 Time to amaze your friends and family with
a quick review of these helpful articles:
Talking Turkey
Here are some easy
tips for preparing a tender, juicy turkey.
Turkey
Terminology: Let’s talk turkey about what’s on the label!
Heritage:
Heritage turkeys are the feathered equivalents of heirloom vegetables.
To turkey breeders they're "standard breeds" -- old-school turkeys that
look, live and, most important, taste the way turkeys used to taste!
Pasture-raised: Pasture-raised turkeys roam around outside and eat
primarily grass, so their food and activity level -- both of which
affect flavor -- differ from those of their grain-fed cousins raised in
confinement. Pasture-raised turkeys are also likely to be heritage
breeds; the factory farm birds are so heavy of breast and short of leg
that they can't thrive out in the open.
Organic:
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to be called organic, a
turkey has to be raised on organic feed: grain- or grass-fed without the
use of genetic engineering methods, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge
for fertilization. And the birds cannot be given hormones or
antibiotics.
Kosher:
To qualify as a kosher turkey, the bird must be healthy at the time of
slaughter and must be killed in a specific manner intended to minimize
pain, under supervision of a rabbi trained in ancient Jewish dietary
laws. All the blood has to be removed from the slaughtered bird, first
by draining, then by a process of soaking and salting. The net effect of
all that salt and water is equivalent to brining the bird, an effective
although sometimes unwieldy way to enhance the flavor and juiciness of a
turkey.
Free-range: Free-range refers only to turkeys given free access
to the outdoors. They may still be penned, unlike pastured turkeys,
which actually wander around grass. Crowded conditions apparently have
more impact on turkey health and taste than does access to the outdoors.
Fresh: According to Agriculture Department definitions (revamped
in 1997), "fresh" simply means the turkey has never been stored below 26
degrees. The term describes a "pliable surface." The bird may still have
been stored for several weeks. For the holiday season, most grocery
chains carry fresh turkey. They still generally taste better than "deep
frozen" birds and can be perked up further with brining. You may prefer
to look for "fresh-killed," meaning recently butchered and delivered,
usually coming from farms closer by.
Natural:
Fresh turkeys may also calls themselves "natural," which has no
official definition. It is a broad marketing adjective that
officially indicates nothing about how the bird was raised, fed, killed
or held. Sometimes packaging will further explain that "natural"
indicates that the turkey contains no artificial ingredients.
Frozen: Poultry taken below 26 degrees and held at zero degrees
or below must be labeled "frozen." If the turkey is defrosted, it should
say "previously frozen" on the packaging. "Rock" frozen refer to those
requiring longer defrosting time, and these turkeys may have been held a
long time after processing.
Some Frozen
turkeys may also be "self-basting," injected with a solution of fat,
broth, salt and water. This is meant to counteract the drying tendency
of the quick-freezing, industrial cold-air process. Factory-raised birds
grow so quickly that their meat doesn't have a chance to develop rich
flavor and dense texture.
How
Big a Bird to Buy
Buy 1 pound per serving when buying a bird 12 pounds or less. Buy 3/4 pound
per serving if a bird is more than 12 pounds.
Tom or Hen?
No
difference in quality, tenderness, or flavor. Tom's will be larger,
but Hen's have more breast meat.
Buying Fresh Turkey (see
above)
Fresh turkey is highly perishable. Buy fresh turkey just one or two days
before you plan to cook it. Pre-stuffed fresh turkeys aren't recommended
because you have no way of knowing if sanitary methods were followed when
the bird was stuffed.
Buying Frozen Turkey (see
above)
Choose one that's solidly frozen. Look for one with no damage to the
package, and no pockets of frost under the wrap.
Thawing Frozen Turkey
To thaw in the refrigerator, place the bird on a tray and allow 24 hours
thawing time for every 5 pounds (3 to 4 days). You can also thaw in cold
water, allowing 30 minutes thawing time per pound. Be sure to change the
water every 30 minutes.
Going Where No Man
Has Gone Before
Reach into the thawed turkey and pull out the parts that have been
prepackaged or are loose in the cavity. You can thrown them away or use
them for gravy, etc.
Do
You Prefer Stuffing?
Don't stuff the turkey until you're ready to roast it. Loosely spoon
stuffing into the neck and body cavity. Do not pack, because the stuffing
will not reach a safe temperature by the time the bird is done. Tuck
drumsticks under the band of skin that crosses the tail. If there isn't a
band, secure the legs to the tail with string.
Most chefs recommend
Dressing (stuffing that is cooked outside the Turkey) for a safer food
experience plus it's easier to control the cooking. |
|
Roasting Directions
See the new
Dry-brined turkey technique (below)!
A room temperature turkey will roast more evenly, so remove the turkey
from the refrigerator about a half hour before putting it in the oven.
Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in an open or covered roasting pan.
For open roasting, cover bird loosely with foil. Roast in a 325° oven,
basting occasionally. Remove the foil the last 30 to 45 minutes to let
brown.
For covered roasting, roast bird with vent open in a 325° oven for 20 to 25
minutes per pound. Uncover and drain. Turn oven to 475° and roast 20 more
minutes or until brown.
See the chart below
for detailed cooking times.
Turkey Roasting Guide
Because birds differ in size, shape and tenderness, use these roasting times
as a guide.
Today's
turkeys take much less time to cook. If a bird is dry, it's been
cooked too long—and the breast meat suffers most.
Times are for unstuffed birds. A
stuffed bird may cook at the same rate as an unstuffed one; however,
be prepared to allow 30 to 50 minutes more. While turkeys take about
the same time to roast in regular and convection heat, a convection
oven does a better job of browning the bird all over.
| Turkey
weight with giblets |
Oven
temp |
Internal temp when done |
Cooking time
|
| 10-13
lb. |
350° F |
165°
|
1 ½ to 2 ¼
hr. |
| 14-23
lb. |
325°
|
165°
|
2 to 3 hr. |
| 24-27
lb. |
325°
|
165°
|
3 to 3 ¾
hr. |
| 28-30
lb. |
325°
|
165°
|
3 ½ to 4 ½
hr. |
Testing for Doneness
You've calculated the time it takes to cook the turkey, but you want to be
absolutely sure it's done. Here's how to tell.
After the turkey has roasted for approximately the right length of time as
indicated on the chart, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the
upper thigh of the turkey without touching the bone.
A whole turkey (and turkey parts) is safe when cooked to a minimum
internal temperature of 165°F degrees F.
This may be different than the recipe you have! This cooking temperature
is a change from previous 180°F for a whole turkey and 170°F for turkey
breast. The single minimum internal temperature change to 165°F was
recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria
for Foods.
The basic reason most turkeys are dried out is because they are
overcooked. In the past, the USDA recommended cooking a turkey to 180
degrees, a sure-fire way to guarantee all bacteria was killed. Problem
was, so was all the flavor and moisture.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service announced a change in the "Single
Minimum Internal Temperature Established for Cooked Poultry" in 2006 and
the USDA says it’s safe to cook a turkey to 165 degrees.
The Turkey Federation continues to recommend 180° because this ensures
that the meat is no longer pink yet will remain juicy.
Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing
and the thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal preference,
consumers may choose to cook turkey to higher temperatures.
Double-check the temperature reading by looking at the juices that flow
from the point of insertion of the thermometer. When the juices are clear,
the turkey is done.
Warning:
Ignore the turkeys that have pop-up indicators that are supposed to
signal when the turkey is done. These indicators (you might call them
idiot birds) can be faulty. You don't want an overly dry turkey.
When you remove
the turkey legs, if you find that the meat around the thigh joint is still
too pink, cut the drumsticks from the thighs and put thighs in a shallow
pan in a 450° oven until no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes.
Let the turkey rest another half hour outside the oven before being
carved. The
residual heat will continue to cook the turkey all the way through, and it will improve the flavor because
some of the juices get reabsorbed.
Then read
How To Carve A Turkey!
Safe food handling after the big meal also is important.
Crammed refrigerators make for poor cooling because of reduced air flow
around the items. Putting leftovers in several smaller containers instead
of one or two larger bowls also helps cool foods faster.
When storing leftovers, food safety experts recommend that the temperature
of hot food should drop below 70°F within two hours after placing into the
refrigerator. Warm or hot foods should not be allowed to sit on the
countertop until they reach room temperature before being refrigerated.
Ideally, the food should remain above 130° until it is placed into the
refrigerator and then it should cool to below 70° in two hours and below
40° in another 4 to 6 hours.
The major illness-causing bacteria in cooked meat and gravies slows its
growth at around 70° and does not reproduce well below this temperature.
Frequent
hand washing as well as using paper towels also helps reduce the risk of
food borne illness.
| A new
technique (new the past couple of years!). Brining
has been the fashionable way to cook turkey, (see Zach's recipe
below, but this method is gaining in popularity!
Dry-brined turkey technique
This is inspired by the chicken-cooking technique of Judy Rodgers,
chef and owner at San Francisco's Zuni Café. It’s a simple process.
Salt the turkey a few days in advance, give it a brisk massage every
so often to redistribute the salt, and then roast it.
The results are phenomenal. Without the fuss and mess of
wet-brining, you still get the deep, well-seasoned flavor. And while
wet-brining can sometimes lead to a slightly spongy texture, with
dry-brining, the bird stays firm and meaty.
Total time:
2 hours, 50 minutes
Servings:
11 to 15
Note:
This is more a technique than a recipe. It makes a bird that has
concentrated turkey flavor and fine, firm flesh and that's delicious
as is. But you can add other flavors as you wish. Minced rosemary
would be a nice finishing addition. Or brush the bird lightly with
butter before roasting. Remember that you should salt the turkey by
at least Monday night in order to have it at its best by Thursday,
though briefer salting times will work too.
1 (12- to 16-pound) fresh turkey.
Kosher salt
1. Wash the turkey
inside and out, pat it dry and weigh it. Measure 1
tablespoon of salt into a bowl for every 5 pounds the turkey weighs
(for a 15-pound turkey, you'd have 3 tablespoons).
2. Sprinkle
the inside of the turkey lightly with salt. Place the turkey on
its back and salt the breasts, concentrating the salt in the center,
where the meat is thickest. You'll probably use a little more than a
tablespoon. It should look liberally seasoned, but not over salted.
3. Turn the turkey
on one side and sprinkle the entire side with salt,
concentrating on the thigh. You should use a little less than a
tablespoon. Flip the turkey over and do the same with the opposite
side.
4. Place the
turkey in a 2 1/2 -gallon sealable plastic bag, press
out the air and seal tightly. Place the turkey breast-side up in the
refrigerator. Chill for 3 days, leaving it in the bag, but turning
it and massaging the salt into the skin every day.
5. Remove the
turkey from the bag. There should be no salt visible on
the surface and the skin should be moist but not wet. Wipe the
turkey dry with a paper towel, place it breast-side up on a plate
and refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.
6. On the day
it is to be cooked, remove the turkey from the
refrigerator and leave it at room temperature at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
7. Place the
turkey breast-side down on a roasting rack in a roasting
pan; put it in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the
oven and carefully turn the turkey over so the breast is facing up.
(It's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven
mitts.).
8. Reduce
the oven temperature to 325 degrees, return the turkey to the
oven and roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of
the thigh, but not touching the bone, reads 165 degrees, about 2 3/4
hours total roasting.
If the
turkey isn't quite as brown as you'd like it, you can return the
oven temperature to 450 degrees for the last 20 minutes of roasting
for better color. Don't brown for too long or the breast meat will
dry out.
9. Remove the
turkey from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter or
carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand at least 30 minutes
to let the juices redistribute through the meat. Carve and serve.
Each of 15
servings: 564 calories; 77 grams protein; 0
carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 26 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 261 mg.
cholesterol; 856 mg. sodium. |
|
|
Here’s
Zach
Selch's, AskAndy Forum member,
recipe for Thanksgiving Turkey:
1
turkey, free range if possible
Handful
of lardons (small chunks of bacon, if not available, use regular bacon,
5 strips, cut into little pieces)
20
cloves of garlic
The
Rub:
half
stick of unsalted butter
2
tablespoons course salt
2
tablespoons flour
2
tablespoons black pepper
2
tablespoons chili jelly
pinch
each:
Szechwan
pepper
5
spice powder
paprika
The
basting liquid in pan:
2
cups milk
2
cups red wine
2
cups rich chicken, turkey or beef broth
Stuffing:
2
corn muffins
link
of Mexican chorizo, or Italian sausage, hot or sweet
cup
of crushed pecans
1/4
stick butter
2
tablespoons chili jelly
small
apple, cored, seeded, peeled and diced, or handful of cranberries
Brine
:
cup
of salt, cup of vinegar
36
hours before serving, find a pot big enough to fit the turkey.
Dissolve the salt and vinegar into water and soak the turkey in
this brine for 24 hours.
Take
out the turkey, discard brine, rinse turkey, pat dry and let sit to dry
for a few minutes, pat dry again.
Preheat
oven to 450
Prepare the Rub by mixing spices, flour, butter (without bacon and garlic)
in bowl, you should get the consistency of mud.
Rub
bird inside with this mixture. Gently peel skin away from the body of
the bird, and smear the remainder around the turkey. Cut 20 or 30
punctures in the Turkey and insert lardons and garlic.
They should disappear into the punctures.
To prepare the stuffing put butter in large frying pan.
Fry pecans, then add sausage, then crumble in muffins, then add
other ingredients, and brown.
Stuff
turkey with stuffing (what ever doesn’t fit, stick between legs and
body, or it can be baked separately.
Place
turkey in pan, with half of liquid. Put pan in oven, after 1 hour, lower
heat to 350. Every 45
minutes baste with liquid, as liquid goes down, add reserved liquid. Cook at least 5 hours, but no more than 8.
When the drumstick feels like you can pull it off, it is done.
If it looks like it is browning too fast, lower heat to 300.
Don't stop basting.
Let
the turkey sit after you take it out of the oven for about 30 minutes
before serving.
_______________________________________________
Andy's
The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes |
|
 Andy's
Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes contains complete information
on
every article of men's clothing:
Forty-Nine chapters on
what to look for in quality features, tips on fit, fabric,
styles,
how to look your best, and garment history.
PLUS there
are chapters on fabrics, clothing care, foreign size conversions
and grooming.
This
Encyclopedia software on CD-Rom is in easy to use HTML format
so that you can instantly access any section of the book. It's a reference for classic clothing that you will use
constantly and will be a
benefit to you for a long, long time.
|
 NOW!!
You can download
The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes
directly onto your computer almost instantly!!
Thanks to the Tech Support
and Sponsorship of RibbedTee.com!
Download
The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes
DIRECTLY on to your computer instantly!
-- Only
$24.95 !
|
For PC
Downloads
CLICK THIS BUTTON
 |
For MAC Downloads
CLICK THIS BUTTON
|
Just click on the appropriate PayPal "Buy
Now" button above!
You can order using a credit card or
electronic check payments through PayPal. It's easy and
safe!
PayPal is a
secure and convenient payment method with built in protection
against fraud. PayPal is free to join and use.
|
Treat yourself!
It's also an appreciated gift for your Dad, Uncle,
Son!
|
|
Now
REVISED with more illustrations and updated information
Library of Congress Copyright Office Registration TX 6-429-994
|
 |
|
You can also still get the CD-Rom
sent you by mail
(but why not get it
instantly by downloading it (see above)!!
-- Only
$34.95 !
|
|
MAILED FREE TO ANY
PLACE IN THE WORLD!! |
Just click on the PayPal "Buy
Now" button above, and
select the quantity you want to order.
There are NO shipping,
tax, or handling costs!
The CD-Rom Encyclopedia is mailed free to any place in the
world!
You can order using a credit card or
electronic check payments through PayPal.
PayPal is a
secure and convenient payment method with built in protection
against fraud. PayPal is free to join and use.
Or use Google
Checkout
For more information
CLICK
HERE
If you would like to send a money order
please contact me by e-mail.
Here is a recent
testimonial about THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MEN'S CLOTHES:
"I received The
Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes this afternoon, Andy, and it's
terrifically useful! Thank you for explaining how to access the
various disk components--your instructions helped me to quickly
navigate the book.
I particularly like your logical, straightforward approach to each
section. I mean to say, it really makes sense to explain why
something matters, then how to care for it once you've chosen to
incorporate the thing into your life, and then to include a
history of the item, which focuses the reader's attention on its
intrinsic value to a gentleman's kit.
Your book is more useful than Esquire's Encyclopedia of
20th-Century Men's Fashions, because the latter serves as a
chronicle not a guide. The Encyclopedia of Men's Clothes provides
a road map for fellows who wish to understand the choices they
make, and who wish to make choices they understand. I am simply
delighted with your book!" -- J. de M. NM
For more Testimonials
CLICK
HERE _______________________________________________
|
|
