A frozen turkey needs to be defrosted. The preferred method is to defrost it in the refrigerator. (Yes, the one filled with the rest of the holiday fare.) Allow one day per 5 pounds. A 15-pound turkey will require three days to defrost thoroughly. An alternate method is to defrost the bird in a cold water bath. Allow 30 minutes per pound. That 15-pound turkey will require only 7 1/2 hours to defrost using this approach. It is also possible to use a combination of these methods.
Now you are ready to prepare the turkey for roasting. First remove the giblets. This is a fundamental step not only because you might want to use them to make the gravy, but also because it is disconcerting to find these paper-wrapped lumps when carving. Next, rinse the bird inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. If you are stuffing the bird, do so now with a freshly prepared dressing. Stuff loosely, allowing about 1/2 to 3/4 cup per pound of bird. Brush the skin with melted butter or oil. Tuck the drumsticks under the folds of skin or tie together with string. Lastly, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. The thermometer should point towards the body, and should not touch the bone.
Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven. Use the following chart to estimate the time required for baking.
| Weight of Bird | Roasting Time (Unstuffed) | Roasting Time (Stuffed) |
| 10 to 18 pounds | 3 to 3-1/2 hours | 3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours |
| 15 to 22 pounds | 3-1/2 to 4 hours | 4-1/2 to 5 hours |
| 22 to 24 pounds | 4 to 4-1/2 hours | 5 to 5-1/2 hours |
| 24 to 29 pounds | 4-1/2 to 5 hours | 5-1/2 to 6-1/4 hours |
Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely
with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil
tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but will promote even
browning.
The best test for doneness is the temperature of the
meat, not the color of the skin. The turkey is done when the thigh meat
reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F, and when the breast meat
reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. If your turkey has been
stuffed, it is important to check the temperature of the dressing. The
stuffing should be 165 degrees F. When the turkey is done, remove from the
oven and allow to stand for 30 minutes.
7-UP Turkey
1 turkey (any size)
1 (2 liter)
bottle 7-up
Pour 1/4 of the 2 liter bottle on the turkey when
preparing in the pan. Cover with tin foil and place in oven. Cook like
normal and baste often. Baste with fresh 7-UP every 45 minutes to an
hour. Remove tin foil for last 45 minutes of baking to make the skin crisp
and brown. Baste one last time with fresh 7-UP for the last 45
minutes. Use
drippings for making gravy, makes a sweet excellent gravy.
Carve and
enjoy!
***GLAZE***
1 cup apricot nectar
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey
***HERBED BUTTER***
3/4 cup unsalted butter -- at room temp
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
***SHALLOT MIXTURE***
2 tablespoons butter -- unsalted
3 large onions -- thinly sliced
6 ounces shallots -- thinly sliced
20 pounds turkey
15 ounces chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
15 ounces chicken broth
salt and pepper -- to taste
Glaze: Combine apricot nectar, preserves, ginger, and honey in a heavy smallsaucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened and reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.
Herb Butter: Blend 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, 3 tablespoonschopped fresh sage, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Set aside.
Onion Mixture: Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in heavy large skillet overmedium heat. Add onions and shallots: saute until very soft and light brown, about 20 minutes.
Position rack in lowest third of oven. Preheat to 400F. Pat turkey dry with
paper towels. Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Place turkey on rack,and set in large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosenskin. Spread half of herb butter over breast under skin. If stuffing turkey,spoon stuffing into main cavity. Place remaining herb butter in small saucepan.
legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey. Roast turkey for 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 325F. Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes, basting
occasionally with pan drippings. Tent turkey with heavy duty foil; roast 45
minutes longer. Add onion mixture, 1 can broth, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage to pan. Roast 15 minutes. Brush 1/2 cup hot glaze over turkey. Continue to roast turkey uncovered until meat thermometer inserted into thickestpart of thigh registers 180F or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer. Brush occasionally with glaze, and add more broth to pan if liquid evaporates. Bake about 40 minutes longer for unstuffed turkey, and about 1 hour 10 minutes longer for stuffed turkey. Place turkey on platter,tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.
Pour contents of roasting pan into strainer set over large bowl. Spoon fat
from pan juices in bowl. Transfer onion mixture to blender. Add 1 cup pan
juices to blender, and puree until smooth, adding more pan juices and chicken broth if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency. Transfer sauce to heavy large saucepan, and bring to boil. Cook until color deepens, skimming off any foam, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Honey
Basted Turkey
8
pounds Turkey
1/2 cup Oil
1/2 cup Soya sauce
2 tablespoons
Honey
1 1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon Dry mustard
2
Cloves garlic -- minced
Cut turkey into pieces. Combine oil, soya
sauce, honey, ginger, mustard and
garlic. Marinate turkey in soya
mixture 2 hours in refrigerator. Drain turkey
pieces, reserving
marinade. Place drumsticks, thighs and breast pieces 6 - 8" above medium
hot coals. Grill for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Add wings and bake
pieces. Grill another 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Baste with
marinade and grill until turkey is tender about 20 minutes.
Roast Chicken with Butternut Squash
Ingredients
1
whole chicken, (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1
butternut squash, (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch
cubes
1 teaspoon dried sage
3 tablespoons water
Directions
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat the chicken
quarters with 1
tablespoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and
1/8 teaspoon of
the pepper. Arrange the chicken quarters, skin-side
up, in a large
roasting pan. Toss the cubes of butternut squash with
the remaining 2
tablespoons of oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8
teaspoon of pepper,
and the sage. Add the cubes of squash to the
roasting pan.
Cook, stirring the squash occasionally, until the
chicken breasts are
just done, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from
the oven and remove
the breasts from the pan. Tilt the roasting pan
and spoon off most of
the fat from the pan. Return the pan to the
oven. Continue cooking
until the chicken legs and the squash are done,
about 10 minutes
longer. Remove the chicken and squash from the
pan.
Pour off the fat from the roasting pan. Set the pan over
moderate
heat and add the water. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom
of the
pan to dislodge any brown bits. Boil until reduced to
approximately 2
tablespoons. Add any accumulated juices from the
chicken. Spoon the
sauce over the chicken.
WINDSOR CANADIAN GOOSE
1 Goose -- 6-8 lbs.
1qt Buttermilk
8 oz
Prunes, dried
2 md Apple --
sliced
5 sl Bacon
Butter -- as
needed
-----SAUCE-----
1/2 c Butter
1/4
c Flour
3/4 c Beef or chicken broth
Salt -- to
taste
1c Sour cream
4 tb Currant
jelly
Soak goose in buttermilk at least 4 hours in
refrigerator. Wash bird and drain. Stuff with prunes
and apples. Truss and wrap in bacon. Cover tightly
with heavy duty foil. Bake until tender at 325
degrees F.
for about 3 hours. Baste with butter to
brown
Sauce
Melt
butter in sauce pan Stir in flour with whisk.
Add broth and heat
stirring constantly. Just before
serving add sour cream and
jelly. Heat and serve.
Note: Remove fruit from goose
before serving and arrange on
platter around
it.
- 1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice mix
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 4 cornish hens
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine,
softened
Currant Sauce - 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
- 1/2 cup currant jelly
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 whole cloves
Prepare rice according to the package directions. In large skillet, saute onion, mushrooms and celery in oil until tender. Remove from heat; add rice, pecans, parsley, thyme, and marjoram. Stuff hens; rub skins with butter. Bake, uncovered at 350/o for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, for sauce, heat butter, jelly and lemon juice in a small pan until butter and jelly are melted. Combine vinegar, cornstarch, salt and cloves; add to jelly mixture in sauce pan. Bring to boil; boil 2 minutes. After hens have baked 30 minutes, baste and bake another 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Bake extra stuffing in a greased 1 quart covered baking dish at 350/o for 30 minutes
Select ham with the bone in according
to the number of guests allowing 1/3 pound of ham per guest. Wash the ham
and place in a shallow roasting pan with the fat side up 10 to 15 pound
ham insert a meat thermometer so that the tip is in the center of the
thickest part of the ham but does not touch the bone or the drippings. Do
not cover bake in oven at 325/o. until the thermometer reaches 140/o The
last 30 minutes take the ham out of oven and remove any skin from top.
Score top of ham lightly, cutting uniform diamond shapes. Place a whole
cloves in each diamond. ( Also I put a whole pineapple ring every so often
with a whole maraschino cherry in center of pineapple held on with a tooth
pick through the cherry). Then cover with the pineapple glaze below.
Return to the oven for another 30 minutes
-
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
-
1 tablespoon cornstarch
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
-
1 can (8 1/2 ounces) crushed pineapple, with syrup
-
2 teaspoons lemon juice
-
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
In a small sauce pan, place the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt. Then stir in the pineapple, lemon juice, and mustard. Cook over medium heat. stirring constantly. until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour over undrained ham. Baste 2 time while finishing the baking process. Remove and place on a platter to server. This is very good eating and attractive in appearance.
