Picture Perfect Turkey
Each year various turkey trends and tricks pop up throughout social media, television and email. With the pressure to cook a flavorful, moist and delicious turkey, some of us are willing to try anything once! In 2001, Emeril Lagasse suggested cooking the turkey breast side down for the 1st hour to make sure all the juices flowed into the breast meat guaranteeing a juicy bird. In theory, this was a fantastic idea… I followed the recipe to a tee by brining, stuffing and trussing it perfectly and gently placing it breast side down in my roasting pan. After 1 hour, I carefully pulled it from the warm oven and proceeded to drop a hot, partially cooked turkey on the floor…
Thankfully, my ever-prepared mother had a backup turkey and off to the deep fryer it went… Thanksgiving was saved…
Now, we follow these tried and true Thanksgiving Turkey guidelines.
Choosing the Turkey – I grew up getting a turkey from the farmer down the street each year. They were amazingly flavorful heritage birds with a rich, intense taste with a firm texture. They are a little more expensive but well worth it the extra money. Contact your local butcher to assist you in navigating the heritage turkey market.
Take the Time and Brine – The brine of salt and water ensures a moist turkey. Adding aromatics, spices and herbs only builds the character and flavors. I recommend purchasing a kit if it’s your first time brining a bird but there are some great recipes online. Stay close to a 6% salt content, touch of sugar and away from brines that call for an acidic beverage. Also, it can be quite cumbersome to store the bird but I have always found a cooler with plenty of ice on each side works extremely well and does not take up valuable refrigerator real estate.
Forget the Basting - The days of mom leaning into a warm oven, hovering over the turkey with the iconic baster are gone. Opening and closing the door constantly lets the heat out of the oven, lengths the cooking time and dries it out even more… Instead, rub the bird with lots of olive oil or butter and resist the urge to baste.
From Napa Valley, the hope & grace crew wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving with moist and delicious turkeys in your future…