Thanksgiving is coming this Thursday. Are you ready for the big day? Have you already bought your turkey? What? Not yet? What are you waiting for? Maybe you still need some practical advise, or to be exact, you need someone to help you with the flow of advise that we are bombarded with these days. Everybody is telling us what kind of bird to buy, what to do with it, how to cook it, how to serve it, how to carve it, and the side dishes. You can't open a paper or turn on the TV without finding a lot of information that could be useful, but that also needs to be sorted out to be really useful and practical. I can understand your dilemma, I went through all this years ago, until I came up with my own formula for the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. You may not know that back in Egypt all turkeys are really free range and naturally fed, so they used to boil them half way before roasting them, in order to make sure that they are fully cooked and tender. My sister used to joke about that, and say that these poor birds have to fight for their food, and grow muscles, not like the lazy turkeys here, who are spoiled and don't have to be tough to get through life! Anyway, you hear a lot of advise about how important it is to get a free range turkey, never frozen, all natural, not farm bread. But do we really know for sure what does this all mean? Do we know what are the standards for this "natural" bird and if they are really applied? Years ago I read that someone decided to do the right thing and get a free range turkey. She said it took her forever to cook it, and she had to serve everything else reheated and soggy, after waiting so long for her turkey to be ready. This is why I decided from day one to take matters into my own hands and proceed by trial and error. Year after year, I tried all brands of turkey, with almost the same marinade, tweaking it a little bit as I got along, adjusting this, adding that, to get the best consistent result. You'll be surprised to know that I learned from this experience that the bird itself doesn't make any difference: it's how you cook it that matters. Trust me: if you get a fancy or expensive turkey, or a Butterball, or a Shady Brook or a store brand turkey, they are all almost the same. What to do with it is what matters most. Although I have to admit, to be 100% honest with you, that the Shady Brook turkey always comes out a little more juicy than all others.
Now that we decided what kind of bird we are getting, let's talk about size. They say that 14 lb is the best size for a turkey, any bigger than that will take longer to cook and thus may become dry, especially the breast. I actually do fine with up to 20 lb turkey. If you need more, get 2 birds or, better yet a boneless breast. Consider about 1/2 lb per person.
Thaw the turkey in its original packaging on the lower shelf of your fridge. The official rule is 1 day for every 4 lb, but I usually do it in 2 days, then continue thawing by immersing the bird, still in its original packaging in cold water and changing it every 2 to 3 hours.
Brine: some people advise us to brine the bird to tenderize it and make it juicer. It means that you soak the turkey in salted water overnight to give it more flavor. I actually don't do that. But if you want to try it, go ahead, but make sure that this process should be done by Tuesday, because Wednesday night the turkey must be fully defrosted and marinating in the refrigerator.
To get organized, determine your menu, then make a detailed list of what you need to do to prepare the menu, and determine the time or the schedule for every procedure. When you're done with one item, cross it out. You'll have a clear idea of what is left to do, and you'll have a sense of accomplishment. Example:
MENU: Turkey Turkey: Defrost Monday, Tuesday
Rice with nuts Marinate, Wednesday pm
Moussaka Cook, Thursday @ 11 am
Green beans Rice: Prepare nuts, Wednesday, pm
Salad Make rice, Thursday, noon
Toast nuts, before serving
Moussaka: Prepare eggplant, Tuesday pm
Fry eggplant, brown meat, make sauce, assemble dish,Wed. pm
And so on. Some dishes can be prepared ahead, the day before and you can finish cooking them on Thursday, like the moussaka, you can assemble the dish beforehand and put it in the oven 40 or 45 minutes before serving.
Useful tip: Always set your table in the evening before the big day. This way you will not need to be running around, when your guests arrive, with dishes and glasses. You should be relaxed waiting for them and enjoying their company.
As I said, I do not brine the turkey, I prefer to completely defrost it and let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. So, here is what you should do, you'll need:
1 turkey
3 tbsp onion/garlic frozen mixture
1 tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp each oregano and thyme
A pinch of cardamom
1 whole orange
Lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste
A note before we start: I actually use Adobo seasoning instead of salt and pepper, it has a mix of spices that gives a little extra something to your food. You may be tempted to use poultry seasoning, don't. I tried it once, and it turned out to be overwhelming, so I opted for some of its ingredients, mainly dried oregano and thyme. Crush them before you use them.
Remove the giblets and the neck from the cavity of the turkey, rinse it with running cold water, and pat it dry. I usually cut some of the skin of the neck, then push the skin up with my hand to loosen it. In a small dish, mix the onion/garlic mixture with all the spices and 1 to 2 tsp Adobo and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Sprinkle about 3 tbsp Adobo into the cavity of the turkey and spread it around with your hand. Take some of the marinade with your fingers and spread it over the breast, under the skin, and make sure it is evenly distributed without any lumps. Spread some of the marinade over the legs and the wings, and try to rub it all over the bird. Spread the remaining marinade inside the bird. Wash the orange, cut the stem and the bottom, and make some slits in it without cutting it completely, and put it in the cavity of the turkey while squeezing slightly to release some of its juices. Close the cavity by tucking the legs into the opening. Tuck the wings under the bird and as a final touch, rub a sprinkle of Adobo all over the turkey. Put the turkey on a rack in the roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil and let marinate in the fridge overnight. The next day, at 11:00 preheat the oven to 375 degrees, rub the tbsp of butter over the breast of the turkey and some on the legs. Cook the turkey, covered, for 1 hour, then remove the cover and continue cooking until done (for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours depending on the weight). If your bird has a thermometer, that's fine, wait until it pops up, if not, after the allotted time, check the turkey by poking the leg with a knife: if the liquid runs clear, it's done. Remove the turkey from the pan and let it rest covered with the foil for 30 minutes before carving it.
A final tip: use a knife you know, one you use frequently and know perfectly how to handle, to carve the turkey. Leave the one you got as a wedding gift for serving, if you want to have an elegant presentation.
A final tip: use a knife you know, one you use frequently and know perfectly how to handle, to carve the turkey. Leave the one you got as a wedding gift for serving, if you want to have an elegant presentation.
I'll post pictures when I cook my turkey. I just wanted to help before the big day.
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