Turkey Tips

The secret ingredient is your time and lots of it. Buying, preparing, and roasting a turkey are time-consuming. With careful preparation and attention to timing, you will be rewarded with a beautiful and tasty main course.

Your first decision will be selecting between a frozen or fresh turkey. A fresh bird is more expensive, but will save you time and precious refrigerator space. Buy the bird the day before you wish to roast it, but remember to reserve your turkey from us (Witteveen Meats) in advance. You do not need a catastrophe!

A frozen turkey needs to be defrosted. The preferred method is to defrost it in the refrigerator. Allow one day per 5 pounds. A 15-pound turkey will require three days to defrost thoroughly. An alternate method is to defrost the bird in a cold-water bath. Allow 30 minutes per pound. That 15-pound turkey will require only 7 1/2 hours to defrost using this approach. It is also possible to use a combination of these methods.

Now you are ready to prepare the turkey for roasting. First remove the giblets. This is a fundamental step not only because you might want to use them to make the gravy, but also because it is not fun to find these paper-wrapped lumps when carving. Next, rinse the bird inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. If you are stuffing the bird, do so now with a freshly prepared dressing. Stuff loosely, allowing about 1/2 to 3/4 cup per pound of bird. Brush the skin with melted butter or oil. Tuck the drumsticks under the folds of skin or tie together with string. Lastly, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone. Use the following chart to estimate the time required for baking.

Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but will promote even browning.

The best test for doneness is the temperature of the meat, not the color of the skin. The turkey is done when the thigh meat reads 165-170 F (74 C) for unstuffed or 175-180 F (80 C) for a stuffed turkey. Also check that the breast meat reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F . If your turkey has been stuffed, it is important to check the temperature of the dressing. The stuffing should be 165 degrees F . When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 30 minutes. KEEP IN MIND THE INTERNAL TEMPERATURE WILL CONTINUE TO RISE SVERAL DEGREES WIHILE THE TURKEY IS RESTING FOR THE RECOMMENDED 20-30 MINUTES BEFORE CARVING.

So you've done it. You've managed to roast a beautiful picture-perfect turkey. But then it dawns on you... how are you going to cut it so everyone can eat civilized slices of roasted turkey.

STEP 1: Let it Sit
Once the bird is removed from the oven, it should stand for 20 to 35 minutes, depending on its size. This gives the juices a chance to soak into the flesh, allowing for succulent cuts of meat. Before you begin carving, have a warm serving platter ready and waiting for all the juicy white and dark meat you'll soon be slicing and digging into.

STEP 2: Remove the Legs
Arrange the turkey, breast side up, on a cutting board. Steady the turkey with a carving fork. Using a sharp knife, slice through the meat between the breast and the leg. Next, using a large knife as an aid, press the thigh outward to find the hip joint. Slice down through the joint and remove the leg. Cut between the thigh bone and drumstick bone to divide the leg into one thigh piece and one drumstick. To carve the drumstick, steady it with a carving fork and cut a thick slice of meat from one side, along the bone. Next, turn the drumstick over so that the cut side faces down. Cut off another thick slice of meat. Repeat, turning the drumstick onto a flat side and cutting off meat, carving a total of four thick slices. To slice the thigh, place it flat side down on a cutting board. Steady the thigh with a carving fork. With a knife, cut parallel to the bone and slice off the meat. Be sure to place all the cuts on the warmed serving platter as you work.

STEP 3: Remove the Wings
Before you carve the breast, the wings must be removed. Slice diagonally down through the edge of the breast toward the wing. Using a knife as an aid, press the wing out to find the shoulder joint; cut through the joint and remove the wing. Place the wing on the serving platter as is.

STEP 4: Carve the Breast
To carve the breast meat, hold the back of the carving fork against the breastbone. Starting parallel to the breastbone, slice diagonally through the meat. Lift off each slice, holding it between the knife and fork, and place on the warm serving platter. Continue until you have carved all the meat on one side of the breast. Repeat, carving the other side of breast.

STEP 5: Feast
Now that your turkey is carved, it's time to eat! So fill your plate with your favorite meat and trimmings and dig in!

Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

INGREDIENTS: Approximately 10 servings

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup turkey stock
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
• 3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
• 1 pound Witteveen Meats garlic sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
• In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
• Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.

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