Post by Admin on Feb 2, 2014 4:53:49 GMT
What you need
For perfectly prepared turkey, have the following equipment on hand before you start:
pastry brushes for brushing the turkey with butter
unwaxed white kitchen string for trussing the turkey
non-stick baking paper and foil for covering the turkey
a large roasting pan for cooking the turkey
a wire rack to be placed inside the roasting pan. The turkey sits on this rack during cooking
a skewer to test when the turkey is ready
a carving knife and fork for when you're ready to carve.
Turkey basics
Frozen whole turkeys are available from supermarkets all year round, starting from around 2.5kg (size 25), which is enough to feed up to six people (see Guide to turkey weights). To get the most from your turkey, follow these tips.
Thaw frozen turkeys in the fridge - never on the kitchen bench. A large turkey can take more than three days to thaw. Once thawed, leave it in the fridge until ready to cook. Stuff the turkey just before cooking.
Turkey breast is very lean and the lack of fat means it can dry out during the long cooking process. Cooks traditionally covered the turkey with a piece of muslin soaked in melted butter to keep it moist, but it's easier to use non-stick baking paper and foil. Covering the breast with strips of bacon or prosciutto also helps to keep the moisture in and adds extra flavour. It's also important to baste the turkey with melted butter or pan juices to prevent it drying out during roasting.
The sheer size of a turkey means that it can take up the whole of a standard domestic oven, leaving no room for roasting the vegies you plan to serve with it. If this is the case, cook your vegetables, separately, first. Once done, cover them with foil and set aside while you cook the turkey. Then, while the turkey is resting, return the oven shelves to their original positions and increase the temperature. Uncover the vegetables and return to the oven until heated through.
To store leftover turkey, allow it to cool slightly. Remove all of the meat from the carcass and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. You can also use the carcass to make stock. To freeze leftover turkey meat, wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Label, date and freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.