Thursday, November 26, 2009

10 Common Turkey Blunders and Solutions


1. What if you do not have enough drippings for the gravy?

I have a great gravy trick I learned from my mother, and I use it every single year:

a. Take all of the giblets and the neck (you'll find them packed inside the turkey), toss them with olive oil and salt, chop up some Onions, Celery, and Carrots and roast them at high heat (400 degrees F) , to caramelize and intensify their flavors.

2. What do you do if your turkey is still frozen?

Rule of thumb: If you are buying a frozen turkey, you should buy your turkey the weekend before Thanksgiving. Place it on a tray in the fridge in its original wrapping and let it slowly Thaw during the days leading up to Thanksgiving. If it is still frozen is Thanksgiving morning, place it in a large clean sink under cold running water for 2-4 hours, depending how it is frozen, if it's frozen solid it could take longer. Do not use hot water, as that Creates the perfect temperature for bacteria to grow and you may end up with a food-safety issue on your hands.

3. How do you Ensure a juicy turkey?

Brining is an absolutely no-fail guarantee for a perfectly seasoned, juicy turkey, and it ensures that your turkey is thawed. However, you only want to brine a turkey that has not been pre-seasoned by the processor. Brine your turkey at home with a Simple Basic Brine or a flavored mixture, such as my Orange Brine.

4. How do you extract the giblets?

The giblets and the neck bone are tucked away inside the cavity of the bird. You will have to stick your hand in the cavity of the turkey (I generally put a glove is) to remove them. And you will have to work both sides of the turkey - one side has the neck bone and one side has the giblets.

5. What are the different ways to carve a turkey?

There are two ways to carve a turkey. The traditional method is to make a lower cut underneath the breast and carve it into thin slices off of the breast.

The less popular way is something I call the "butcher cut" Because It Is the Way Butchers carve a turkey. This method keeps the turkey juicier, helps you avoids shredding the meat, and turkey makes a better presentation.

6. What if the turkey's not completely cooked through?

a. Serve everyone another drink and eat later!

b. Depending on how it is undercooked, you can cut the turkey into chunks or large pieces (breast, DRUMSTICK, thigh) and put the whole thing back in the door. Once the turkey is in smaller segments, it will cook faster.

7. What should I do with a precooked turkey from the grocery store?

There are three good ways to serve a turkey that you have purchased precooked:

a. Serve it at room temperature, Which is a great thing to do if you've purchased a smoked turkey. By the time everyone sits down to eat, it's usually not Steaming hot anyway.

8. What should I do if I have limited space the door?

A. The easiest thing to do is to use your outdoor grill as an outdoor oven. Reheat side dishes and casseroles are the grill, or grill your turkey, Which will the free up the entire door. You can easily reheat bread and rolls in aluminum foil by adding a few drops of water to the packet, Which will keep the bread soft and grill over indirect heat for 10 minutes. Make sure to heat or re-heat everything using indirect heat, as your food will burn Likely if you use direct heat.

9. How do I achieve a perfectly brown, crispy skin?

Brush a brined turkey all over with extra-virgin olive oil. If the turkey has not been brined, brush with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper or your favorite spice blend. Roast the turkey in an open pan at 325 degree F. I do not recommend Roasting the turkey at a higher temperature because you run the risk of having it be overdone on the outside and underdone on the inside. Since it's such a large piece of meat, you need the outside to be golden brown at the same time the turkey meat is done. A higher temperature may very Likely Create an unevenly cooked turkey.

10. Is it better to buy a fresh or frozen turkey?

Fresh vs. Frozen: This is a big debate that my family and friends drag me into every year! I prefer a frozen turkey that is not seasoned or Injected with anything. Turkeys that are already tend to be Injected Injected with a very salty broth. If you plan on brining something already Injected, your turkey might be too salty.

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