Posted on: Wednesday, November 22, 2006
TASTE
Turkey 101: Unclear what to do? Here's help
Advertiser Staff
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Cranberry sauce is so easy to prepare from scratch that there's no reason to serve the stuff that comes out of a can from the supermarket.
Patrick Tregenza
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EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE
This quick cranberry sauce from the new book "Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook," by Myra Goodman (Workman, paper, $21.95) can be made ahead of time and served chilled or at room temperature. 1 cup sugar 1 cup water Grated zest of 1 orange 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 1 (12-ounce bag) fresh cranberries 2 tablespoons port wine (optional)Place sugar and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, until sugar is dissolved. Add zest, juice and cranberries; return to a boil, turn heat to low and cook until berries burst and soften, and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in port, if using. Makes 2 cups. Per serving (1/4 cup): 99 calories, .2 g fat, .3 g protein, 0 cholesterol, .8 mg sodium, 1.4 g fiber, 26 g carbohydrate
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TURKEY GRAVY TONIGHT
You can get at least one thing out of the way tonight: Make a base for the gravy that only needs turkey drippings added at the last minute. 5 cups mixed coarsely chopped onions, carrots and celery6 cloves garlicGiblets and neck from turkey2 to 3 pounds bone-in turkey or chicken parts (drumsticks, thighs, wings)Salt and pepperOlive oil6 cups low-sodium chicken broth2 cups dry white wine1/2 cup all-purpose flour1 1/2 cups milkReduced and defatted turkey drippingsPreheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking pan with foil and scatter vegetable, garlic and turkey parts in it. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees until well-browned — about 1 hour. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine roasted vegetables and poultry, chicken broth and white wine. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer to reduce by one half, an hour or more. Strain contents through a fine-mesh sieve or doubled cheesecloth and discard solids. Cover and refrigerate; when chilled, skim fat and reserve. Combine broth with milk and set aside. Heat about 1/2 cup of fat in heavy saucepan; whisk in flour. Gradually stir in broth and milk, bring to a boil, turn down heat and cook until slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper. (At this point, gravy can be refrigerated.) To serve, reheat gravy in saucepan over medium heat until bubbly; whisk in reduced and defatted turkey drippings and serve.
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If you haven't yet begun to defrost your turkey, you're in trouble. The only safe option at this point is to place the turkey in its unopened wrapper in a sink of cool tap water and keep changing the water every 30 minutes. This works at the rate of about 30 minutes per pound.
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove neck and giblets from defrosted turkey.
Wash turkey in cool water; pat dry.
Oil or butter turkey inside and out and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place quartered onion, apple, lemon and handful of roughly chopped parsley in cavity.
Tuck drumstick ends into slits in the skin near the cavity opening, or cover them with nonstick foil.
Place turkey on rack in roasting pan ("V"-shaped rack is best).
Once the turkey is in the oven, reduce heat to 325 degrees.
Start turkey breast side down; flip halfway through cooking time.
Cover breast loosely with nonstick foil two-thirds of the way through cooking time.
Allow about 15 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey at 325 degrees.
Test for doneness with a cooking thermometer; turkey is done at 165 degrees at breast, 170-175 at thigh.
Allow turkey to rest outside oven 15-30 minutes, covered with foil, before serving.
This quick cranberry sauce from the new book "Food to Live By: The Earthbound Farm Organic Cookbook," by Myra Goodman (Workman, paper, $21.95) can be made ahead of time and served chilled or at room temperature.
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 (12-ounce bag) fresh cranberries
2 tablespoons port wine (optional)
Place sugar and water in small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, until sugar is dissolved. Add zest, juice and cranberries; return to a boil, turn heat to low and cook until berries burst and soften, and the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in port, if using.
Makes 2 cups.
Per serving (1/4 cup): 99 calories, .2 g fat, .3 g protein, 0 cholesterol, .8 mg sodium, 1.4 g fiber, 26 g carbohydrate
BRINING THE BIRD
If your turkey is defrosted, tonight's the time to brine it — a saltwater bath creates better texture and flavor.
You need 1/2 cup each kosher salt and sugar for every gallon of water, and you need a large enough container in which to fully immerse the turkey: a stockpot, a clean bucket or garbage can or a cooler (line with large garbage bag). Stir together salt, sugar and water together (you may add herbs, too); immerse defrosted turkey 1 hour per pound but no more than 24 hours. Refrigerate during brining or use ice packs to keep turkey cold. Rinse turkey before roasting.
TO STUFF OR NOT?
Most experts recommend roasting the turkey unstuffed because it's nearly impossible to bring the stuffing to a safe temperature without overcooking the turkey. But many home cooks like the flavor that comes from the blending of meat juices and stuffing ingredients.
If you're determined to stuff, use this technique from the editors of Cooks' Country magazine: Line the empty cavity of the bird with a folded piece of cheesecloth; fill with stuffing. Roast turkey to desired temperature. Remove the cheesecake bag and turn the stuffing into a casserole dish; pour drippings over stuffing and bake at 325 degrees until stuffing registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Meanwhile, the turkey can be "resting" under a foil tent.
BASTE OR WASTE?
Some believe that basting the turkey with stock creates moist meat and more flavorful drippings. But experts argue that once the turkey skin is heated, the pores seal themselves, so the basting liquid just rolls off. Opening and closing the oven door wastes heat and the lowered temperature adds to cooking time, which dries out the meat. Instead of basting, work your fingers under the skin and stuff slightly softened butter under the skin, where it will melt and baste the meat as it cooks.
TURKEY HELP
Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: (800) 288-8372 (open 1 p.m.-1 a.m. Hawai'i time today and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Hawai'i time Thanksgiving Day. Also advice, recipes, instruction, podcasts at www.butterball.com
Foster Farms Turkey Helpline: Live help, 24 hours a day, seven days a week through Monday; (800) 255-7227. The rest of the year, weekdays 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Hawai'i time. Also, advice, recipes, instruction, www.fosterfarms.com
Jennie-O Turkey Store: Live help, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, (800) 887-5397. Also: information, recipes, instruction at www.jennio.com
Reynolds Talkin' Turkey Council: (800) 754-4000. Also: Advice, recipes, instruction at www.alcoa.com/reynoldskitchens/en/home.asp
America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated Web site: www.turkeyhelp.com
National Turkey Federation Web site: www.eatturkey.com
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