The Perfect Turkey?
If you're fixing turkey this thanksgiving (and who isn't?), you're probably expecting a moist, juicy bird. While everyone hopes their bird will turn out that way, what if there was a way to make it happen every time?
This is going to seem strange, at first, but you'll get the idea of why it's necessary.
First, after you have removed the giblets, and rinsed the bird, place the turkey in the roasting pan upside down (breast meat down).
Second, do not stuff the bird. Place ¼ cup of butter inside the bird, and place the remaining ¼ cup of butter in the pan with 1 cup of water.
Now cover the bird, and cook for 3 hours and 3o minutes (13lb bird), at 350 degrees F.
In the last 30-to 45 minutes you need to turn the bird over to cook without the cover, until brown, if you want the breast skin brown and crispy.
After the turkey is done (Thigh meat is 180 degrees F) , You can use the remaining juices to make gravy, or work into the dressing, according to your tastes.
Some variations of this recipe call for using apple juice, instead of water. Others call for cooking the bird in an oven bag, and using a blend of olive oil and butter. One thing all the cooks have to say about this method is that this produces a moist, juicy bird - every time. Enough said.
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