How to Cook the Perfect Turkey

I have posted this before, but wanted to post again for Easter weekend.

1. Selecting your turkey: First we want to look at selecting a turkey, the best turkeys are the ones from local farms that raise then outdoors and feed them a grain rich diet, these turkeys are the best choice as they are free of antibiotics & hormones and are said to actually taste better. Buying turkeys this way can be just as cheap or sometimes cheaper then from a grocery store. Either way the choice is up to you, if you do buy one from a grocery store and it is rock hard, make sure you keep it in the fridge for at least three or four days before cooking it or one day for every five pounds of the turkey, also be sure to place your turkey on a platter or in roast pan, this will also reduce unwanted bacterial contamination in your fridge.

How big of a turkey should you get? Plan on about 3/4 pound per person. (weight will be on the label of the turkey when selecting from store, ask your local farmer about weight of turkey when taking this route) 3/4 pound per person will give generous amounts to each person but will not have much meat left over, if you are like me and like the turkey sandwiches for a couple days after then think about adding a little more to the weight.

2. The day before: If you are cooking your turkey on Christmas day then take your turkey out of the fridge Christmas eve morning. Clean your turkey, rinse with cold water and then dry it with kitchen paper or tea towel, next you want to place your turkey back in the fridge uncovered until your ready to prep and cook it (Christmas Morning) the reason for this is to dry out the skin of the turkey, this will give you a crispy skin when its cook.

3. The day of: You want to take your turkey out of the fridge a couple hours before cooking it, this will bring your bird to room temperature, if the turkey is not at room temperature it will affect your cooking time. If you forget to take it out early don't worry just add extra time to the cooking time.

4. Stuffing: Many people stuff the bird and then cook it, this can cause your turkey to be a little under cooked, I like to make my stuffing in a separate pot, if you want the presentation of the stuffing inside the turkey you can always add it after the turkey is cooked, even just in the opening of its body. The choice of course is up to you. If you do cook your stuffing separate then place an onion, lemon, or apple with the core removed and some fresh herbs if you have them inside the body, this will help speed up cooking time and give your turkey a nice hint of flavor.
Here are some great recipes for stuffing for both turkey stuffed and pot cooked.
Cooking Nook Stuffing Recipe
Canadian Living Slow Cooker Stuffing Recipe
10 Stuffing Recipes from Thought 4 Food
Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe from Tipnut
Crockpot Stuffing Recipe from Tasty Crockpot Recipes


5. Prepping the turkey: Remove the neck & giblets from the turkey's cavity, if you have a lifter to go inside your roaster, put it in now, this can make lifting the turkey out when its done a lot easier especially with heavier turkeys . Make a mixture of unsalted butter and herbs (poultry seasoning, thyme, whatever seasoning you like) this is not necessary but will add a rich flavor and help to keep the meat moist. You can also cook the turkey breast side down to help with moisture and then flip it up right about 30 minutes before its done to brown the top, this is not recommended if the roaster you use is prone to meat sticking to it, you might loose most of the skin. If you are placing your stuffing inside the turkey, do this now, but remember to bring both the turkey and the stuffing to 165 F. you can check this by using a digital thermometer, if your turkey is at 165F and your stuffing is not then you must continue to cook the turkey longer to reach equal temperatures (another good reason to cook stuffing separately)

6. Cooking the turkey: Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C.) Add 2 - 4 cups of water to your roaster (more or less depending on size of turkey or how much gravy you want) You want to have about 3/4 inch of water on bottom of roaster. Add a little seasoning (poultry seasoning / sage / thyme) I also add another halve onion to the water. SEE BELOW FOR GRAVEY. Cover your roast pan or whatever your using with a tent of foil, this allows the turkey to still brown and will also prevent it from drying out. Place turkey on the lowest rack in your oven and cook according to package or have a look at this great website I found CSGNetwork.com they offer a calculator to help you with picking your turkey size based on number of people eating and how much leftovers you want, and they also give you a cooking turkey time chart based on size and a thawing time chart based on weight of turkey. another way to check to see if your turkey is done is to stick a wooden skewer into the thigh of the turkey (part of body that is beside the leg) look to see if the juices run clear. Do not carve the turkey right away, instead cover it with some foil, it can then sit for up to an hour, while you prepare everything else and will keep all the juices form running out while you get ready to serve.

There you have it a nice turkey for your holiday's, Please feel free to add your own comments for making the perfect turkey.

Gravy

I just realized reading over my blog that I did not add how to make the turkey gravy, gasp, I know. Gravy over mashed potatoes is one of my favorite parts of the meal.
This is how I make my turkey gravy. In the 2 cups of water you added above to your roast pan, add half an onion (try to cut length wise while keep onion connected at root, this allows for easy removal of onion when turkey is done) When turkey is removed from roaster, drain your liquids through a cheese cloth or small holed strainer. You want to remove all the fat bits, onion, etc... give the bottom of your roaster a quick whip to remove any more chunks of anything. Return liquid to roaster and place over large element on stove. Turn heat to medium - high. In a small bowl add two - three tbsp of corn starch or flour and mix in about two tsp of cold water, mix this well with fork (mixing cornstarch with cold water removes lumps) whisk your gravy. If you are short on gravy add equal parts chicken broth and water. When bubbles start to appear, stir in cornstarch mixture and whisk in well. Turn down heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Here are some great side dishes to complement your turkey dinner. Enjoy!

Allrecipes.com turkey side dishes recipes
University of Illinois Extension Turkey Side Dishes
Recipe Zaar Popular Christmas Side Dishes
Readers Digest Christmas Side Dishes
Cooks Recipes Christmas Recipes