in Tennessee for Thanksgiving. As I'm not testing recipes this year, I wanted to provide you with some tips and my favorite tried and true Thanksgiving recipes.
I hope you enjoy them, and find something new to try.
Up first, the main event, the turkey. Here are some great tips about roasting turkeys, sizing, and getting them to come out juicy. I've also included 2 of my favorite turkey recipes. Try one of them this year!
The information that follows includes
general guidelines for roasting a turkey.
What Size Turkey to Buy
To ensure ample servings for Thanksgiving dinner as well as generous leftovers,
allow for 1 to 1 1/4 lb. of turkey per person.
What Size Pan to Use
For best results, roast your turkey on a wire rack in an open roasting pan.
Because of the turkey's weight, a sturdy pan with good handles is recommended.
If you use a foil roasting pan, double it for extra strength and take special
care when transferring it into and out of the oven.
Turkey Weight
|
Minimum Pan Size
|
Up to 12 lb.
|
14" x 10"
x 2 3/4" high (small)
|
Up to 16 lb.
|
15 3/4" x
12" x 3" high (medium)
|
Up to 20 lb.
|
16" x 13"
x 3" high (large)
|
Remove the turkey from
the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Do not leave the turkey at room
temperature longer than 1 hour.
Roasting an Unstuffed Turkey
The times listed below are calculated for an unstuffed turkey brought to room
temperature and roasted at 400°F, breast side down, for the first 45 minutes,
then turned breast side up and roasted at 325°F until done.
Turkey
Weight
|
Approximate
Roasting Time
|
10
to 12 lb.
|
2
1/2 to 3 hours
|
12
to 14 lb.
|
2
3/4 to 3 1/4 hours
|
14
to 16 lb.
|
3
to 3 3/4 hours
|
16
to 18 lb.
|
3
1/4 to 4 hours
|
18
to 20 lb.
|
3
1/2 to 4 1/4 hours
|
20+
lb.
|
3
3/4 to 4 1/2 hours
|
Roasting a Stuffed
Turkey
Stuff the turkey just before putting it in the oven (do not stuff it earlier).
Spoon the dressing loosely into the body and neck cavities. Do not overfill, as
the dressing will expand during roasting. Truss the turkey (see related tip at
left).
To facilitate removing the stuffing, first line the inside of the cavity with a
double layer of cheesecloth, allowing it to extend beyond the cavity by a few
inches. Then spoon the stuffing inside. After roasting the bird, gently pull
the overhanging cheesecloth and the stuffing will slip out easily, neatly
tucked inside the cheesecloth.
To ensure that a stuffed turkey cooks evenly, roast the bird slowly, breast
side up, at 325°F, covering the breast loosely with foil for the first
two-thirds of the roasting time. Using the chart above, add about 30 minutes to
the total cooking time for stuffed birds weighing 16 lb. or less, and about 1
hour for birds weighing more than 16 lb.
Additional Tips
1. After taking the turkey out of the oven, let it rest for 20 to 30
minutes. This allows time for some of the juices to be absorbed back into the
meat, which makes it easier to carve and more moist.
2. If roasting a stuffed bird, remove all of the stuffing at serving
time.
3. After dinner, remove any remaining meat from the bones and
refrigerate the leftovers.
article and picture curtesy of Williams-Sonoma
My Favorite turkey recipe....the compound butter is the secret ingredient!
Oven
Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter
By Tyler Florence
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 3 hr 0 min
Serves: 10 to 12
servings
1
(12 to 14) pound fresh turkey
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper
Sage Butter, recipe
follows
Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees F and remove the top rack of the oven.
Rinse the bird
thoroughly inside and out with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity
with stuffing and, if required, truss the legs. Cover the turkey with olive oil
and season well with salt and pepper. Push the sage butter under the skin of
the turkey, being careful not to puncture the skin.
Put the turkey on a rack
in a large roasting pan, and into the oven. Continue cooking until an
instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh registers
170 degrees F. The thigh juices will run clear when pricked with a knife, about
3 hours total (15 minutes per pound). If the legs or breast brown too quickly
during roasting, cover them with foil.
Sage
Butter:
2 sticks butter,
softened
1/4 cup chopped sage
Salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients.
Another great turkey recipe to help you get the turkey on in a short time. The secret is to cut the turkey in pieces prior to roasting!
Roast Turkey with Wine and Herbs
by Cooking Light
Time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
· YIELD: Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
·
1 turkey (12 to 14 lbs.), cut up by
butcher*
·
1/4 cup olive oil
·
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage,
divided
·
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary,
divided
·
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme,
divided
·
About 2 tsp. kosher salt
·
1 teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
·
2 cups white wine, divided
·
1/3 cup marsala
·
3 tablespoons red currant jelly
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a bowl, coat turkey with oil, 2
tsp. of each herb, 2 tsp. salt, and pepper; turn to coat. Pour 1 cup wine into
a roasting pan. Add legs and wings. Roast 15 minutes, skin side down.
2. Turn legs and wings over; add thighs and breast to pan,
skin side up. Pour in remaining wine. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a
thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast and thighs reads 160° and
juices run clear.
3. Transfer meat to a cutting board; tent with foil (any
slight pinkness will fade as meat sits). Strain pan juices into a saucepan.
4. Add marsala, jelly, and remaining herbs; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes; season with salt. Spoon off fat. Pour juices
into individual pitchers for serving if you like.
5. Carve thighs and breast meat into chunks or slices and
arrange on a platter with legs and wings. Garnish with olive sprigs if you
like.
*Ask your butcher to cut turkey into 7 pieces (leave breast
whole) and bone out thighs and breast.
