Tips On How To Serve The Best Roast Turkey For Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is fast approaching and Im pretty sure that youre now getting ready for this annual event. There is indeed no reason why one should not exert effort in prepping up for this holiday that gets the family together. Imagine all the fun, the laughter and of course, the food thats going to be served on your dinner table. Think about that oh-so-delicious roast turkey that youll so meticulously stuff and cook in your La Caja China. So just to ensure that this much-awaited get-together is going to start and end in a really good way, let me help you out by sharing valuable turkey roasting tips.
Buying Your Turkey
1. Before picking a turkey, you have to first identify the number of people youll invite for dinner. Generally, a pound of turkey should be allotted per person. If you want to have some leftovers for later, add another half a pound per individual.
2. Sometimes, home cooks forget about storage when buying their turkey. Of course you wouldnt go to the market in the morning of Thanksgiving Day to get your bird. However, you should know that buying it ahead of time entails knowing how much storage you have at home. Unless you have a large, commercial-type freezer, a 16-pound turkey isnt the best option to get. It just wouldnt fit in a regular refrigerator. So instead of one big fowl, just get two smaller ones, weighing about 12 pounds or less.
3. Make sure that your holiday-bird is fresh when you get it. The skin should show a creamy white color and a sort of waxy texture. The breast should be full-fleshed and its skin should not show any kind of abrasion.
Preparation
1. If you have frozen your turkey, remember that it will take days for it to get defrosted. You can leave it in the fridge (just not in the freezer) and let it thaw for days before cooking.
2. Brine your bird to make its meat more tender and make it even more flavorful as well. The commonly used brine is salt and water solution but of course you can experiment. Some people add herbs and spices. Some people love integrating maple syrup or honey. It all depends on your taste. Just use the internet to research about the best brining solutions to consider.
3. To make the turkeys skin crispy, it has to be left uncovered inside the fridge the night before cooking. If you like using rub, you can also mix some vegetable or olive oil with it before grilling.
4. Decide whether you want to stuff your turkey or not. Theres still a great debate as to whether stuffing the turkey is a good idea or the otherwise. So to be safe, if you want it stuffed, just use a few aromatic veggies or herbs and make sure that you wont fill it too much.
Grilling / Roasting
1. Using your La Caja China to roast your turkey is easier than conventional ovens and roasters. You wont have to worry about the cooking time because it will surely be done a lot faster.
2. Position your bird on the grill upside-down first. Cook it with the grill closed and never peep before an hour has already passed. After an hour, you can already turn the turkey on its side.
3. Attach your meat thermometer to monitor the birds doneness. If your turkey is not stuffed, connect the thermometer to its thigh. It should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is stuffed, check its internal temperature, too.
4. Once it has reached the desired temperature, do not carve the meat right away. Wrap it with aluminum foil and leave it covered for up to an hour. This tenting procedure will cook the fowl in its own juices while preventing it from burning.
5. After tenting your turkey, let it cool down for another 25 minutes then carve it with an electric knife.
Buying Your Turkey
1. Before picking a turkey, you have to first identify the number of people youll invite for dinner. Generally, a pound of turkey should be allotted per person. If you want to have some leftovers for later, add another half a pound per individual.
2. Sometimes, home cooks forget about storage when buying their turkey. Of course you wouldnt go to the market in the morning of Thanksgiving Day to get your bird. However, you should know that buying it ahead of time entails knowing how much storage you have at home. Unless you have a large, commercial-type freezer, a 16-pound turkey isnt the best option to get. It just wouldnt fit in a regular refrigerator. So instead of one big fowl, just get two smaller ones, weighing about 12 pounds or less.
3. Make sure that your holiday-bird is fresh when you get it. The skin should show a creamy white color and a sort of waxy texture. The breast should be full-fleshed and its skin should not show any kind of abrasion.
Preparation
1. If you have frozen your turkey, remember that it will take days for it to get defrosted. You can leave it in the fridge (just not in the freezer) and let it thaw for days before cooking.
2. Brine your bird to make its meat more tender and make it even more flavorful as well. The commonly used brine is salt and water solution but of course you can experiment. Some people add herbs and spices. Some people love integrating maple syrup or honey. It all depends on your taste. Just use the internet to research about the best brining solutions to consider.
3. To make the turkeys skin crispy, it has to be left uncovered inside the fridge the night before cooking. If you like using rub, you can also mix some vegetable or olive oil with it before grilling.
4. Decide whether you want to stuff your turkey or not. Theres still a great debate as to whether stuffing the turkey is a good idea or the otherwise. So to be safe, if you want it stuffed, just use a few aromatic veggies or herbs and make sure that you wont fill it too much.
Grilling / Roasting
1. Using your La Caja China to roast your turkey is easier than conventional ovens and roasters. You wont have to worry about the cooking time because it will surely be done a lot faster.
2. Position your bird on the grill upside-down first. Cook it with the grill closed and never peep before an hour has already passed. After an hour, you can already turn the turkey on its side.
3. Attach your meat thermometer to monitor the birds doneness. If your turkey is not stuffed, connect the thermometer to its thigh. It should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is stuffed, check its internal temperature, too.
4. Once it has reached the desired temperature, do not carve the meat right away. Wrap it with aluminum foil and leave it covered for up to an hour. This tenting procedure will cook the fowl in its own juices while preventing it from burning.
5. After tenting your turkey, let it cool down for another 25 minutes then carve it with an electric knife.
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