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Introduction
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Tips
and Techniques |
Preparation
| Cooking
| Carving
and Serving
Recipes:
Fruit
and Couscous Stuffing |
Chestnut
and Sausage Stuffing
| Herb-Roasted
Turkey Breast with Rosemary Apple Salsa
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Pan
choice is important. True, disposable roasting pans are convenient,
but heavy-duty roasting pans coated with DuPont SilverStone®
non-stick make it easy to deglaze those browned meat bits and juices
that add so much flavor to your gravy. And cleanup is quite easy.
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Choose
a pan that is slightly larger than the bird so that the juices do
not collect in only one area of the pan.
Baste the turkey frequently with a brush or baster.
If using a non-convection oven, turn the bird around in the oven
a few times to cook it more evenly.
Consult the roasting guide that usually comes with your turkey for
recommended cooking times and temperatures. A large bird must never
be cooked at less than 325°. Cooking at a lower temperature,
(say, while you're sleeping), may result in food poisoning.
While
the stuffing need reach only 165°, the internal temperature
of the turkey must reach 180°. Use a meat thermometer inserted
into an inner thigh muscle. If you're cooking a turkey breast, the
temperature should reach 170°.
To
test for doneness, pierce a thigh with a fork. The meat is done
if juices run clear, with no hint of pink. Many turkeys come with
a pop-up thermometer but our test kitchen prefers an instant-read
thermometer that has a numerical display to keep track of temperature.
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There
is nothing like homemade gravy from the turkey itself, using giblets
and pan drippings, the two basic components for any good turkey
gravy. Here is an idea that takes the typical gravy a step farther
with the addition of the cranberry sauce:
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 First,
make a stock from the giblets: In a large heavy saucepan coated
with DuPont SilverStone® non-stick, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil
over medium heat. Add 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, finely diced,
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped, and the neck and giblets from
the turkey. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until well browned,
about 14 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups chicken or turkey broth, 2 1/2
cups water, 12 whole peppercorns, 4 sprigs thyme, and 1 bay leaf.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, partially
covered for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a fine sieve. Skim
off any fat.
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Strain
the pan juices from the turkey roast into a large measuring cup.
Skim off the fat. Add 2 cups of the giblet stock (reserving the
rest for another recipe) or enough to make 4 cups of liquid. Transfer
the mixture to a large saucepan coated with DuPont SilverStone®
non-stick; bring to a boil.
In
a bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons of cranberry sauce with 1/4 cup
flour to make a paste. Whisk into the stock. Add 1/4 cup ruby port
wine and 4 tablespoons orange juice. Boil until reduced enough to
coat a spoon, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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