My first Thanksgiving turkey
19 Nov
As many of you know, I made my very first Thanksgiving turkey this past weekend! And because I’m so nice, I will impart on you the wealth of knowledge I’ve gained from this experience. =) Remember: there are many different ways to roast a turkey, and it’s really up to you to decide which method you want to go with!
Half-carved turkey for small group potluck dinner 
There are so many things to consider when you are roasting a turkey. I’ll break it down into three parts with helpful links:
1. Types of turkeys. Kosher, organic, processed, self-basting, natural – what are the differences? What does it all mean? Real Simple, Bon Appetite, has all the answers you need (I went with a kosher turkey).
2. Brining. What does brining mean, and why should you consider doing it? Martha Stewart has a good brining recipe. Basically, you are adding moisture to the poultry so that it’s nice and juicy once you’re done cooking.(Brining is the best thing that ever happened to chicken and turkey).
3. Basting. I always assumed you’re supposed to baste the turkey. But be careful, as frequent opening and closing of the oven can release a lot of heat. Suggestion – try basting during the last hour of cooking, every twenty minutes. (Note – I did not baste my turkey because I was preoccupied – but it turned out fine).
A word of warning: When the turkey is inserted at a high temperature into the oven, it will get smoky! So just be aware of it during the first 30 minutes of cooking. My apartment smells like turkey even today! (My sincerest apologies to my roommate and anyone else who has come over since Saturday).
Check out this awesomely comprehensive list by Cheap Healthy Good for more information on all recipes Thanksgiving!
Recipe: Roasted Thanksgiving turkey
Adapted from Alton Brown
Serves about 13-14 people (Calculate 1 pound of turkey per person)
Ingredients:
14-pound kosher turkey (be sure to pluck all feathers)
6 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of canola oil
2 teaspoons of salt
1 apple (any kind, cut into 8 slices)
1 orange (cut into quartes)
1 medium sized onion (cubed)
3 sprigs of fresh herbs (sage or rosemary)
Meat thermometer
Pastry brush
Large piece of tin foil
Twine
Procedure:
1. Make sure your turkey is defrosted.
2. Heat oven to 500 F. Take turkey out of its packaging. Remove all innards and rinse under cold water. (Kosher turkeys will have feathers. Just pluck them out). Pat dry with paper towels.
4. Mix salt and butter together in a bowl.
Photo credit: Sara Chai
5. Using your hands, gently open up the skin of the turkey and cover every part between the skin and the turkey with butter mixture. (Mine already had a huge hole in the skin part). Generously brush the rest of outside skin with canola oil.
6. Microwave apple and onion in a bowl on high for 5 minutes.
7. Cut up a piece of string and tie the turkey legs together. Tuck wings into the body of the turkey.
8. Insert apple, onion, orange and fresh herbs inside the turkey.
9. Place turkey on the lowest part of your oven, in a roasting pan with a rack. Place in the lowest part of the oven, legs first. Roast for 30 minutes. (Warning: it may get smoky due to the extreme heat and butter. But don’t worry – you are going to end up with crispy and golden skin).
10. Prepare a piece of tin foil just big enough to cover the breast of the turkey. Brush with canola oil and set aside.
11. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Add tin foil at this point.
12. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting.
13. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes loosely covered before carving.
This turkey was juicy, moist, and delicious!
And finally, a word about the roasting pan I just bought-
I got this Bradshaw roasting pan priced at $19.95 with a $10 back rebate from Bed Bath and Beyond. It was a good deal, so I jumped on it.
Upon rinsing out the pan after my roasting adventure, I found marks! It was my one and only time using the pan and there are already some scuff marks. UGH!
