Turkey Tips from Gourmet
from Gourmet
Choose the Best Bird
Gourmet prefers the flavor of organic turkeys to conventional ones, but the organic white meat tends to be tougher. Also recommended are kosher birds, which offer the juiciness and flavor of brined turkeys without the fuss.
Get more of Gourmet's expert advice on turkey.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Go Fresh or Frozen
Either way, timing is crucial. A frozen turkey can take up to four days to defrost in the refrigerator. Although there's no waiting to thaw with a fresh turkey, the USDA recommends you buy it no more than two days in advance.
Get Gourmet's recipe for Extra-Moist Roast Turkey.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Prepare Ahead
Do yourself a favor and make your giblet stock, the gravy's flavor base, the day before. The stock takes longer to cook than the fast-roasting turkey, and no one wants to wait for the gravy.
Get Gourmet's recipe for Giblet Stock and Gravy.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Turn Up the Heat
Gourmet's favorite method is simple. Season the bird with salt and pepper, then roast it in a 450F oven-no butter under the skin, no basting, no foil tent, just blasted.
Get Gourmet's foolproof recipe for Turkey.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Stock the Right Equipment
A few simple tools will help guarantee a sensational and stress-free bird: a heavy roasting pan, a flat rack, a thermometer, kitchen string, and turkey lifters.
Get a jump on Thanksgiving with Gourmet .
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Know the ins and outs of stuffing
Gourmet loves the contrast of a crisp top and moist tender interior with a stuffing that is baked separately; plus, an unstuffed bird tends to cook faster than stuffed.
Get the recipe for Gourmet's Cornbread and Chorizo Stuffing.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Roast it Right
Position the turkey (not the pan) in the center of the oven, so that the legs, which take the longest to cook, are in the rear, usually the hottest spot.
Get Gourmet's recipe for Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Gravy.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Test for Doneness
The thermometer needs to read 170F at the fleshiest part of each thigh, the slowest to cook. Insert the thermometer vertically, between the drumstick and the tapered end of the breast.
See Gourmet's guide to Turkey temperatures.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Let the Turkey Rest
Allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes when it comes out of the oven. The juices in the turkey need time to redistribute. If you like crispy skin, don't cover the bird.
Get Gourmet's recipe for Simple Roast Turkey.
Courtesy of Gourmet
from Gourmet
Make the Most of Leftovers
Break up the carcass before storing it. Cut off the legs, and separate them into drumstick and thigh portions. Wrap the leftovers in plastic wrap not aluminum foil.
Get Gourmet's leftover Turkey recipes.
Courtesy of Gourmet
Festive Family Feasts
Family, friends and plenty of great food come together to make holiday celebration of a lifetime.
Articles from Gourmet
- Breakfast for Dinner
- Italian-American Favorites
- Save on Steak
- Eleven Apple Recipes
- Ten-Minute Mains
- Gourmet's Best Burgers
- 20 Tools and Technologies
- Turkey Tips
- Cocktail Party Recipes
- Best Cookie Recipes 1941-2008
- Ultimate Comfort Food
- Pasta Perfection
- Chocolate Desserts
- Best Grilled Meat Recipes
- Best Grilled Seafood Recipes
Recent Comments
jmsjert 03:50:18 PM Nov 23 2008
I give my turkey a nice massage in butter, then into the roaster pan, seal tin foil around the roasting pan very tight let the bird cook according to the time per pound, in the last 1/2 hour of roasting I remove the foil the bird should look pale but cooked, baste the bird with the drippings let the bird brown. Perfect moist turkey every time. Secret is sealing the foil very tight and don't break the seal open til the last 1/2 hour for the browning.
agnes1217 02:57:01 PM Nov 23 2008
BE CAREFUL WHEN EATING TURKEY FOR THANKSGIVING DO NOT EAT ALOT OF IT. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS SILLY BUT MY STEP DAUGHTER HAD BREAST CANCER AND WE READ ALOT OF INFO ON THIS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE CANCER TURKEY HAS AN INGREDIENT THAT CANCER LOVES AND ALSO CANCER LOVES SUGAR AS WELL. JUST A TIP I LEARNED.
RDSchuler 07:49:16 AM Nov 23 2008
What are the people eating this year,now that they have lost their homes in foreclosures and lost their jobs due to the resession?Any extra drum sticks for our family of five?
Gerstpiano 05:30:08 PM Nov 19 2008
@Marsha - great recipe for gravy. I am in my 70s, and have always made the BEST gravy....Have you ever considered using the potatoe water along with stock. Shame to pour all that delicious extra flavor down the drain when you are ready to prepare the mashed potatoes!! In fact, I do this for everyday meals as well.
Sept2279 06:14:04 PM Nov 18 2008
Does the high temperature also apply for over a 20 pound turkey?
oneleggedlady 12:28:11 AM Nov 17 2008
One year we cooked the turkey upside down ( breast on the bottom) the breast meat was so juicy that we have done it every year since then.It was a very tastey mistake!
MarshaCrites4633 10:53:29 PM Nov 16 2008
Several years ago, I decided that I needed to keep the butter on the bird for good basting. I bought a cloth napkin, fairly thick. I soaked it in butter and then covered the turkey with the napkin. The butter did not slide off the turkey into the bottom of the pan. By doing this, I always had beautifully browned birds. You will want to reapply butter several times during the roasting.For those of you who have questions about gravy, after you remove the bird from the pan to rest, you need to degrease the drippings in the bottom of the pan. You can buy a degreaser at many culinary stores. It looks just like a measuring cup except that the spout starts at the very bottom of the cup allowing you to pour off the juices and leaving the fat. When you have the juices you need, you can add chicken stock to yield the amount of gravy that you want or need. Then you can thicken it with a mixture of cornstarch and COLD water. Use a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch to maybe a fourth of a cup of c
rhondie621 10:22:32 PM Nov 16 2008
Cover the bird in light olive oil before you put "TURK" in the oven, if you want a nice juicy tender bird, and yes the best way to have gravy is from the pan while the bird sits... THE ONLY WAY!!!!
Angel9Rame 10:18:36 PM Nov 16 2008
I'm going to try the 450 degree method because my turkeys never brown right and I never had a turkey look like the pitures portrayed in magazines or cook books frankly I am ready to try anything to make this bird tan
