TURKEY ROASTING 101

TURKEY ROASTING 101

1. Purchasing and thawing:
The first thing you need to decide is how big should the turkey be, so calculate 1 to 1 1/2 lbs per person. Then do you want fresh or frozen? Buy the bird the day before you wish to roast it for fresh, but remember to reserve your turkey with the butcher first. A frozen turkey needs to be defrosted. The preferred method is to defrost it in the refrigerator. (Yes, the one filled with the rest of the holiday fare.)
Allow one day per 5 pounds. A 15-pound turkey will require three days to defrost thoroughly.
An alternate method is to defrost the bird in a cold water bath. Allow 30 minutes per pound. That 15-pound turkey will require only 7½ hours to defrost using this approach. It is also possible to use a combination of these methods.

2. Roasting:
To prepare the turkey for roasting, first remove the giblets! One time my dear mother accidentally left them in and we found these paper-wrapped lumps when carving the bird - and poor momma never lived it down! So remove them and set aside if you wish to use the giblets in your gravy or stuffing. Next, rinse the bird inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. If you are stuffing the bird, stuff it loosely, allowing about ½ to ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey. Gently cut pockets into the skin where it is loose, such as under the breast and legs. Then insert pats of butter in the pockets. Brush the skin with melted butter. Season inside and out with a mixture of garlic powder, poultry seasoning and ground pepper. Tie drumsticks together with string. Lastly, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone.
Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. Use the following chart to estimate the time required for baking.
Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but helps promote even browning.
Weight of Bird
Roasting Time (Unstuffed)
Roasting Time(Stuffed)

• 10-18 lbs
  3-3.5 hours
  3.75-4.5 hours
• 15-22 lbs
  3.5-4 hours
  4.5-5 hours
• 22-24 lbs
  4-4.5 hours
  5-5.5 hours
• 24-29 lbs
  4.5-5 hours
  5.5-6.25 hours

3. It's almost Turkey time!
The only reliable test for doneness is the temperature of the meat, not the color of the skin. The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F, and when the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. If your turkey has been stuffed, it is important to check the temperature of the dressing. The stuffing should be 165 degrees F. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes. This resting time allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.Sit Tight
Once the bird is removed from the oven, it should stand for 20 to 35 minutes, depending on its size. This gives the proteins time to relax and allows the juices to redistribute throughout the bird, resulting in succulent slices of meat. Before you begin carving, have a warm serving platter ready.

4. Carving the Bird:

• Legs First
  Arrange the turkey, breast side up, on a cutting board. Steady the turkey with a carving fork. Using a sharp knife, slice through the meat between the breast and the leg. Next, using a large knife as an aid, press the thigh outward to find the hip joint. Slice down through the joint and remove the leg. Cut between the thigh bone and drumstick bone to divide the leg into one thigh piece and one drumstick. To carve the drumstick, steady it with a carving fork and cut a thick slice of meat from one side, along the bone. Next, turn the drumstick over so that the cut side faces down. Cut off another thick slice of meat. Repeat, turning the drumstick onto a flat side and cutting off meat, carving a total of four thick slices. To slice the thigh, place it flat side down on a cutting board. Steady the thigh with a carving fork. With a knife, cut parallel to the bone and slice off the meat. Be sure to place all the cuts on the warmed serving platter as you work.
• Wings Take Off
  Before you carve the breast, the wings must be removed. Slice diagonally down through the edge of the breast toward the wing. Using a knife as an aid, press the wing out to find the shoulder joint; cut through the joint and remove the wing.
• Carve the Breast
  To carve the breast meat, hold the back of the carving fork against the breastbone. Starting parallel to the breastbone, slice diagonally through the meat. Lift off each slice, holding it between the knife and fork, and layer them on the warm serving platter. Continue until you have carved all the meat on one side of the breast. Carve the other side of breast the same way. And let the feasting begin!

Cooks notes: All this sounds like a lot of work, but it's not really bad once you get the hang of it. Also, don't discard the carcass - seriously, I boil it and make what the kids used to call "bone soup". What it really does is boils a those little pieces of meat off the bone plus you get that good old bone marrow that make such wonderfully rich broth. Just remove all the bones and skin, add a good and thick egg noodle (I use the frozen) some chopped carrots for color and health and leftover turkey. You will not believe the flavor of this soup! Wow - y'all are getting two recipes in one here today...what a deal!