Turkey is a great Thanksgiving meal especially because it has fewer calories and less fat and cholesterol than most other meats. The fat content is limited to the skin and dark meat only so if you are on a low fat diet the white meat is the best for you. Turkey is much easier to digest than beef and contains a good deal of vitamins and other nutrients that are good for your body.
Roast bird is very easy to make it is just a bit time consuming. An unstuffed turkey weighing twelve pounds will have to be in the oven for around two and a half to threehours and a larger turkey up to twenty lbs will cook for up to five hours. Getting the bird ready to cook does not take much time at all.
Departmnent stores carry turkey all year found so finding what you need for your feast shouldn't be a problem. Turkeys come frozen and some markets carry fresh turkey parts in the refrigerated section. Fresh turkey can be cooked right away but frozen birds need to be thawed for a period of time in the refrigerator and that can take several days. Small birds can thaw in about four days and a large bird can be in the refrigerator five to six days before ready to cook. Make sure to put your turkey in a pan to thaw because the packaging will drip and you don't want a mess to clean in the refrigerator.
Leave the packaging on the turkey until you are ready to cook it. Once the packaging is removed you will see plastic or metal objects that hold the legs together. Take those off before you put your turkey in the oven. Look in the cavity where you will find the neck and giblets. You will find them inside a bag most of the time so just take them out and put them aside. They can be boiled down to create a bird stock for gravy or some people cook them and give them to their dogs and cats.
When preparing the bird give it a shower in your sink washing it inside and out making sure the water is clear. Just use water when washing down a turkey and do not use soap. Using paper towels dry off the turkey and placing it in a large pan for roasting with the breast on top.
Stuffing is a good side dish to be served with bird and it can be cooked inside the cavity of the bird but always stuff it a few minutes prior to putting it in the oven. You don't want your guests to get food poisoning and that is likely to happen if you let the stuffing sit inside the bird for awhile. It is much safer to make stuffing outside of the bird. Place a few peeled and lightly chopped onions and some celery inside the cavity if you don't stuff it. Add garlic if you desire and a few teaspoons of butter. These things will impart a lovely flavor to your turkey. Remove them before serving. Melt some butter in a saucepan and brush a heavy coating over the breast and legs of the bird. If you are worried about fat content use a butter product that does not contain a lot of fat. Season the bird with salt and pepper and add some dry sage. Other herbs good for turkey are rosemary and thyme. Pour 1 or 2 cups water in the pan, not over the bird to give it some moisture. It should just cover the bottom of the pan. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and pop the bird in, uncovered, for one half hour. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees for the duration of cooking time.
You must use a meat thermometer to get the internal temperature of a bird. There are those that give an instant reading and only have to be inserted in the turkey to check it then removed when it goes in the oven, and those that go in the turkey while it cooks. Insert the thermometer in the meaty part of the thigh to get a good reading. A twelve lb bird will need to be in the oven about 180minutes, 12 to-- pounds bird three and three fourths hours, a 15 to' lb turkey around four and one fourth hours, a' or 20 lb bird about four and one half hours and a 21 to 25 lb turkey about five hours. Internal temperature should be'0 degrees F when it is done. If the bird seems to be getting a little too brown too fast cover it with foil. Once the internal temperature reaches 150 to 160 degrees F start basting the top of the bird with pan juices every 20 minutes until done.
Make sure to let the turkey rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. You will have a delicious roast turkey dinner and don't forget to save some for sandwiches and other leftovers. - 32406
Roast bird is very easy to make it is just a bit time consuming. An unstuffed turkey weighing twelve pounds will have to be in the oven for around two and a half to threehours and a larger turkey up to twenty lbs will cook for up to five hours. Getting the bird ready to cook does not take much time at all.
Departmnent stores carry turkey all year found so finding what you need for your feast shouldn't be a problem. Turkeys come frozen and some markets carry fresh turkey parts in the refrigerated section. Fresh turkey can be cooked right away but frozen birds need to be thawed for a period of time in the refrigerator and that can take several days. Small birds can thaw in about four days and a large bird can be in the refrigerator five to six days before ready to cook. Make sure to put your turkey in a pan to thaw because the packaging will drip and you don't want a mess to clean in the refrigerator.
Leave the packaging on the turkey until you are ready to cook it. Once the packaging is removed you will see plastic or metal objects that hold the legs together. Take those off before you put your turkey in the oven. Look in the cavity where you will find the neck and giblets. You will find them inside a bag most of the time so just take them out and put them aside. They can be boiled down to create a bird stock for gravy or some people cook them and give them to their dogs and cats.
When preparing the bird give it a shower in your sink washing it inside and out making sure the water is clear. Just use water when washing down a turkey and do not use soap. Using paper towels dry off the turkey and placing it in a large pan for roasting with the breast on top.
Stuffing is a good side dish to be served with bird and it can be cooked inside the cavity of the bird but always stuff it a few minutes prior to putting it in the oven. You don't want your guests to get food poisoning and that is likely to happen if you let the stuffing sit inside the bird for awhile. It is much safer to make stuffing outside of the bird. Place a few peeled and lightly chopped onions and some celery inside the cavity if you don't stuff it. Add garlic if you desire and a few teaspoons of butter. These things will impart a lovely flavor to your turkey. Remove them before serving. Melt some butter in a saucepan and brush a heavy coating over the breast and legs of the bird. If you are worried about fat content use a butter product that does not contain a lot of fat. Season the bird with salt and pepper and add some dry sage. Other herbs good for turkey are rosemary and thyme. Pour 1 or 2 cups water in the pan, not over the bird to give it some moisture. It should just cover the bottom of the pan. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and pop the bird in, uncovered, for one half hour. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees for the duration of cooking time.
You must use a meat thermometer to get the internal temperature of a bird. There are those that give an instant reading and only have to be inserted in the turkey to check it then removed when it goes in the oven, and those that go in the turkey while it cooks. Insert the thermometer in the meaty part of the thigh to get a good reading. A twelve lb bird will need to be in the oven about 180minutes, 12 to-- pounds bird three and three fourths hours, a 15 to' lb turkey around four and one fourth hours, a' or 20 lb bird about four and one half hours and a 21 to 25 lb turkey about five hours. Internal temperature should be'0 degrees F when it is done. If the bird seems to be getting a little too brown too fast cover it with foil. Once the internal temperature reaches 150 to 160 degrees F start basting the top of the bird with pan juices every 20 minutes until done.
Make sure to let the turkey rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. You will have a delicious roast turkey dinner and don't forget to save some for sandwiches and other leftovers. - 32406
About the Author:
With Thanksgiving approaching, it is time to think about the best roast turkey recipe and I prefer a traditional recipe, with traditional presentation, which includes a classic turkey gravy made the old fashioned way.
