Turkey Tasting

Oven-Roasted Turkey with Herbs

• 1 (12 to 14 pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen, neck and giblets removed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs fresh sage
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

1. Lightly grease the rack of a roasting pan and fill the bottom with 3 cups water. Place the turkey on the rack and rub all over with the salt and pepper. Slip your fingers between the skin of the turkey and the meat, being careful not to rip the skin. Work the softened butter under the skin of the breast meat.
2. Place the herb sprigs in the cavity of the bird and truss. Insert a thermometer in the thigh just above the drumstick, making sure it doesn’t touch the bone. Place in the oven so you can easily see the thermometer through the oven window. Roast 3½ to 4 hours or until the temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to rest at least 20 minutes before slicing. Cool completely before packaging for the refrigerator or freezer.

Fried Turkey

• 1 (12- to 15-pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen, neck and giblets removed
• 4 to 5 gallons vegetable oil

1. Place the turkey on the fryer rod and place in the sink. Let stand 20 minutes to allow all the liquid to drain from the turkey cavity.
2. Meanwhile, pour the oil in a deep turkey fryer to the fill line or to 12 inches from the top. Bring the oil to 375 degrees. Carefully lower the turkey into the hot oil with the rod attachment. Fry 1 hour or until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees when inserted in the breast. Let stand at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

No Frills Roasted Turkey

• 1 (10- to 12-pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen, neck and giblets removed
• Vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Drain the turkey well.
2. Turn the wing tips back to hold the neck skin in place. Truss, if desired, by tying the legs together with kitchen twine to maintain a compact shape.
3. Place the turkey breast-side-up on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, next to the body. Rub the outside of the turkey with vegetable oil and sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Place in the oven so the thermometer face can be seen from the oven window. Roast 3 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Brined and Bagged Turkey

• 1½ gallons water
• 1½ cups salt
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ cups liquid smoke
• 1 (10- to 12-pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen, neck and giblets removed
• 1 lemon
• 2 celery stalks, cut in large pieces
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

1. Combine the water, salt, sugar and liquid smoke in a container large enough to hold the brine ingredients and turkey (a food-grade bucket or clean cooker works great). Mix to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the turkey. Cover and allow to brine for 24 hours. Place in the refrigerator if you have room. If not, place a heavy-duty zip-top bag filled with ice on top of the turkey. Check regularly and add ice to make sure the turkey stays cold. Remove turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Rinse and pat dry. Place in an oven bag on a rack in a roasting pan.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Pierce the lemon several times with an ice pick and insert in the cavity of the turkey along with the celery stalks. Drizzle the turkey with the melted butter. In a small bowl, combine the flour, paprika, oregano, thyme, onion powder and pepper. Sprinkle over the turkey and seal the oven bag. With a knife, cut a few slits in the top of the bag and insert a leave-in thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh.
3. Place in the oven so the thermometer face can be seen from the oven window. Roast for 3 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 180 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

Grilled Turkey

• 1 (10-pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen, neck and giblets removed
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1. Preheat the grill to medium heat (325 to 350 degrees). Spray the grill rack with nonstick cooking spray made for high heat. Brush the turkey with oil and place on the rack. Cover and cook for 3 hours, maintaining the grill at a constant temperature of 325 to 350 degrees. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 180 degrees in the thigh. Remove from the grill and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.

1. Note: If using a sauce, brush it on the turkey during the last half hour of cooking.

Citrus Turkey

• 1 (16-pound) turkey
• 2 garlic bulbs, cloves peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 cups lemon juice
• 1 cup dry white wine or low-salt chicken stock
• 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and set aside. Mix together the garlic, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Stir in the lemon juice, wine (or stock) and orange juice concentrate. Pierce the skin of the turkey with a sharp knife in several places. Pour the juice mixture over the turkey slowly, allowing it to seep into the cut skin to go underneath. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the foil and roast about 5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. With a turkey baster, slowly baste the turkey every 45 minutes with the pan liquids. Cover with foil during the last hour of cooking. Remove from the oven and let rest at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

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