Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey
Serving size planning
1 – 1 ½ pounds (lbs) per person = 0.45 - 0.7 kg / person
(1 lb = 0.45 kg –and- 1 kg = 2.2 lbs)
All recipes.com _ http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Turkey-Cooking-Time-Guide/Detail.aspx
Cooking times, at 350°F (177°C)
Weight
8-12 lbs
3.65 – 5.45 kg
2.5 - 3 hours
3 - 3.5 hours
Unstuffed
Stuffed
12-14 lbs
5.45 - 6.4kg
3 - 3.5 hours
3.5 – 4 hours
14-18 lbs
6.4 - 8.2 kg
18-20lbs
8.2 – 9.1 kg
4 – 4.5 hours
WholeFoodsMarket _ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC5vyQfUA0A
Cooking temperatures
Pre heat oven to 350° F = 177° C http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm
Interior temperature of the thigh meat should be 165° stuffed – 180°F unstuffed = 73.8° – 80°C
Brining
8 hours – max 24 hrs
Remove giblets and neck. Submerge turkey in brine and place in fridge.
Brine: 2 cups salt to 2 gallons water = 270 grams salt to 8 liters water
(1 US cup = 136 grams; 1 US gallon = 3.78 liters)
General
Remove from fridge about an hour before baking.
Rinse in cold water and pat dry.
Add stuffing, tie off legs and cover tips of legs with foil.
Butter, pepper and salt skin.
Chicken broth and white wine in pan.
Cover (‘tent’) with aluminum foil. Uncover for last 45 mins to brown .
Option: partially cook, breast down, ½ time.
After removing from oven, let rest for 20 – 30 minutes
California Language Lab, Milano
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Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey
Carving the turkey
1. Remove the leg _ (thigh or second joint and drumstick) Hold the drumstick firmly with fingers,
pulling gently away from turkey body. At the same time cut through the skin between leg and body.
2. Press leg away from body with the flat side of the knife _ then cut through joint joining leg to
backbone and skin on the back. If the “oyster”, a choice oyster-shaped piece lying in the spoonshaped section of the backbone was not removed with the thigh, remove it at this point. Hold leg on
service plate with drumstick at a convenient angle. Separate drumstick and thigh by cutting down
through the joint to the cutting board.
3. Slice drumstick meat _ (may also be served whole) Hold drumstick up right at a convenient
angle to cutting board and cut down, turning drumstick to get uniform slices.
4. Slice thigh meat _ Hold thigh firmly on cutting board with a fork. Cut slices of meat parallel to
the bone. (may also be served whole)
5. Cut into white meat parallel to wing _ Make a cut deep into the breast to the body frame parallel
to and as close to the wing as possible.
6. Remove breast _ Slice down the middle of the breast with the tip of the knife. Gently pull meat
away from the breast bone with the side of the knife.
7. Slice breast meat _ place on cutting board and slice on the bias into thin pieces as desired.
Video:
WholeFoodsMarket _ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdNhA38rwnY
Cooking.com _ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GCdkuQoLrY
California Language Lab, Milano
[email protected]
Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey
Stuffing
classic recipe
Makes 12 cups (X kg)
Ingredients
12 tablespoons (X grams) unsalted butter.
2 lbs onions (4 large) peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes.
16 celery stalks sliced ¼-inch thick.
10 large, fresh sage leaves, chopped.
6 cups (1.5 liters) Homemade chicken stock
2 loaves stale white bread (about 36 slices), crust on, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (X grams) unsalted salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper.
3 cups (0.75 liter) fresh, coarsely chopped, flat-leaf parsley leaves (2 bunches)
2 cups (0.5 liter) pecans, toasted and chopped (optional)
2 cups (0.5 liter) dried cherries (optional)
Ingredients
_ Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and celery, and cook over medium heat until onions are
translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage, stir to combine, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add ½ cups stock,
and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid has reduced by half.
_Transfer onion mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, including the
remaining stock; mix to combine.
Conversions
1 tbsp = X grams
1 cup (liquid) = 0.236 liters
1 cup (weight) = X grams
Note: ‘stuffing’ is cooked inside the turkey. The same recipe can be baked in the oven, in which case
it is called ‘dressing’.
California Language Lab, Milano
[email protected]
Thanksgiving Dinner
Turkey
Gravy classic recipe
Makes 4-6 cups (X liters)
Ingredients
4 cups turkey broth or chicken broth
Oil and grease from turkey
Milk or water as needed
Flour as needed
Directions
_ Heat 4 cups of turkey or chicken broth, chicken broth or water –or combination of broth and waterin a saucepan until hot but not boiling.
_ Transfer the cooked turkey from the roasting pan and set it on a cutting board to rest for 20-30
minutes before carving. Remove as much grease or fat as possible from the pan using a spoon, ladle
or gravy separator. Reserve ¼ cup (5 centiliters).
_ Place roasting pan over two burners on the stove on medium heat. Deglaze the pan by adding ½
cup (10 cl) of water or other liquid (wine or stock). Stir constantly and scrape the bottom of the pan
to remove the brown bits. Pour off the liquid from the pan into a measuring cup or the saucepan of
hot turkey broth
_ Add ¼ cup (5 cl) of the reserved fat to the roasting pan. Whisk in ¼ cup (X grams) flour. Cook
gently, stirring constantly, until the flour loses its ‘raw’ smell and the mixture becomes golden in
color. Cooking the flour enhances the thickening power of the roux and adds color and a nutty flavor.
_ Whisk in the hot turkey broth and pan drippings and simme over medium heat, stirring fre1quently,
for 5 minutes or until thickened.
_ Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Turkey broth (also known as ‘stock’), possible ingredients
Turkey neck, giblets and gizzards (liver may be omitted because it can impart a bitter taste)
Onion _ quartered and unpeeled
Celery, carrots, parsley _ coarsely chopped
Aromatic herbs: bay leaf, sage, thyme and dill.
Peppercorns
California Language Lab, Milano
[email protected]