OCR Text |
Show Thanksgiving turkey to melt in the mouth By CAROLYN KURR WARDLE Turkey Day is almost here and it will be time to roast the traditional bird. For some, the thought of cooking a turkey may seem to be an insurmountable problem and may take the fun and enjoyment out of the day. By following some simple rules and instructions you will be able to solve the problem and place on the Thanksgiving table a golden roasted bird that you can take pride in. First decide how many servings you will need. Follow the table below for the suggested number of servings Ready-to- Cook-Weight (Pounds) Number of Servings 6 to 8 6 to 10 8 to 12 10 to 20 12 to 16 20 to 32 20 to 24 40 to 50 Leave the turkey in the original wrap and use one of the following 3 methods for thawing. 1. If you're not ma hurry, place turkey on tray in the refrigerator, it will thaw within 3 to 4 days. 2. For faster thawing, place on a tray at room temperature m a closed brown grocery bag (the bag prevents the skin of the turkey from becoming too warm) 1 hour per pound of turkey. 3. For fastest thawing, cover turkey with cold water, changing water occasionally, one-half hour per pound of turkey. After thawing remove the plastic bag and remove the neck and giblets from cavities. Rinse turkey and wipe dry. Stuff cavities lightly with dressing. Prepare the stuffing just before roasting the bird. To save time, prepare the ingredients ahead chop celery, cube bread, etc., and refrigerate them separately. Mix the dressing and stuff the turkey right before you put it into the oven. Never stuff a turkey and then refrigerate it or freeze it. Bacteria grows readily and causes food poisoning. . . After stuffing the bird, fasten down legs either by tying or tucking ' under skin band. Neck skin should be skewered to the back. Place turkey in a shallow roasting pan. Baste with butter, then salt Use foil to loosely cover turkey pressing tightly at end of drumsticks and neck. When bird is two-thirds done, cut the band of skin that holds ' the drumsticks against the turkey. This will shorten cooking time by allowing heat to penetrate to the inside of the thighs. At this time, remove the foil and allow the turkey to brown. If you wish, you may baste the turkey while it is cooking. The turkey is done when the roast meat thermometer registers 180-185F. 180-185F. The bulb must not touch the bone. The drumstick and thigh move easily. Timetable for Roasting Stuffed Whole Turkey Ready-to- Approximate Time at Cook-Weight (Pounds) 325F. (Hours) 4 to 8 3 to 4'2 8 to 12 4'z to 4 12 to 16 4 to 5 16 to 20 5y4to6 20 to 24 6 to 7 There are many good dressing recipes but my favorite is one my mother always uses. Sausage Stuffing 1 lb. loaf bread 1 lb. bulk pork sausage 2 cups chopped celery Vh cups chopped onion 1 V-i tsp. salt 1 tsp. garlic salt Vi-l tsp. ground black pepper 1 tsp. ground thyme 1 tsp. rubbed sage Brown sausage. Break bread into bite-size pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add onions, celery, and seasonings. Mix well. Add browned sausage. Mix. Taste while you are mixing to make sure the seasonings are to your liking. I like mine quite spicy. Makes enough stuffing for an 8-12 lb. bird. |