How to Roast a Turkey
The best advice for roasting a turkey that is both impressive and delicious is simple: plan ahead. Each step takes a good deal of time for achieving best results. Directions are also included to cover the event that Thanksgiving has crept up on you; you forgot to allow enough time; a family event or emergency has intervened; or you are unexpectedly called upon to host the dinner.
First, of course, you must purchase the turkey. Allow at least a pound of bird per person. If you want leftovers for turkey soup and other goodies, allow up to 1.5 pounds per person. A heritage turkey is your best bet for the most succulent, full flavored bird imaginable. These are the same breed that was raised in Europe and North America for hundreds of years until commercial farms captured most of the market.
Heritage turkeys are usually raised with access to pasture, so they consume a varied diet that includes grass and insects as well as organic grains. They also get to run around in the sunshine, which makes for a happier bird. Most supermarket turkeys are Broad Breasted Whites, which grow quickly. They are ready for the market in 18 weeks. Heritage turkeys grow more slowly, and are more expensive. They are market ready in 24-30 weeks.
Farms vary in the amount of time needed to deliver once the turkey is ordered. Allow at least 2 weeks and up to a month. Obviously, it’s too late to order from some farms. If you buy your turkey from a supermarket, you won’t usually need to order it.
Don’t buy a pre-stuffed turkey unless it bears a USDA or state mark of inspection. This indicates that the bird was prepared under controlled conditions. If you use one of these birds DO NOT thaw it before roasting. Allow about 50% more time to cook thoroughly. Use a meat thermometer to check whether the turkey is thoroughly cooked. Check the inner thigh, the thickest part of the breast, and the center of the stuffing. It should reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
As with any poultry, turkey must be handled carefully. Use a separate cutting board and knives to prepare the meat. Thoroughly wash your hands, and any surfaces touched by raw meat or juices every time you handle the uncooked bird.
Thawing a frozen turkey
If you begin with a locally grown organic turkey that has not been frozen, you can skip this step. Just keep your turkey in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it. A pre-stuffed bird must be kept in the freezer until time to roast it.
If your unstuffed turkey is frozen, you should thaw it in the refrigerator. Put a pan under it so the juices don’t contaminate other foods. Allow about 24 hours per 5 pounds of meat. This means that a 15 pound bird will take about 3 days, and a 20-24 pounder will need 6 days. Don’t worry if the thawing is completed a day ahead of time. Keep the bird in the refrigerator until time to cook it.
If, horror of horrors, you forgot to move the turkey to the refrigerator, don’t panic. You can also thaw it in water if you are extremely careful. First, make sure the bird is covered with water proof plastic that has no holes for water to seep into. Place the turkey in a container of fresh tap water. Change the water every 30 minutes to keep bacteria from growing too fast.
An alternative is to thaw the turkey in your microwave according to the manufacturer’s directions, if the microwave will accommodate it. Remove the turkey from any plastic covering first.
If you are stuck with a frozen turkey on the day of the celebration, all is not lost. You can safely roast it from a frozen state, but allow 50% more time. Carefully remove the packet of giblets and neck once the turkey has thawed in the oven. Use tongs and protect your hands with oven mitts.
Preparing to roast
You will need:
Thawed turkey 2 carrots
Juice of ½ lemon Bunch of parsley
Salt and pepper ½ large onion
Roasting pan with rack Olive oil
A knife
Turn on your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You will immediately turn it down to 325 when you put the turkey in to roast. If you might forget, just preheat to 325.
Remove the packet of giblets and neck from inside the turkey. Rinse the bird with water inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Also remove the large fat deposits and discard.
Pour the lemon juice into the cavity and use it to cover the entire surface. Rub with salt and pepper. Place the onion, carrots, and parsley in the cavity. Use skewers to close the skin so the veggies don’t fall out. Tie the legs together. Fold the wing tips under the bird.
Rub olive oil all over the turkey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the bird breast side down on the rack in the roasting pan. This will keep the breast meat moist. Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan and put it in the oven. IMMEDIATELY lower the temperature to 325 degrees.
Baste the turkey about once an hour.
When the turkey is nearly cooked, turn it over and brown the breast in a hot oven or under the broiler.
Boil the giblets to add to the gravy, and store them and the cooking water in the refrigerator. Keep the neck refrigerated for turkey soup.
Roasting time
A turkey must be cooked until every part of it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the inner part of the thigh, the thickest part of the breast, and the center of the stuffing, if applicable.
If you choose to stuff the turkey, allow more cooking time. However, for optimum safety, it is recommended that you cook the stuffing separately. Of course, using the above recipe you will have to cook the stuffing separately.
If using an oven-proof thermometer, insert it in the thickest part of the meat and leave it in while the bird roasts. Protect your hands with an oven proof mitt and check every part of the bird for doneness, as above.
A 4-8 pound breast will require 1 ½-3 ¼ hours; an 8-12 pound bird, 2 ¾-3 hours; 12-14 pounds, 3 ½-4 hours; 14-18 pounds, 3 ¾-4 ¼ hours; 18-20 pounds, 4 ¼-4 ½ hours; 20-24 pounds, 4 ½ to 5 hours. Check doneness with a meat thermometer, even if the turkey has a pop-up indicator. This is essential for safety.
After roasting
Once the thermometer registers a proper temperature, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving to let the juices set. This will help you avoid dry breast meat.
Place the turkey on a clean carving board. Steady it with a cooking fork. Press the thigh out from the body with a large knife. Sever the leg at the joint and set it aside. Remove the other leg. Divide each leg into thigh and drumstick.
Carve the drumstick by removing a thick slice of meat. Place sliced turkey on a warmed serving platter as you work. Rotate the drumstick ¼ turn and take another slice. Repeat until you have four slices. Carve the thigh by placing it flat side down and steadying it with the carving fork. Slice the meat parallel to the bone.
Next remove the wings by slicing through the joint. Then hold the back of the fork against the breast. Slice parallel to the breast bone, cutting slices diagonally. Layer meat on the serving tray as you work. After finishing one breast, carve the other side.
Refrigerate the carcass if you plan to use it for making soup.
A carefully selected, properly roasted bird is the centerpiece of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. It may look intimidating, but really is not difficult to prepare, once you know the secrets.
References and further information:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/lets_talk_turkey/index.asp
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thanksgiving-turkey/AN01483
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moms_roast_turkey/
